8 To Dos to Help Sell Your Home FAST!

In a seller’s market, such as the one we are currently experiencing, you want to put your best foot forward when selling your home. You may hire the right professionals to help you market your home and even set the right price, but none of that will help you gain momentum in the selling process if your home isn’t Market ready. You only get one chance to make a first impression with buyers, and in Real Estate the first impression is usually the ONLY one. Here are some sure fire ways to get your home noticed and geared for a speedy sale.

Take the Home out of your House

When selling a house, you want to create an environment where buyers can envision themselves in the space. One of the most important steps in doing so is to de-personalize it. It’s hard I know, but when getting into the mindset to sell it is best to consider the process as a business transaction. Change your mentality of selling a “home” to selling a “house” by getting rid of a third of your things – put them in storage. This includes family photos, memorabilia collections, and personal keepsakes. Also, getting rid of excess furniture and other items that are not being used on a daily basis makes a living area feel more spacious. Begin at your front door and go through the entire house tossing, donating and packing up everything in order to make the house feel less cluttered. Don’t forget the basement, attic and garage. Doing so not only prevents buyers from getting distracted, but also starts the process of packing!

Repairs

Some sellers think that skipping this step and just taking a lower price is okay, but if the house isn’t appealing most buyers won’t even stop let alone negotiate. So take the time to do a walk through and envision the space through the eyes of the buyer. You don’t have to spend a lot here. Repairs like new paint both inside and out where needed (doors too), recaulking/regrouting tiles and windows, replacing burned out light bulbs, broken appliances, leaky faucets, fixtures, torn screens, etc, can go a long way to enhance the attractiveness of your home.

Consider Curb-appeal

No matter how good the interior of your home looks, buyers have already judged your home before they walk through the door, so take some time to work on the outside. Make the front entry picture perfect with planters or a bench. Sweep or pressure-wash the front walk and porch. Polish the outdoor metalwork, clean the windows and glass and replace any burnt-out bulbs in outdoor lighting as well. Make sure the lawn is mowed, the leaves are raked and the landscaping looks clean and freshly cut. You can even replace the house numbers with new lustrous lettering and plant flowers to make the home more inviting and appealing from the street.

Make it Spotless

There is a saying in Real Estate, “A Clean house is a Sold House.” These are words to live by for all sellers wanting a speedy transaction – so basically everyone! Before selling your home a deep clean is a must and usually goes hand in hand with the depersonalization process. Start at the doorway, replace welcome mats and clear all cobwebs from both inside and out. Dust all furniture and walls, and mop the floors. Put some elbow grease into scrubbing counters and bathrooms (while doing so it would be a good time to start decluttering and packing away personal items). Vacuum and clean all carpets, rugs and window Really getting into those nooks and overlooked places, such as utility rooms and garages, can go a long way in attracting the right attention!

Light it Up

After location, good interior lighting is the one thing that every buyer notes when scoping out a home, so maximize the light. Heavy drapery and window coverings can make your home look dark and dense. Take them down, clean windows, change lampshades, cut shrubbery and foliage outside that obstructs natural light from flowing inside, and increase the wattage of your light bulbs. When the house is ready to show, open blinds and shades, turn on all the lights, and open the doors to all rooms. A luminous home naturally looks larger so do what you have to do to make your abode bright and cheery – it will help you sell!

Staging

This step is all about visual appeal. Take one last walk around through the eyes of a buyer and see where you can add more warmth, organization and the illusion of space. Buyers will snoop, so be sure to keep all your closets and cabinets clean and tidy. Take half the items out of closets, pack them away, and face all hangers in the same direction. Arrange kitchen cabinets so labels face forward, jars/cans/boxes are in rows, dishware is neatly stacked and everything appears in its place. Additionally, put out fresh kitchen and bath towels, blankets and bedspreads. Air out closed spaces and place lightly scented air fresheners throughout your home, and consider adding some fresh flowers to liven up the place. Doing so will create a warm, welcoming feeling that potential buyers could see themselves coming home to.

Keep it Clean

Once you have cleaned decluttered, repaired, and staged, the final and hardest step comes into play – keeping it that way at ALL times! Now I know this might seem difficult, life has a tendency of getting in the way, however, on top of scheduled open houses, there will be frequent calls from agents wanting to show your home to prospective buyers, usually on very short notice. And every single time, your place has to be looking its best because you never know when your buyer will walk through. Don’t leave dishes in the sink, put items like mail and shoes away, keep the dishwasher cleaned out, the bathrooms sparkling and make sure there are no dust bunnies in the corners. It’s a little inconvenient, but it will get your house sold.

Conceal the Critters

Having pets is one of life’s greatest pleasures, and for some of us the best part of going home. There is nothing like seeing the anxious wag of a tail or a soft welcoming purr to melt your daily worries away. However, as much as you love your animal, they are not always a warm welcome for potential buyers. They don’t want to walk in your home and see a bowl of food on the floor, smell the kitty litter box, or have tufts of pet hair stuck to their clothes. It gives the buyers the impression that your house is not clean, and remember a clean house is a sold house. If you’re planning an open house consider sending your four pawed family to a pet daycare or sitter instead of locking them in a room. This lets the buyers view the entire house and also keeps your pets safe by preventing them from running out every time the door is opened.

Once these helpful tips are implemented your home should feel warm, inviting and ready to be sold!