Thinking about selling your home? As the saying goes, “you only have one chance to make a first impression!” Before you put your house on the market, here are some tips for getting your ready to sell.
Clean as if the Queen is Coming Over!
Buyers coming to your home will be looking at every aspect of your home for the first time. Light switches, baseboards, door handles, light fixtures and windows should all be sparkling clean. A clean home is perceived to be a well-maintained home as well.
Consider your Curb Appeal
Approach your home as if you were seeing it for the first time. Or better yet, enlist a trusted friend to help you assess the “drive up” appeal. Is the woodwork around the front door clean and freshly painted? Perhaps some planters with geraniums or petunias would add a punch of color?
Subtract, Subtract, Subtract
Buyers aren’t coming to view your decor so much as they are coming to view your spaces. That ottoman that makes the living room cozy to you might make it look crowded to a buyer. Your beautiful rugs may be hiding desirable hardwood floors. Let buyers imagine themselves in your home by packing up and storing a lot of your personal items. You’ll enjoy the bonus of having some of your belongings packed up before the move! Now is a great time to have a tag or garage sale. And, don’t forget to tell your shoppers you are putting your home on the market.
Take Care of Maintainance Items
Is there a hole in one of your screens? Have your fireplace and furnace been cleaned and inspected? When is the last time your septic system was pumped and inspected? Are your garage door openers operating smoothly? A well-maintained home makes for a smooth inspection!
Consider a Building Inspection
Don’t let last minute repairs for safety issues or repairs you didn’t know you needed delay your closing. Consider scheduling a building inspection and taking care of these items before putting your home on the market.