How to Prepare Your Home to Sell
For many people, selling their home is one of the most difficult things they will ever do. Even if they are excited about moving to a new home, leaving their old one behind can be difficult. With what may be many years of memories from raising a family and turning a house into a home, choosing to sell can be a complex issue not only financially, but also emotionally. However, to make sure the sale of your home goes as smoothly as possible, there are certain steps you need to take along the way. If you are preparing to put your home on the market, here are some tips to keep in mind on how to prep your home to be sold.
Disassociate Yourself from Your Home
While this may be difficult, it is necessary in order to ensure you get it prepped and get top dollar for your property. To do so, you’ll need to make an emotional break from your home. To do so, you can use a variety of tactics. One of the best is to stand in each room of your home, think about the memories you created while living there, and literally saying goodbye to your home. By doing this and visualizing yourself handing over the keys to a new owner, you’ll have taken a big step toward selling your home.
Get Rid of Clutter
To make your home as appealing as possible to prospective buyers, get rid of all clutter inside and out. For example, if you have an old car outside that has been a perpetual renovation project, consider selling it or moving it to another location while your home is up for sale. Along with this, make it a point to go through your closets, basement, storage buildings, and other areas of your home and get rid of anything unnecessary. By making your house look as neat as possible, you will have a better chance of having excited buyers who are eager to break out their checkbooks and make you an offer you simply can’t refuse.
Give Your Home Curb Appeal
Along with getting rid of clutter, give your home as much curb appeal as possible by sprucing up the outside. For example, giving your home a fresh coat of paint will make it look brand new, while planting flowers will add a bit of color and variety to the lawn. Also, make sure you cut down any trees or bushes that may be unsightly, and also keep the grass mowed and trimmed while trying to find a buyer. By taking the time to do these things, buyers will get a very favorable impression of your home, which will make them want to take a tour of the inside as well.
Make Necessary Repairs
For many potential home buyers, walking into a property and discovering there are numerous repairs to be made will have them quickly heading for the exit. To make sure this does not happen with your home, be willing to make a few repairs around the house prior to placing it on the open market. For example, if you have leaky faucets, kitchen drawers that won’t shut properly, burned-out light bulbs, or floors that may have a cracked tile or two, try to make these repairs before showing your home to potential buyers. If you can make these repairs yourself, you can save plenty of money. However, if you need to hire a pro, it is usually money well-spent, since you will likely get a higher price for your home.
Work with a Real Estate Agent
While many people choose to go the “For Sale by Owner” route when selling their home, you will have an easier time if you work with a real estate agent prior to selling. By doing so, the agent can not only get buyers interested in your home, but also provide tips on how to stage the home for an open house. Since the services of an agent can be vital in prepping your home, don’t procrastinate when searching for the best agent. By starting as soon as possible, you will get top-dollar for your home, all the while dealing with far less stress.
