Real Estate Power Hour: How to Prepare Your Home for a Successful Sale
The first impression of a home on a prospective buyer is the most important. The first thing a salesperson should do is clean, clean, and then clean some more. Freshly painted walls and doors will also have a positive impact.
This article will provide home sellers with specific advice on how to prepare a home for a successful sale. It is based on real life experience of reviewing hundreds of homes available for sale and listening to the comments and opinions of home buyers.
1. Cut the grass; keep it neatly trimmed; prune shrubs; remove weeds. Curb appeal is important. Most home buyers form an opinion on the property before even entering it.
2. Paint front door and polish or replace front door mat and hardware. The front door is one of the first things a potential buyer will see when they come to view the home. Make it look pretty and attractive.
3. Make sure the doorbell works with a pleasant chime and can be heard from the front door.
4. All lights must be working; replace bulbs as needed. Consider cleaning light surfaces to make sure they have the brightest light possible. Consider increasing the wattage of the bulbs. Make sure all rooms have strong lighting. Don’t try to hide blemishes in low light. It does not work.
5. Replace cracked screens and broken windows.
6. Repair cracks, holes and discoloration in the wall; consider painting the house. This is usually money well spent. This is probably one of the cheapest and most effective ways to improve the attractiveness of your home to a potential buyer.
7. Clean the driveway and garage of any stains. Consider borrowing or renting a pressure washer if you don’t have one. If possible, move boxes and other things from the garage to a storage unit. Clutter in the garage can indicate that the house is too small and that the garage is being used for storage.
8. Parking vehicles in the garage or on the street; leave the entrance free.
9. Consider adding some color to the front yard; Potted plants and flowers can help enhance the first impression of the home.
10. Make sure the garage door works smoothly.
11. Shampoo or replace rugs; Neutral colors on the floor help you sell your home faster. Large home improvement companies often have great deals on carpet installation.
12. Clean floors, particularly caulking from tile floors.
13. Fix squeaky or sticky doors and windows.
14. Tighten all cabinet doors and repair / replace any loose cabinet or door knobs. Consider replacing the knobs if the old ones are worn.
15. Paint the interior of the house a white or light neutral color, as it makes the house appear larger and cleaner. Consider painting one or two accent walls.
16. Make windows shine and clean window shades.
17. Repair all leaky faucets and caulk bathtubs and showers recently.
18. Make sure all toilet seats are new or appear new and are securely attached.
19. Replace shower curtains.
20. Make sure fans are operating properly without excessive noise or vibration.
21. Make sure all kitchen appliances are clean and working properly.
22. Remove and put away all clutter (photos, trinkets and collectibles) from the house; you are showing your house, not your things.
23. Organize and clean all closets, pantry and storage areas. When buyers see clutter, they generally think that there is not enough storage space in the house.
24. Remove extension cords from sight.
25. Keep the washer and dryer empty. Most people are uncomfortable looking at other people’s clothes.
26. Keep the laundry room clean and tidy.
27. Replace the A / C air filters.
28. Make beds; clean dishes; empty wastebaskets.
29. Put away the toys.
30. Put “display towels” in bathrooms.
31. Refresh the air; aroma of potpourri or baked bread; deodorize pet areas; establish a comfortable temperature.
32. Consider having some fresh flowers everywhere.
33. Turn off the television; play soft background music. Light jazz or contemporary music works very well.
34. Curtains open; turn on the lights. The rooms will look bigger.
35. The pool and spa, including equipment, must be kept clean and in working order.
36. Water sources must also be kept clean. If possible, turn on water sources during projection.
As you go through the process of selling your home, keep this list handy and check before each visitation appointment.
