PREPARING YOUR HOME FOR SALE

Are you thinking about listing your home for sale in the next couple of months? You may be feeling overwhelmed with all that needs to be accomplished, but do not worry, we have compiled a list of the three things that you can work on ahead of time to make a great first impression on each and every potential homebuyer who walks through your door!

Deep Clean & Declutter

There is a good chance that if you have lived in your home for any amount of time you have developed clutter over the years. Home stagers recommend that you remove 50% of your items in order to present your home in the best light possible. This also includes excess furniture.

Now is the perfect time to start going through that clutter so you can eliminate it. This is good for two reasons. The first is that your home will show much nicer with less clutter and the second is that when you do eventually move you will have less to pack and relocate. It is definitely a win-win.

I recommend creating three piles consisting of one for donations to your local charity, one for items to garage sale or sell online, and one for the trash. If you have large amounts of clutter to purge, you might want to check with your local trash company to see if they have options such as small dumpster bags or a recycling center that would take certain items.

Once you have gone through the decluttering process, you can move on to deep cleaning. Getting the whole family involved is a must! This should be a deep spring cleaning. Make sure to pay extra attention to bathrooms, kitchens, and flooring.

Nothing turns a potential buyer off more than musty, dusty, smelly surfaces.

Consider having your carpets professionally cleaned or renting a carpet cleaning for home use. You will be surprised how much of a difference these touches will make.

Lastly, once you have decluttered and deep cleaned, you can look to organizing. Closets, under beds, drawers, cupboards, pantries, etc., will all benefit from organization. Remember potential buyers will be walking through your home and peeking into closets and cupboards.

Depending on how large your home is and how much clutter you have, it could be a good idea to consider renting a storage space. You can store excess furniture pieces and other nonessential items to give your home that open and airy look that buyers crave! And another added bonus, these items will be packed and ready to move into your new home ahead of time.

Small Repairs & Repainting

Have you been neglecting your Honey Do list? Now is the time to get things checked off that list!

When potential buyers walk into your home, you do not want to give them the impression that you have been neglecting small repairs because this could cause them to worry about deeper, unseen problems.

Most small repairs and paint touch-ups (or even whole room paint updates) can be done by you, the homeowner. But, if you feel intimidated by some necessary repairs, you can always consider hiring a repairman to help you cross them off your list. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Replace burned-out light bulbs.
Refresh caulking in bathrooms.
Patch any holes in walls along with any chipped or scratched paint.
While you have paint supplies out, consider sprucing up outdated paint. While it may have been cute to have purple and pink walls in your daughter's room when she was young, there is a good chance that a potential buyer will be turned off by that. Pick neutral and light colors that will appeal to most people such as beiges, warm whites, and grays.
Repair leaky faucets or running toilets.
Clean up windows and repair any ripped or missing screens.
Update outdated knobs on cabinets and drawers to give them a more modern look.
Replace broken or outdated doorknobs and double-check to make sure locks are in working order.

These are just a few suggestions of minor repairs that can likely be done by you, the homeowner.

Never doubt the magic of minor repairs and paint updates.

A freshly painted living room or kitchen can and will make an appealing difference to potential buyers!

Curb Appeal

You have probably heard this a million times and for very good reason…CURB APPEAL IS IMPORTANT!

If your home doesn't look appealing from the outside, it will detract from all of the good things inside.

This is the first impression when potential buyers pull up to your home so make it a good one!

Here are a few ideas of things you can do to spruce up your home's curb appeal in just a few weekends.

Trim shrubs and trees. Especially the ones closest to your home so it looks tidy and well taken care of.
Clear and clean walkways.
Weed flowerbeds and rake out old leaves and debris.
Add fresh mulch to flowerbeds, and depending on the season, consider adding bright and cheerful plants or flowers to the beds closest to the front of your home.
Repair any peeling paint.
Repair any broken or cracked gutters and downspouts.
Freshen up your mailbox with a good cleaning, fresh paint, or even consider replacing your mailbox if it looks very old and tired. This is another good spot to plant bright and cheerful flowers.
Repaint your front door and add new address numbers if yours are worn out or dated.
Last, but not least, stage your front porch/front door area. This could be as simple as adding a seasonal wreath, potted plant, and cute doormat or as detailed as doing research on Pinterest and creating a themed "porch-scape" that will make the neighbors jealous!

These tips and tricks should keep you busy for a few weekends, but they will pay off in dividends once you decide to list your home for sale! You can count on making a great first impression with potential homebuyers.

Contact me for more tips!