We are always thinking of lists during the holiday season, well one list that is important all year round is a checklist to complete when you are selling your home. Selling your house is a big
life event and you want to make sure everything is ready to go before listing. Here is a checklist for what you need to do before you sell.
1. Declutter and Depersonalize
This is an important step to start with as you will want to have your home looking spacious and a blank slate for a potential homebuyer to add their personal touch. When a potential buyer walks into the home, you want them to be able to visualize themselves living in the space. Take all of your family photos down and any personal items that attach you to the home.
2. Clean and Repair
A clean and well-maintained home will attract more buyers. Before listing, deep clean everywhere and this includes the windows, carpets and appliances. If there are visible things such as a leaky faucet or broken tiles, have these repaired. Remember a potential buyer will not want to purchase a home that has not been well maintained.
3. Curb Appeal
A home’s curb appeal will be the first thing anyone sees when they drive up to the home. This means that the exterior of your home sets the stage for what’s inside. An easy quick way for you to make sure your curb appeal is at its best is to plant flowers, mow your lawn and trim the bushes.
4. Stage your Home
This is another great way to help a potential buyer visualize themselves in the space. In fact, proper furniture arrangement and decor can be a powerful tool in the real estate market. If you have any personalized paint colors, consider repainting in a neutral color.
5. Make Necessary Upgrades
Even small upgrades can make a huge difference when it comes to selling your home. A great way to spruce up the space is to replace outdated hardware and put on a fresh coat of paint. Small ideas like these can add value to your home in the eyes of the buyer.
6. Set the Right Price
This is a must! If you price too high or too low it can hurt you as the seller. Pricing your home correctly is crucial for a successful sale. Speaking with a local sales agent is a great way to make sure your home is priced within the current market.
7. Professional Photography
Online listings are the way most buyers these days look for a new home. This makes it extremely important to have professional photos on your listing. Nice high quality images will showcase and highlight the best features of your home giving it more online attention.
8. Market Your Home
A local sales agent will tell you that effective marketing is crucial. You want to reach a big audience in a short amount of time. Using online platforms, social media and a good marketing strategy.
9. Complete Necessary
You want to collect all of the necessary documents that are tied to your property such as property records, warranties and utility bills. Also make sure to fill out the disclosure forms to make sure that everything is upfront and there is nothing left that is unclear to a potential buyer.
10. Create A Warm Ambiance
Doing this will leave a good warm and fuzzy impression on a potential buyer. To do this, make sure that you have good lighting throughout the spaces and have fresh flowers throughout your home to give off a neutral refreshing scent.
11. Organize Closets and Storage Spaces
Buyers will be looking through your drawers and closets so they need to be tightly and neat. So it gives the impression of a larger space you need to arrange everything in an organized fashion.
Remember using a realtor to sell your home is the best step to creating a success sale. A sales agent can help you with this checklist and help you with the process from start to finish.
