Angel Meeks, Realtor
Are you thinking of listing your home?
This quote definitely holds true when listing your home in this real estate market. There’s much more to selling a home than simply putting a for sale sign in the yard. The better you prepare, the more likely you are to be successful. With real estate reality shows everywhere you look, it’s hard to know what improvements and/or preparations to make before you listing your home. Here are 5 things to do before putting out that for sale sign. They shouldn’t break the bank but are sure to make listing your home easier and help your home show well.
1. Clean
You knew this was coming but I had to say it anyway. We all have different versions of what “lived in” looks like. On the 1-10 lived-in scale my house fluctuates between 3-7. I would say keep it below three at all times for showings with the ultimate goal being a 1 or 2. It’s a pain…I know. The real objective with this is to get people in the door to stay a while. If you have fur babies (most of us do) and someone either doesn’t like them or even worse is allergic they aren’t likely to stay long – even if the house is perfect for them. When I say clean I mean deep clean. Scrub the baseboards, cabinets, behind the toilets, outlet covers, door jams, everything. Don’t forget about dusting the light fixtures and taxidermy either. Anything that stays out during showings needs to be clean and that includes the outside. A good pressure washing never hurts.
2. Curb Appeal
Speaking of outside, one of the biggest things that will draw a person into a home to view it is curb appeal. I can’t stress to you how important that first impression is. Buyers have changed their minds about going into homes before based solely on the outside appearance. Once they’ve made that decision it’s hard to change their minds and get them to give it a chance. I found through the years that most humans don’t see the potential. They see what’s in front of them and have a hard envisioning the property being anything other than what they see now. Some things that you can do to make sure that your home is ready to list are to keep the grass cut, pull weeds, paint the front door, clean the gutters, and yes pressure wash. It’s a matter of making it inviting for potential buyers and helping them to envision themselves there. It will be hard for them to see that if there are trees growing in the gutters and they are worried about getting bitten by a snake trying to make it to the front door.
3. Start Packing
FYI, you are planning on moving. There’s no time like the present to start decluttering and packing things up. Start packing up personal items like photos, winter clothing, knick knacks, and anything else that won’t be used for a few months. It’s ideal for those boxes to go to storage but people know you are moving so it’s okay for them to be stacked neatly in a room, closet, or garage. The goal is to remove as much of “you” from the property as possible. This way potential buyers are able to see themselves there instead of being distracted by pictures of your cute dogs.
Take a stroll around the home and look for things that may need some attention and maintenance. If there is wood rot around the property it can decrease your pool of buyers significantly. There are three primary types of loans used when purchasing a residential property. They are FHA, VA, and conventional loans. There are certain requirements that need to be met in order for the property to qualify for each type of loan. A buyer could be completely approved and ready to go but if your property is not they will have to look elsewhere. It’s easiest to address these things prior to listing your home. This eliminates scrambling around at the last minute to find a contractor to fix it. In general, if the home shows signs that small repairs have been put off, buyers will assume the larger maintenance has been too.
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Last but definitely not least, take professional photos. Can you guess which one above is the professional photo? I know your phone takes amazing photos but there are just some things that need to be left to professionals. It goes back to presenting your home in the best possible light. When it comes to real estate nothing can take the place of professional photos. Remember, these are going out on the internet for the world (including your neighbors) to see. Professional photographers are trained to catch anything that’s out of place..like the overflowing garbage can full of wine bottles. It is the first impression of your home that buyers will get so you want to ensure it’s a good one.
Summing up, the five tips for getting your home ready to sell are to clean, create some curb appeal, declutter, get caught up on those repairs you’ve been putting off, and get professional photos. Easy peasy. Good luck on selling your property! I’m always here to help if you have questions.
Check out the video below or my YouTube channel for more information.
Angel’s YouTube Channel
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