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!

It's no surprise that St. Albert is the seventh best place to live in Canada. Out of a list of qualifications and ratings, it beat 410 other cities.

If you're looking for the perfect city to move to, you need to consider St. Albert.

From natural space to a downtown core, you get the best of both worlds. It caters to growing families and single-dwellers. For a small city, it has everything you need.

Keep reading to find out more about your dream hometown. There are hundreds of awesome reasons to move to St. Albert, Canada, but here are the top ten.

1. It's Super Safe

One of the biggest things families look for when moving is a low crime rate. You want to know your children will be safe to play outside and grow up. Low crime rates allow you to feel comfortable and safe in your city.

St. Albert's crime rate is exceptional; it has the lowest crime rate in the province.

This stat represents a significant drop from previous years. The city has put immense effort and money into making the city safer. This means increased police presence and accessible emergency services.

You can feel safe and secure knowing that St. Albert is one of the safest cities in Canada.

2. There's Plenty of Nature

While concrete jungles can be nice, everyone needs a little nature in their space. Luckily, St. Albert offers more than a little. This stunning city is bursting with parks, conservation areas, and outdoor space.

You can go hiking, running, or for a casual walk on the Red Willow Trail. This trail system has over 85 kilometres of paths that wind through forests and fields.

The city has over 100 parks and playgrounds to explore with your family. Since nature is such a big presence in the city, there are many outdoor events and gatherings to join.

3. The Bustling Downtown Core

We all need somewhere to go out for a night on the town. Head down to St. Albert's downtown core. Here you'll find all sorts of entertainment outlets and dining options.

There are hundreds of restaurants and bars to choose from. See a movie at the cinema or a live show at the Arden Theatre.

Explore the various independent cafes and stores. You can buy all your necessities and gifts from local vendors. Thus, further supporting the local economy.

4. Annual Festivals and Special Events

The community of St. Albert is very connected and close. Part of the reason for this is the list of annual events and festivities. Residents gather together for these year-round celebrations.

Here are some crowd-pleasers you'll want to check out:

• Cultural Kitchen Nights
• St Albert Mixed Bonspiel
• Leading Edge RunWild Race

With a city focused on community and involvement, you'll always have things to do.

5. Thriving Local Eats

St. Albert is a city that prides itself on having local food options. The less you depend on importing food in, the more sustainable you can be.

At the St. Albert Farmers Market, you can shop at one of the 250 vendor stalls. Get your groceries for the week as well as some extra goodies. It's the largest market in Western Canada.

6. The Block Party Tradition

You may have heard of neighbourhoods doing a block party once in a while. But, no one takes this community event as seriously as the residents of St. Albert.

Last year, over 150 neighbourhoods in St. Albert participated in this annual tradition. It's a chance to get to know your neighbours and make connections. Kids play, parents prepare food, and everyone gets together.

7. A Variety of Real Estate Opportunities

There are many housing options for you to choose from in St. Albert. While most young families lean toward single-family houses, you don't have to.

St Albert has plenty of condos, apartment buildings, townhomes, and semi-detached options. Some are for sale and some are for rent. No matter your budget, there's a home perfectly-suited to you here.

8. Excellent Education Options

There's no shortage of quality schools to choose from in St. Albert. From daycare to secondary school, the options are all top of the line.

You can even enrol your kids in French Immersion or International Baccalaureate programs.

When it comes time for university, you're a short drive from all Edmonton's institutions. For example, Athabasca University and the University of Alberta.

9. A Strong Focus on Health and Wellness

St. Albert is a city that values health and wellness. Nutritious food options and active lifestyles are popular here. If you're looking for a city to get healthy in, this is it.

There are dozens of fitness facilities you can join, like Orange Theory and Goodlife. You could hire a personal trainer or make use of the hiking trails with your family.

For every 1000 residents, there are over 2.5 doctors. That's an amazing ratio compared to other cities. With access to the best health services, your wellness takes priority.

10. It's Green and Proud

Canada makes it internationally known that we care about protecting the environment. St. Albert is a city that puts that statement to the test.

As an environmental steward, St. Albert provides organic waste removal. This diverts over 60 percent of the city's waste away from the landfills. It also has an intricate recycling program and encourages re-purposing.

Clothing swaps and food drives are popular. This is a city that cares about the planet and our impact on it.

Ready to Buy in St. Albert, Canada?

There are hundreds of reasons that make St. Albert one of Canada's best cities. From its low crime rates to abundant amenities, there's something for everyone.

And, the real estate market is hot for buyers.

If you're ready to see what's for sale in St Albert, Canada, check out these listings. Bermont Realty will make your home shopping and buying experience smooth and stress-free. You'll be moving into your dream home in no time!