Are you planning on selling your home? If so, you'll need to prepare if you want to get the best deal possible. After all, the steps you take before showing your house to prospective buyers can make or break your chance of selling for the best profit possible.
Not sure where to get started? Don't worry. We have all the information you need right here.
Keep reading for ten essential tips about preparing your home for sale. Let's get started!
1. Let Go
If you want to prep your house for sale, you'll need to start by letting go of your emotions and attachments. This will make the entire process much easier. Here are some helpful steps you can take to achieve this.
Make Sure That You're Ready to Sell
If you're not emotionally prepared to sell your home, don't. It's better to wait until you're ready. And if you don't feel ready but you simply have to sell immediately, get support from your loved ones.
Recognize Possible Stress
Selling your home can be stressful and emotional. Recognize that these emotions may be a part of the process for you. Don't fight against them, observe them and work with them.
Think of Your Home as a Product
The first step in preparing a home for sale is to disassociate. Stop thinking of your home as a place where you live, but rather a product for sale.
2. Preparing Your Home for Sale Means Decluttering
Removing the clutter from your home is an important step when it comes to preparing your house for sale. It will make your home look nicer during showings and your eventual move so much easier.
Sort through your belongings and keep only your favourite items or things you need. Put the items you'd like to keep away neatly in boxes. Donate everything else to charity.
If you're struggling to declutter your space, consider renting a storage unit to clear things up.
3. Find a Great Agent
A trustworthy and professional estate agent will make selling your home easier, faster, and more profitable. Before you begin the process of preparing to sell your house, connect with an excellent agent in your area.
To find the best match for you, look for the following qualities:
- Experience
- A personality that's compatible with yours
- Familiarity with your area
- Positive feedback or reviews
With an agent that checks off each item on the list above, you can't go wrong.
4. Perform Updates and Repairs
To make your home as attractive as possible to potential buyers, perform some routine updates before your agent starts showing. Update lighting fixtures, replace light bulbs and repaint any peeling or chipped areas. Making your home look modern, bright, and updated will help it sell faster.
5. Gather the Necessary Paperwork
To begin the process of any final sale, your agent and buyers will need the necessary paperwork. Speed that process up by gathering these documents in advance. Look for mortgage details, tax paperwork, utility bills, etc.
6. Take Advantage of Curb Appeal
"Curb appeal" is how nice your home looks from the street. Skyrocket your property's curb appeal by tidying up the front of your home.
Clean your deck if you have one, give your exterior a fresh coat of paint, and touch up your front door if you need to. Add some fresh plants to make your home's exterior look extra inviting.
7. Don't Forget the Back Garden Too
When people view your home they'll be looking closely. Don't neglect the back of your property while tidying up.
Trim the grass, clean the grill, and make the garden look neat and beautiful. Even if you're selling your home during the winter, you can still ensure that things look well-kept and attractive.
8. Continue Cleaning Daily
Once your home is sparkling clean inside and out, don't let it slip. Throughout the process of preparing your home for sale, continue cleaning every day.
Good daily cleaning habits will keep your home looking spotless. This way, whenever your agent wants to show your house to a potential buyer, you'll be ready.
Here are some simple ways to keep your house clean every day:
- Make the bed right when you wake up
- Continue purging items even after your big decluttering project
- Get rid of junk mail immediately
- Start washing dirty laundry in the morning
- While dinner is cooking, clean up your living areas
- Unload the dishwasher at the beginning of the day to keep surfaces clear
If you can focus on making these tasks a part of your everyday routine, you'll keep your home clean and prepared for showings.
9. Make Plans for Your Pets
Although your family may love their furry friends, potential buyers may feel differently. When you have a showing scheduled, make sure that your pet is either secured in a safe place or out of the house.
Have a family friend take your dog for a walk, or create a relaxing environment for your cat in the laundry room with food, water, and a litter box. Let potential buyers know if you have pets around, just in case they have aversions or allergies to certain animals.
10. Let Your Agent Do the Rest
Once your home is fully prepared for sale, it's time to put all of your trust in your agent. After all, an experienced agent will know just what to do to get you the best deal possible. So sit back, relax, and make sure that they have everything they need to get the job done well.
Wrapping Up
As you can see, learning how to prepare your house for sale doesn't have to be stressful. If you follow the ten simple steps above, you're sure to have a successful sale.
Just remember to declutter your home and complete any necessary repairs and updates to both the interior and exterior. When preparing your home for sale, it's important to work with an agent who you can trust. When you find that person, you can feel at ease.
Do you have any questions about selling your home? Check out our selling resources page for tons of information. We're here to help!