How to Prepare to Sell Your House

As Spring approaches, many homeowners begin to think about relocating, which means putting their house on the market and preparing it for sale.

Because we live in them every day, with our pets, our kids, our family and friends, houses are often used and abused. Even if they’re not abused, they are definitely used, and signs of that use is not appealing to potential home buyers. That’s why it’s so important to prepare your house, and get it in the best shape possible to show.

One thing I think that would be very helpful is to put yourself in the shoes of the home buyer…if you were going into your potential new home, what things would you want to see and what things would make you head for the door? Write those things down, and then take a walk through your house as if you’d never been there, you might be surprised what you might find.

Tips to Prepare Your House to Sell

1. Curb Appeal – All the DIY shows talk about curb appeal, and for a good reason…it’s the first impression that a potential buyer will have of your house. Some may choose not even to come look through the home if the curb appeal is not appealing.
   1. Keep the lawn mowed, the weeds removed and the bushes trimmed.
   2. Add brightly colored flowers to your garden and to your front door area.
   3. Make sure your front door is appealing (not pealing), give it a fresh coat of paint if necessary, clean it at the least.
   4. Have your roof and gutters cleaned
   5. Hopefully it’s not necessary, but if it is, have the exterior of your home painted.
   6. Be sure your windows are clean and shiny.
2. Personality of the House – Home buyers want to be able to picture themselves living in the house…that’s really hard to do if the house is filled with your personality. Remove:
   1. Family pictures
   2. Collectibles
   3. Projects you might be working on
   4. Clutter, especially on counters, tables and in the front entry
   5. That bright green wall that you love so much – you may need to paint all or portions of your interior with neutral colors
3. Make Repairs – From large to small, the last thing a potential buyer wants to see are the “repair projects” they will need to complete before they can “live” in the house.
   1. Replace burnt out light bulbs
   2. Fix leaky plumbing
   3. Oil squeaking doors and fix squeaking floors
   4. Be sure the appliances are in good working condition (and clean)
   5. Drawers and cupboards should open smoothly
4. Cleanliness is Essential – You may not be able to spend a lot of money on upgrades to make your home more appealing to buyers, but one thing you can do, and it’s critical that you do, is to clean well and keep it as clean as possible:
   1. Bathrooms and kitchen should sparkle!
   2. Have carpets and hardwood floors cleaned.
   3. Make sure your drawers, cupboards and closets are not only de-cluttered, but clean. Home buyers like to “open things”…when they do, they want to see clean; it’s an indicator of how well the house has been maintained.
   4. Walls, doors and trim work needs to be washed down and free from smudges and finger prints.
   5. Keep the air clean. This means be careful of what you cook, smells linger and can make a house feel unclean. Make fresh baked cookies or bread – that’s a smell that is inviting. Also, if you have pets, consider the fact that there are unpleasant odors that are associated with them, wet dog or cat liter boxes.
   6. Keep the dishes done and the laundry folded and put away.
   7. Be sure your windows are clean and shiny.

There will be a lot of houses on the market for sale…yours won’t be the only choice, so make it a choice that stands out in a positive way.

If you’re ready to sell your house, Contact me to come clean your windows and your outside rain gutters, I’ll leave them looking like new.