If you’ve never sold a home before, the entire process can be a bit intimidating. While remaining in the home and maintaining your lifestyle, you have to ready it for prospective home buyers to come by at a moments notice. Below are tips on how to prep, clean, and get it ready for showing.
Preparing for a Home Showing
Curb Appeal
It all starts when potential buyers pull up to the home. Take a moment to stand outside your home and try to see it as a buyer would. When you live
in a home for years, it’s easy to pass by problems without really noticing them.
Quick Upgrades to the Outdoors
- New welcome mat
- Painted door
- Potted plants in the entry
- Paint the garage
- Mow and landscape
You don’t have to spend hundreds on the outdoors, but you do need to spend your time and money efficiently.
Remove Clutter
It’s time to remove clutter. If you’re lucky, you are about to be in your home for less than a few months. Take the time now to start packing your belongings and getting them out of the house. It’s unlikely that you need everything you have in the home. We found that the third-third-third rule works well. This means keep one-third, donate one-third and throw away the rest. Purchase a storage unit and remove the boxes of clutter, or start sorting and tossing things in the trash now. You don’t want to move clutter from one location to the next. Below are links to two great books on de-cluttering:
- Declutter And Simplify – 33 Proven Ways To Declutter And Simplify Your Life
- Declutter Your Home Effectively: House Cleaning Hacks to a Clutter Free Life
Organize Closets and Drawers
People will open closets and check drawers to envision how much space they’ll have for their belongings. Assume that people will search the area thoroughly and remove all the clutter from the closets and pantry. Click here for a Pinterest page with ideas on closet organization.
Make Repairs
All those small repairs you’ve promised your spouse you’d repair should be done immediately. Potential buyers will notice the repairs that you’ve been ignoring. Whether it’s a broken stair railing or a hole in the bathroom door, all maintenance and repairs should be done before listing the home for sale.
Coat of Paint
One of the best ways to freshen up space is with a coat of paint. Choose a neutral shade that will appeal to the most buyers. They should be able to envision their furniture in the space, and they can’t do that when there is wacky paint on the walls.
Walk Through
Have a friend walk through the home with you and point out problems and issues you might have missed. It’s easy to do when you’ve lived in the home for years. The friend should be honest and tell you exactly where there are issues.
Living in the House
It’s tough to live in the home while you’re selling it, but that’s how most people sell their homes. They don’t move into a new home until the old one is sold.
Spotless
Unfortunately, you’re not going to be able to relax your cleaning standards while it’s on the market. Your agent will want to walk people through the home so that it can be sold quickly.
Make it a Game
You’ll get notice of many appointments, but not all of them. Be prepared to rush around cleaning with the children. It can be turned into a game of who can clean the fastest.
Leave the Home
Buyers don’t really want the current owners hovering while they’re looking through the house. Plan to leave the house, so your agent can talk to the potential buyers and sell your home for you.
Cozy Up the House
Before buyers show up at the door, turn lights on throughout the home. Leave windows open if it’s beautiful outside. Turn on a fireplace if it’s chilly. Light some candles to freshen up the home too.
Remove the Pets
There should never be any evidence of a pet in the home. Buyers will wonder about potential problems that the pet might have caused. Leave the dog, cat or bird at a friend’s house for the duration of the selling process.
It’s entirely possible to sell your home while you’re living in it if you prepare in advance. Be ready to clean and leave your home at a moment’s notice. Always let your agent give you advice on ways you can improve your chance of a sale too. if you would like additional information take a look at:
Happy home selling!
