If you’ve decided to sell your home, getting it ready is a step that may seem a little daunting at first, especially if you’re not sure where to start. Don’t fret – this is the list you need to determine what you need to do when getting ready to sell your home.
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What Should My First Step Be?
Get your home photo ready, starting with the outside. As soon as there’s a for sale sign on your property, prospective buyers walking and driving past your home will judge it immediately based on curb appeal.
No matter what the season is, it’s important that the exterior of your home looks well-kept and inviting. If you’re listing your home in spring, summer or fall, make sure your property is well-landscaped, clean and bright. Trim any overgrown trees and bushes, touch up paint on your doors, clean your siding and windows, and it never hurts to put out a nice welcome mat whether you’re selling a detached home, apartment or any other property type. If you’re listing in the winter, ensure snow is shoveled and the property has a cleared path for entry. Also, make sure it’s well-lit, but consider skipping the multi-coloured, flashing holiday lights and opt for warm lighting. If you’re able to, put out hanging baskets of lush plants like ferns, flowers, or even seasonal planters.
How Important is Maintenance?
Keeping your home neat and tidy is essential when trying to sell. Things like cleaning gutters, repairing ripped screens and squeaky doors, and ensuring each room is well lit and has working bulbs in overhead lighting and table or floor lamps is crucial.
Decluttering also factors in here. If you’ve lived in a home for a long time you’ve likely built up an arsenal of nick-nacks and items that you could do with storing away. You can rent a temporary storage locker if it’s anything you want to keep – or alternatively, this is a great time to donate the items you no longer need.
Do I Need to Stage My Home?
Staging your home is the natural next step after doing some maintenance work. Setting a good impression will help entice potential buyers. While it’s not necessary to do, a home that looks appealing will likely maintain greater interest than one that looks cluttered. A professional will be able to ensure your home looks impressive with complementing furniture and accessories, which will help any potential buyers envision what their home could look like.
If you choose to stage your home, work with a company with strong credibility and a wider range of products to help make your home look the best it can. It is not a necessary step, but it is advised to consider it and your real estate agent can likely set this up for you.
What’s the Last Step?
Before you are finally ready to show your home, you’ll need to price, list, and market it. You’ll have a rough idea of the value of our home at this point, and an agent will be able to advise you on how much you should list it for. Market conditions will play a factor here. Including high-quality photos of your property in the listing is important, and it may be best to consider a professional photographer. Finally, your agent may also choose to list your home on other platforms, such as social media, in an attempt to get more buzz going.
While selling your home may be a stressful thought, it doesn’t have to be. By undertaking the right steps and speaking to one of our agents you can make the process as smooth as possible.
