There are lots of reasons people choose to sell their homes. Whether they’re relocating for a new job, growing their family, or simply desire a new space, any reason someone has to want to sell their home is entirely valid! If you’ve decided to sell your home, but you’re unsure how to prepare it, here are some helpful tips that will ideally set you on the path of an easy selling process!
- Find a listing agent. A listing agent is someone who represents you as the seller. Of course, you can sell your house yourself, but a listing agent knows all the ins and outs of real estate procedures in your area and can assist you in determining an accurate listing price, field offers, and give tours to ensure that your home will go to a great new owner. They can give you advice on making any upgrades to your home before selling, such as installing luxury vinyl flooring or switching out the light fixtures in your bathroom. A listing agent can give you invaluable advice that no one else can.
- Get your home assessed. Have a tax professional assess your home’s worth. This can include an evaluation of the upgrades you’ve done to the property over the years, the value of the land your home sits on, and more. Even if you live on a waterfront property in a great neighborhood, having a home with minimal upgrades since it was built might make your home value lower than you think. Have your home assessed by a professional who can really ensure you’re listing your home for what it’s worth or have the opportunity to complete some renovations before putting it on the market.
- Do some small projects. These small projects can include rearranging the furniture, painting the walls, filling in any holes, resealing the windows and doors and any other smaller projects that you can think of that will help to add resale value to your home. These small projects are simple, but they can make a huge cosmetic impact on listing photos for potential buyers to envision themselves in your space.
- Consider a few major renovations. There are a couple of spots in your home that you’ll want to consider completing major renovations before listing your home. First is the kitchen. While costly, a kitchen renovation can yield a huge return on your investment when you sell your home. To keep costs from spiraling out of control, consider installing ready to assemble cabinets instead of pre-assembled ones, choose a durable countertop and go for slightly upgraded appliances. The second place you should consider a major renovation is the master bathroom. The height of relaxation and luxury in any home, the master bath is the one place homeowners have respite from the chaos of the day. Ensuring it has as many features and luxuries as possible is a must when selling your home. Consider refinishing the tub or shower, installing new floors and low e windows, and upgrading the mirrors, lighting and other hardware in the bathroom to really make the space shine. Of course, if the last time anyone put anything new in your bathroom was when the house was first built, it’s definitely time to change things up and put new pieces in.
- Do a deep clean. Deep cleaning your home will ensure it’s pristine for when it’s listed online. You’d be surprised just how far a deep clean of your space can go in making it seem brand new. Wipe down baseboards, wash the windows and even disassemble and clean out the kitchen cabinets to really make the place shine. Cleaning your home is one of the easiest things you can do to prepare your home for a sale. You don’t have to do this task entirely on your own, though — anyone living in the home with you can definitely pitch in and help to clean up their space! Of course, once your home is up for sale, you’ll want to start a daily cleaning regimen so that when your listing agent brings people into the home, it will look entirely pristine.
- Consider what your post-sale game plan is. Where will you live after your house is sold? How long will you have until the home is officially closed on and becomes someone else’s? These are questions you should answer well in advance of listing your home. You’ll need enough time to move all your things out and into a new place. If you’re moving from one house to another, then this can be a tough decision to make, especially if you’re not the one controlling the closing timeframe. Having good communication among yourself, all the real estate agents involved, the homeowners of your new place, and the incoming owners of your current one is absolutely essential during the closing time for both homes.
7. Power wash the front of your home. Just like deep cleaning the inside of your home will do wonders for its appeal, giving the outside of your home a good power wash will go a long way in making your home feel brand new. Power washing gets all the gross dirt, cobwebs, and build-up off the outer material of your home. While this is something that should be part of regular maintenance of your home in the first place, doing a power wash session right before listing your home will do absolute wonders for its curb appeal.
8. Don’t neglect the remaining outside parts of your home. After power washing your home, be sure to power wash your driveway and sidewalk. Then, plant some fresh flowers at the front of your home. If you have a front porch, be sure to have some chairs or even a porch swing out there to make your space feel inviting and welcoming. Potential buyers have to see themselves in the space, which means they might need to see ways that the space can be utilized. Curb appeal is essential for a good sale!
