How Do I Get My Home Ready to Sell?

I want a quick sale at top dollar!

How do I get my home ready to sell? When this topic comes up sellers start to ask “do I really have to do that?” “Is it really necessary to do this?” Well I have to ask them “do you really want to sell your house?” I usually get a puzzled look and the seller says, “well yes that is why I am listing it.” My response is, “well then yes, you really have to do all these things.” Yes I understand you are wanting to sell so you don’t want to put a ton of effort or a lot of money into your home at this point, however if you want a quicker sale and to sell your home for top dollar I’d suggest doing the following 4-steps to get your home ready for sale. I promise they are not as painful or costly as you might think.

Step 1 How Do I Get My Home Ready to Sell? Declutter

So you have lived in your home for years and have accumulated a lot of “stuff.” To you this “stuff” is important and may be prized possessions, however to a buyer it is just taking up space and preventing them from seeing your house and the room it has to offer once you have moved out.

Things might get crazy as you go through every room and every storage area but remember in the end it is worth it to sell your house quickly and at a more profitable amount. Sort things in four separate piles, trash, return, donate and might need.

Trash Pile

Things to include in the trash pile might include expired food and medications, old phone books and magazines, clothing and shoes you haven’t worn in the past year, broken stuff you haven’t fixed, unfinished projects, and old electronics.

Return Pile

Put anything that doesn’t belong to you in the return pile. The last thing you need to be worrying about when moving is someone else’s “stuff.”

Donate Pile

You may come across items that are of no use to you anymore but are still good. Consider donating these items to Goodwill or maybe give them to a friend or family member.

Might Need Pile

Ask yourself if you would buy the item again, do you know what it is for, did you remember having it and have you used it since your last move? If you answered no to any of these then you probably don’t need it and should consider trashing it or donating it.

Once you have taken care of your four piles you can then start packing items that are off season items and items infrequently used. Renting a storage unit to put these packed boxes, extra items and furniture in is highly recommended.

Part of decluttering is also making sure that each room has a core purpose. You want to make the design of your home show that it has a good layout so make sure that yours rooms do not have a multiple purpose such as the dining room is being used as an office or your living room is used for a toy room and workout room. By organizing, removing knick-knacks and extra furniture, buyers will be better able to visualize the space with their own furniture in your home.

Another way to help buyers visualize their items in your home is to de-personalize your home. That means take down all your family photos, souvenirs, awards, military lithographs and awards. Remove all the magnets from your fridge. Keep in mind that strangers are walking through your home so you don’t want them looking at personal information. Prescription drugs are something to consider putting somewhere they won’t be found.

Remember buyers are purchasing the space your home offers not your “stuff!” When you put your home on the market you need to think of it this way: What has been your home is no longer your home, it is now a house that you are trying to sell. What truly makes a house a home are the memories your family had within these walls and those will go with you when you move, as will your belongings.

Step 2 How Do I Get My Home Ready to Sell? Repairing

When buyers are looking at homes they look for a home they can move right into and do not have to fix anything up. They don’t want to spend time or money on a house they just purchased. If you don’t make repairs then a buyer will see your home as a “fixer” and as they are walking through add up the cost of all the repairs. In an effort to protect themselves buyers will usually inflate the actual costs of repairs. This means money they deduct from what they will pay for the house and more money out of your pocket then if you had just repaired the problem before listing.

Step 3 How Do I Get My Home Ready to Sell? Cleaning

Cleaning your house for sale goes beyond just dusting, vacuuming and mopping. You must clean every square inch of your home down to every detail. Make your home look like it is near-new! This will make your home look like it is well cared for, doesn’t need repairs and makes buyers feel that your house is right for them. You may consider hiring a professional cleaning service if you don’t have the time to do extensive cleaning.

Step 4 How Do I Get My Home Ready to Sell? Revitalizing When revitalizing focus on small and inexpensive improvements that yield big results. Some revitalization projects include improving your curb appeal, inside and outside lighting, and painting. You want your home to encourage buyers to linger as long as possible. The longer they are in your home the more of an emotional attachment they will form. After these four steps are complete then you can work on staging your home for sale.

Keep coming back! We’ll discuss staging your home in one of our next blog posts.

Update: Please read our new blog on staging your home for sale!

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