Selling a house can be upsetting, but if you do your homework, you can make the process go more quickly, easily, and for more money. If you want to sell your home, the steps are mostly the same whether you live in a city or the country. This guide will show you how to do everything to preparing your home for sale.
Steps to Preparing Your Home for Sale
Know the Market
Know a lot about the real estate market in your area before you start making plans. Check out the most recent market trends, sales of homes like yours, and how long homes usually stay on the market. It will help you decide on a fair price and what people interested in buying are looking for.
Setting the Right Price
You should pay enough for your house. If the price is too high, people might not buy, and you might lose money if it’s too cheap. You should hire a real estate agent for a professional study or a comparative market analysis (CMA). Rates from Zillow and Redfin can also help you decide how much to charge, but there should be other things you think about.
First Impressions Matter
The exterior of your home is the first thing potential buyers will see, so it’s essential to make a great first impression.
● Landscaping: Trim the lawn, bushes, and trees. Add fresh mulch and plant colorful flowers to enhance visual appeal.
● Exterior Maintenance: Clean the siding, paint the front door, and ensure the house numbers are visible. Fix any broken gutters or shutters.
● Driveway and Walkways: Ensure they are clean and free of cracks. Consider power washing driveways and walkways for a fresh look.
Repairs and Upgrades
Minor fixes and planned changes can significantly affect how people who want to buy your home see it. One way to improve the show’s look is to fix any leaky taps and update any old fixtures. More people like the room now that it has a fresh coat of gray paint. Buyers put a lot of value on critical areas like the kitchen and bathroom. By focusing on these areas, you can make changes like updating hardware and refinishing surfaces that make the property more appealing and desirable overall.
Staging Your Home
Staging is essential to showcasing your home’s best features and making it warm and inviting. Careful furniture placement makes the most of space and improves the flow between rooms, making the home more appealing to people who might want to buy it. To bring out the beauty of a room, it needs to be well-lit, with lamps and ceiling features placed in the right places. Fresh flowers, mirrors, and throw pillows are some nice things that can be added to the decor to make it look better and give it more personality. Stagers can bring furniture into empty homes to help buyers imagine what the space could be used for. This makes the home more marketable and attractive.
Professional Photography
Photos that catch the eye are crucial because they’re the first thing people see when they look at online ads. If you hire a professional photographer, their pictures of your home will be high quality and show off all its unique features. The property must be carefully cleaned and set up before the shoot to show it in the best light. Buyers can get a more realistic experience with virtual tours or 3D walkthroughs, which also let them look at the house from a distance and make them more interested and connected.
Marketing Your Home
The most important thing you can do to get more people to see your home ad and buy it is to sell it strategically. You can get more attention in the online real estate market using sites like Zillow, Realtor.com, and the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter let you share interesting photos and videos that can help you get more attention for your business. Buyers are more likely to be interested if you hold open houses and are flexible with showing times. Buyers can see and get to know the property in person. See the Paul Burrowes Home Seller’s Guide.
Working with a Real Estate Agent
Preparing your home for sale with the assistance of a knowledgeable real estate agent can streamline the process and ensure you’re showcasing its full potential to prospective buyers. “For the best agent, find someone who has lived in the area for a long time and has a history of finishing deals. They know how to discuss things to get you the best prices and terms. This raises the value of your home. Another way to feel safe is to give them paperwork and watch the close. This will make sure everything goes well and carefully.
Deep Cleaning
Any person keen on buying a particular house is in an excellent position to consider the level of cleanliness in that house as it can help him determine how much the house has been cared for. Employing a cleaning service ensures thorough cleaning that involves remarkable detail and a thorough scouring of all the available space. People generally remember kitchens, bathrooms, and floors first when thinking about a house, and therefore, focusing on these areas is critical.
Many small things add to the show’s overall appeal, such as clean rugs, brightly polished hardwood floors and clean grout between the tiles. Erasing odors from cooking, pets, smoking, and other things makes the room more welcoming. Fragrances exude a relaxing atmosphere. Familiar scents similar to air fresheners or the smell of fresh cookies add value to a house people wish to own.
Final Preparations Before Showings
People looking forward to buying a home usually have a look at houses that interest them in excellent condition; make sure that your home is in good condition before each show. Next, it is wise to quickly but efficiently tidy up the house or the working place, for example. Sweep and mop the floors and clean all the visible surfaces to remove dirt, dust, and trash around the workplace. Also, ensure that the interior temperature is better so people feel much better than before, and generally, the environment is more fun.
Forcing the lights on and even drawing back the blinds on windows will give a house a warm feeling. Lastly, ensure that your valuable and essential documents or anything vital are safe by locking them up. You do not have to stress about this, especially during the viewings; some other things do not matter as long as you want to show the better parts of the house.
Preparing for Closing
As you approach the closing date, there are several final steps to ensure everything goes smoothly.
Final Walkthrough
The buyer will typically do a final walkthrough to ensure the home is in the agreed-upon condition.
Repairs and Agreements
Complete any agreed-upon repairs and ensure all conditions of the sale are met.
Documentation
Gather all necessary documents, including the deed, property tax information, and any warranties for recent work done on the home.
Moving Out
Plan your move to coincide with the closing date. Ensure the new owners’ home is empty and clean.
Conclusion
Preparing your home for sale takes time, work, and close attention to detail. There are many steps to the process. After doing these things, your house will look better, more people will want to buy it, and it will sell. Remember that you want as many people as possible to like the way your house looks. If you do the right things before the sale, you can get the best price and sell your house fast.
Paul Burrowes, CRS, CCEC, SFR, NHCP, LHC, REALTOR® Licensed REALTOR® with over 15 years of experience and expertise. Commits to being on time and transparent. Acts as your consultant to ensure you make the best decisions to fit your transaction at every step in the process. Negotiates towards a low stress, win-win outcome. Handles all the details for you, ensuring the hundreds of steps in your real estate transaction go smoothly. Proudly serving Silicon Valley, Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Santa Clara Counties! | DRE# 01955563 | (831) 295-5130 | paul@burrowes.com | About Santa Cruz and Northern California Real Estate
