There are so many things to consider if you are thinking of selling your home. But in today’s market there is one question you really need to answer BEFORE listing your home with a Realtor or going it alone and trying to sell it For Sale By Owner.
Is your home “move-in” ready?
A recent study showed an astounding 87% of first-time homebuyers wanted to purchase a home that was move-in ready! They were not interested in homes that needed a lot of work or repairs to be done before moving in.
It can be difficult for homeowners to understand why they should invest any more time or money into their current home. After all, they are moving! But home owners who want to sell their home faster and for the most money will invest some elbow grease in their current home.
Getting your home in “move-in” condition will dramatically increase the appeal of the home. Making simple repairs goes a long way to help increase the sales price AND reduce the time it take to sell. But don’t make the mistake of crossing the line between getting your home “move-in” ready and embarking on major renovations. There is a huge risk when doing extensive renovations and a seller can quickly invest much more into the renovation than they will get out of the home when selling.
The following are items that home seller’s SHOULD do before selling their home:
Replace carpeting – If your carpet is several years old and shows signs of wear & tear or stains, you should replace with new. Good quality carpet can often be professionally cleaned without replacing if areas are not worn.
Replace torn vinyl flooring – If vinyl is torn then it needs to be replaced. Outdated vinyl is a very inexpensive “update” even if the flooring is not torn.
Seal Driveway – If is amazing what a difference a fresh sealed driveway makes to your home’s curb appeal.
Spuce Up Yard – Put a new layer of mulch down, remove old unhealthy plants and shrubs. Weed-eat and edge your yard. Replace unhealthy plants with new greenery and add a few flowers for color!
Paint - Inside and out with warm neutral colors. Paint is the magic wand for making a home look better, seller higher, and sell quicker!
Repair broken windows
Replace leaky faucets – Consider updating all faucets if the finish is worn.
Replace Rotten Wood – Rotting wood on porches, spindles, windows, and any exterior trim is a huge turn off to buyers.
Remove Clutter –Your clutter can cause red flags with buyers. They often see piles of unorganized stuff and think there is another project going on with the home or make the connection that there just isn’t enough livable space in the home.
Minimize the décor – You may need to rent a POD or storage unit, or borrow a friend or family member’s garage. When you sell your home you are selling SPACE. Make the buyer’s feel that your home is spacious by removing large pieces of furniture and opening up the floorplan with minimal furnishings.
Take a little time to get your home “move-in” ready before you put it on the market for sell. A little time and money invested today can prevent you from accepting a much lower offer or not getting any offers tomorrow!
If you are thinking of selling your home in Murfreesboro, Smyrna, LaVergne, Franklin, or Brentwood area please let me know. I would like to meet with you and go over some ideas to maximize your sales price and shorten the listing time. You can also visit my website ro request a free CMA report for your home or to search for homes for sale that are listed in the Middle TN MLS!
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