Top 8 Tips To Prepare Your Home For Sale

If you are a homeowner thinking of selling your home, you may have a giant to do list: interview an agent, select a price, arrange for movers, decide where to live next, and so on. While these are all very important steps in the process, it is critical that physically preparing your home for sale is at the top of your list. 

When it comes to preparing your home for sale, the goal is to make the best first impression. Potential buyers are easily spooked by the faintest signs of wear and tear in a potential home, which you can avoid utilizing the 8 quick tips I've compiled below. 

#1. Start Packing 

What in the world? You may be wondering why you have to start packing when you haven't even listed your home yet. While it may sound counter-intuitive, removing personal items from your home as early as possible helps reduces a lot of the clutter, and makes certain parts of the home more accessible for repairs and other items on this list. Furthermore, when potential buyers tour a home, they want to imagine what their lives would be like. Too many of your own personal items will make them feel uncomfortable, as if they are intruders who need to leave, which is what you don't want. 

#2. Complete Necessary Repairs 

Depending on the age of your home, you may need to make certain repairs to prepare it for sale. If you have a limited budget, prioritize making repairs to structural items like new plumbing lines, new wiring, patchwork, or foundation issues --- all of which will add to the longevity of the home. Once these are complete, use any remaining funds to repair items that catch the eye, such as chipped tiles, or broken light covers. Completing repairs upfront is not only an attractive selling point, but also increase the value of your home. 

#3. Get the Home Professionally Cleaned

At this point in the process, you may begin to see certain spots in your home that you haven't seen in years. Over time it's very natural for dust, dirt, stains and grime to accumulate on windows, carpet, tile, counter tops, and around sinks and toilets. It not, however, natural nor wanted to sell the home in that condition. As such, I highly recommended you hire a professional cleaner to get your home looking like new. A clean home goes a long way to attract buyers looking for properties in move-in ready condition. 

#4. Paint, Paint, Paint 

Paint additionally works wonders in terms of upgrading the look of your home, both inside and out. A new coat of paint breathes fresh life into a home, and literally gives off the smell of 'newness' to potential buyers. And, with the right color combo, even the most antiquated homes can instantly look modern. The other beautiful part about painting is it's a relatively easy D-I-Y project, that brings incredible value to the home and can actually be fun for you and your family. 

#5. Improve Your Yard 

An unkept yard on even the best street in Jacksonville is simply embarrassing. It gives buyers the impression that the homeowner has not cared or maintained the home as well as they should have, and may be willing to sell their home for a lower price. As a seller,  take the time to improve your landscape by mowing the lawn, removing weeds, planting new bushes or flowers, and otherwise giving the exterior of the home the 'curb appeal' buyers are drawn to. 

#6. Refinish Different Surfaces in the House 

In addition to simply cleaning, invest in having the different surfaces in your home refinished to bring back their original shine. The bathtub, sinks, kitchen counter tops, bathroom surfaces, window panes, even door knobs look like new when they are re-glazed and refinished. Taking this approach also allows you as a seller to avoid purchasing new versions of these otherwise big ticket items. 

#7. Stage the home 

Staging a home has far reaching effects in terms of allowing potential buyers to visualize the lifestyle your particular home will offer them. Have fun with it and pick a theme that suits the character and location of your home. In staging, utilize cost-effective items like plants, artwork, and area rugs, to fill up dead spaces, to add hints of color throughout the home, and to appeal to the emotions of potential buyers.  

#8. Deodorize Your Home 

At the end of the day, buyers are human creatures, just like you. We gravitate to things that look, feel and smell good, including homes. Avoid scaring away interested people, by removing any and all bad or lingering odors in your home. Focus particularly on kitchen and bathrooms, as these can be common culprits. 

Closing Thoughts

As a potential seller, preparing your home to be in the best physical condition it can be will work to attract the right buyers, willing to pay at or above the list price. I just shared my 8 favorite tips on how you can prepare you home for sale, but I have many more up my sleeve. If you need help figuring out what changes might work best for your home, give me a call. I have an eye for what decorative touches need to be made to maximize your home's value.