Before you can sell your home, it is important to prepare it by following a set of trusted steps. Thorough and planned preparation will ensure you sell your home quickly and for the maximum price. According to data from Realtor.com, common preparations from successful home sellers include making repairs, updates, and decluttering spaces.1 These are good preparations every seller should follow, but it helps to know the full list of guidelines before beginning to sell your home. Here are the steps to follow so you can have a successful home selling experience.
Consider A Pre-Listing Inspection
Completing an inspection of your home before listing it is a solid way to identify any manageable problems and fix them before a buyer sees. With many buyers commonly including an inspection contingency in their offers, it can prove profitable if you have already completed one and handled any issues. Smooth inspection results make your buyer more willing to purchase, and it can even give you leveraging power in pricing negotiations. Average home inspections run a couple hundred dollars, but this could save you thousands later.
Make the Needed Repairs
Whether you have opted for an inspection or already know what needs to be fixed, it can help your home sell faster and for more money if you make needed repairs. In most normal markets, repairs can often make or break a sale.2 Common fixes you should make before listing your home include replacing cracked floor or tile, patch holes in any walls, fix leaky faucets, and resolve jams in kitchen cabinets. Make sure buyers think they won’t have to spend a lot of time and money fixing parts throughout the house, unless you are planning to sell a fixer-upper.
Remember Curb Appeal
While you are busy checking and fixing any parts inside the house, don’t forget to make sure the exterior pops too. It is no surprise that curb appeal is very important, as this usually forms prospective buyer’s first impressions. Check your roofing for any issues and make sure the exterior paint is not faded or flaking. To give your home the best curb appeal, focus on the landscaping: clear the yard of debris, mow the lawn, trim bushes, and even consider planting low-maintenance flowers. Good landscaping boosts home values, as a recent study found that it can increase home values anywhere from 4% to 12%.3
Clean and Depersonalize
The need to have a clean, presentable home for buyers cannot be overstated. A deep clean always makes buyers enjoy their time in the home and feel it has been meticulously cared for. Cleaning should not be done lightly, and it can help to even hire a professional. If you are looking to save money, you may deep clean your entire home, but just make sure you put in the effort.
In addition to deep cleaning and removing clutter, you can help sell your home by depersonalizing it. This involves removing family photos, plaques, personal belongings, and any other items that can be distracting. You want buyers to imagine the space is their own and this can best be done by removing you and your family’s presence.
Stage Your Home
Staging your home is the final step before listing. On average, staged homes sell 88% faster and for 20% more than homes that are not staged.4 After your home is decluttered and cleaned, stage your home by showcasing agreeable home decor that leaves an unforgettable impression on buyers. You might not need to stage your entire home, instead, focus on rooms that buyers care about the most: the kitchen, living room, master suite, and bathrooms. It can be beneficial to go with a professional stager, but a good real estate agent can help you with this.
A Trusted Agent To Sell Your Home
There is no better way to sell your home fast and for the most money than with a trusted agent. I’ll walk you through all the preparations and ensure you sell your home for the best price.
Jason Williams, better known as Build or Buy Guy, has the passion and expertise to help your selling experience exceed your expectations. If you want to learn more or to schedule a consultation or home assessment, Contact me here or call at (208) 401-4066 to get started.
References
- Horst, K. G. (2022, April 13). Sellers should start preparing their homes for sale post haste. theMReport.com. Retrieved November 27, 2022, from https://themreport.com/news/data/04-13-2022/sellers-should
- Weintraub, E. (2022, April 8). How to prepare your house for sale. The Balance. Retrieved November 27, 2022, from https://www.thebalancemoney.com/how-to-prepare-your-house-for-sale-1799018
- Cody, J., C. R. A., Rogacz, C. (2022, September 12). How to prepare your home for sale and attract buyers. HomeLight Blog. Retrieved November 27, 2022, from https://www.homelight.com/blog/prepare-your-home-for-sale/
- How to prepare your house for sale – opendoor guides. Opendoor. (2019, October 14). Retrieved November 27, 2022, from https://www.opendoor.com/w/guides/how-to-prepare-your-house-for-sale
