Every seller hopes their home sale goes smoothly and quickly, and the best way to ensure that happens is to prep as much as possible ahead of time. This includes both cleaning and decluttering, but also gathering the necessary documents and information you’ll need. Here are the five vital steps to prepare your home for sale.
Clean and Organize
Your home should be as clean as possible, even in the areas you might usually skip. That includes your basement, garage, and closets. If you have any rooms or spaces that seem to be overflowing, be sure to reorganize. Buyers will be curious about storage space and you don’t want it to look like you struggle with space. If you have any rooms painted bright or unique colors, consider repainting to something more neutral.
Declutter and Depersonalize
You want buyers to envision themselves in your home. This can be hard to do if your home is overflowing with knick-knacks, souvenirs, and personal photos. Packing away these items (or donating anything you won’t want or need once you move) will make it easier for potential buyers to visualize how the home could look with their own belongings.
Make Repairs
Maybe you’ve grown accustomed to the chipping paint in the spare room or your leaky faucet, but small issues like that will stand out to potential buyers and decrease the value of your home. Not to mention that if your home appears to have a lot of small, cosmetic defects, it may lead potential buyers to believe there are other larger, underlying problems as well. Repair any blemishes in the walls and touch up the paint, fix leaky faucets or doors that don’t close properly, and replace any light bulbs that have burnt out.
Spruce Up Your Front Yard
You want buyers’ first impression of your home to be a good one. Clean out the gutters and consider pressure washing the siding. Mow the lawn, weed the garden, and plant some flowers. Pick up any clutter or personal items that may be hanging out on the lawn. A clean, well-landscaped yard will set the tone for your entire home.
Gather Important Information and Documents
You’ll want to find a copy of your deed and tax bill, put together a list of improvements made on the property since you’ve owned it with dates and any other information you’ll need for a property disclosure, and create a list of all the service providers you use.
Looking to sell? Check out our blog post on the Top 5 Reasons to have a REALTOR® sell your home. Or take a look at our agent list or contact us to speak to our experienced agents today.
