The process of putting your home on the market and eventually selling it is not nearly as simple as one would think. Most people assume you simply list the property, put a “For Sale” sign on your front lawn, then just kick back and let all the potential buyers roll in. If only it were that easy!
Unfortunately, putting your home on the market requires so much more work. First, it’s totally possible to sell your home “as is” if you need to do so quickly. But if you want to get the best (highest) offer, you need to prepare to roll up your sleeves.
And I’m not talking about organizing an early “spring cleaning” on your home… I mean, look into tearing down some walls to open up some space in a room.
Or maybe you’ve heard that homes with pools are selling for a lot more money in your neighborhood, so you add a pool!
Regardless of what you add or tear down on your property, the point is that there’s a ton of things that you could do to best prepare to put your home on the market. Now, before you actually go ahead and put your home on the market, here are six things that you should do to make sure you’re ready...
Putting Your Home On The
Market? 6 Ways To Prepare
Start Spreading the News
Your home may not be ready for showings yet. In fact, your home may not even be ‘officially’ on the market yet. But that doesn’t mean you can’t help get people excited about it!
A lot of times some realtors will put up a sign that says “Coming Soon” on your front lawn. It’s usually right where your “For Sale” sign will eventually go, only this sign simply announces your intention to put your home on the market.
If your estate agent doesn’t do this yet, then you should take the initiative yourself! Start a campaign to let all of your friends and extended family know about putting your home on the market. Have each member of your immediate family start to create a buzz online by posting little facts about the house or sharing any announcements, like an upcoming “Open House”, on social media.
Fix The Small Stuff First
Leaky faucets and cracked tiles may not bother you but they can become a major issue with any potential buyers. For this reason, you should go around your house and note every single small or large thing that needs fixing. All of the small stuff you come across you should be able to fix on your own.
If you come across a project that requires a professional, start asking friends and neighbors for a cheap but honest handyman (or contractor, if the job is really big). You should also invest in some outdoor paint and give all of your doors, window frames, and exterior walls a new coat. This will freshen up the exterior of your home, giving viewers a good first impression.
Get To Packing & Selling!
Cluttered and cramped rooms look small and unappealing to buyers. With that in mind, you should start to pack up your entire house, even before you have an official moving day!
As you lead up to whatever the general timeframe for moving will be, you’ll do well to have as many garage sales as you can. I’m talking every weekend for an entire eight hours of each of your Saturdays (remember to start setting up before the sun is even out!).
Make sure to store away personal items, family heirlooms, your kids’ keepsakes, etc… You don’t want someone to accidentally put that box with your children’s baby blankets out on the front lawn because you forgot to label it and store it away well before Saturday! Finally, you should hide any unsightly items that you are planning to keep and use day-to-day, like dirty laundry and litter boxes.
Do a Deep Clean
A dirty and untidy home suggests that it isn’t well taken care of, which could end up costing you some serious points during the official ‘walk-through’ with your realtor. Since you want your realtor to want to sell your house for the largest sum of money, you should spend a few days cleaning every single inch of your entire property.
Tidy each room thoroughly, including all closets and cabinets, and wash all carpets and rugs. If this is too much work for you, then a professional cleaner may be able to help. At the end of the day, your home should look like it wants to be sold to the highest bidder!
Book a Professional Photographer
These days, most buyers look for potential homes using online property listings. There’s usually just a short description and as many images as the realtor and/or sellers made available, to make a proper judgment from.
This is why you must make sure that the pictures you post online are of the highest quality and clearly look professional. Before the official listing of your home online you should definitely ask about a recommendation from your realtor for a professional photographer.
Your realtor will know the exact type of photographer to recommend, such as one who knows how to stage your home so it will look it’s best, specifically for property listing photos.
Everybody Get Out!
When you have little ones at home, whether they be two-legged or four, you must make sure that you have a plan for them when your ‘in-home’ showings begin. In fact, your entire property should probably be completely void of all those who live there, when buyers arrive.
This will allow potential buyers to fully explore your home while imagining themselves sitting at your dining room table or sleeping in the master bedroom. This is a lot easier to do without having to see the actual family who currently resides there!
Jessica Rose Adams
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