Prepping Your Home for Sale
Here’s my top 10 EASY Action Items for you to get your house ready to list! Most of these are inexpensive and somewhat quick to do but make a huge impact. Remember, you only have one shot at a buyer seeing and liking your house enough to make an offer, so give it all you got!
Give your entryway a face lift: Paint the interior and door (replace if necessary), Ensure the storm door is working, place a new Welcome mat and season wreath on the front porch/ door, paint or replace street numbers on the house (pro tip: check with your HOA to ensure these are compliant)
Landscape your front and back yard: Weed and mulch the flower beds, cut the grass, rake the leaves, plant blooming plants when possible for a pop of color, remove all lawn ornaments
Wash the exterior: Wash the windows inside and out, and power wash the driveway, sidewalk, and siding (pro tip: ensure you check the material of your home before power washing, or consult with a professional).
Clean the garage: Consider renting a storage unit or pod for any non-essential items. Repaint if necessary and clean any oil spills or stains. Repaint the floor of the garage if necessary. Ensure you collect all remotes and reprogram any keypads.
Replace: Lightbulbs and ensure all switches work (pro tip: use lightbulbs with the same shade), old, stained, or stinky carpet, toilet seats, area rugs with a lot of wear and tear.
Fix: Anything that is broken. Buyers notice these items and tend to offer less.
Let the light in! Remove black out curtains and open the blinds prior to showings. Paint dark basements white.
Declutter: Remove about 65% of the non-essential items from your home. This includes kitchen/bathroom cabinets, closets, bookshelves, built-in shelving, non-essential furniture pieces and the attic.
CLEAN: For this it is best to hire a professional cleaner to do the job. However, prior to showings make sure you take out the trash, wipe down the counters, clean out your refrigerator (if you are still using it), remove any pet supplies (such as a litter box), keep the lights on, and set the thermostat to a comfortable setting.
Ensure each room has a purpose: Giving each room a separate identity will help buyers clearly envision themselves inside the rooms.
