Chances are if you’ve decided to sell your house, you’re hoping it will sell fast and bring in top dollar. Well, it won’t happen without a little effort on your part to make sure your home is ready to be shown to potential buyers. Here are a few practical tips on how to prepare your home for sale:
1. Detach yourself from your home.
This may be one of the hardest things on the list to do, especially if you have lived in your home for many years. However, it is also one of the most important, because only once you’ve “let go” of your home can you really start to move forward. It may help to stop thinking of it as your “home” and start thinking of it as now just a “house”, an object that needs to be sold. Corny as it may sound, it may also help if you take time to say “goodbye” to every room in the house, just so that there’s closure and acceptance that it will soon no longer be yours. Then you can focus on visualizing yourself handing over the keys to the new owner who has agreed to purchase for a good price.
2. De-personalize your house.
You don’t want potential buyers to think as they walk into the house, “Hmmm. I wonder what kind of people live here?” You want them to think, “I can really picture MYSELF living here!” This means you will want to remove any personal photographs or artifacts so as not to distract your buyer and prevent them from picturing their OWN family photos on the walls.
3. De-clutter your house.
Selling your house is always a great reason to finally get rid of the amazing amount of junk you’ve accumulated throughout the years. Throw away or donate everything you don’t need, and anything you haven’t used in a year. Clear everything off of your kitchen counters and pack up all knickknacks and books. You’re going to have to pack them all up eventually, think of it as a head start.
4. Organize bedroom closets and kitchen cabinets.
Buyers are curious and love to snoop, and will most probably open any closets and cabinets they encounter in your house. Make sure that when they do, they aren’t met with an avalanche of clothes or kitchen objects toppling out. Keeping everything organized gives your buyer the impression that you take as good care of your house as well. This includes simple things like hanging all your clothes neatly in the closet, lining your shoes up, and organizing your spice rack.
5. Rent a storage unit.
Less is almost always more when it comes to selling a house. Less furniture helps make rooms appear larger and leaves plenty of space for buyers to move around. Remove any empty bookcases and large pieces of furniture that may be obstructing hallways and doorways. Leave just enough to clearly indicate a room’s purpose so that buyers won’t be confused about what the space is being used for.
6. Remove and/or replace favorite items.
If you’re planning on taking any built-in appliances, fixtures such as chandeliers with you, or window coverings, remove them before you start to show your house. If you pack and replace these items now, you won’t risk having a buyer see them and want them. Telling a buyer they can’t have a particular item can be a deal-breaker.
7. Make minor repairs.
- Replace any cracked or broken tiles.
- Patch any holes in walls.
- Consider painting your walls in neutral colors.
- Fix leaky faucets.
- Fix doors and drawers that jam or don’t close properly.
- Replace lightbulbs.
- Consider replacing worn out linen, bedcovers and sofa throws.
8. Clean you house INSIDE…
- Wash all the windows inside and out.
- Dust all the furniture, electric fan blades, lighting fixtures.
- Polish silverware and doorknobs.
- Wax or polish the floor.
- Vacuum daily.
- Organize drawers, closets, and cabinets.
- Replace worn out or faded rugs and other linens.
- Make sure there are fresh towels in the bathroom.
- Rid your house of any strange or foul odors. These are a no-no and also a potential deal-breaker.
9. …and OUT
- Mow the lawn.
- Trim the bushes and shrubbery.
- Spray down the sidewalks and exterior.
- Plant colourful, inexpensive flowers to make the house look cheery.
- Sweep the yard for leaves daily.
- Make sure your house number is visible.
First impressions really do count. If a buyer takes one look at your house’s exterior and refuses to leave their agent’s car, chances are you’ll never get them inside.
Finally, take a step back and scrutinize all your hard work. Picture yourself as a buyer. Would you want to buy your house? Does it give off a friendly, homey, inviting atmosphere? Does it look attractive and have impact, with all its best features highlighted? Hopefully following the tips listed above will help you answer those questions with a resounding YES.
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