Maximize Your Home's Profits
Preparing Your Home for Sale
Time to Tidy Up All Rooms
Time to declutter every room. Remove stacks of paper off desks and counters. Hide smaller countertop kitchen appliances in cabinets to reveal more of your countertops. Remove clutter from kitchen, bathroom counters, bedrooms. Think how model homes are presented. This is your aim! This might be a good time to throw out items you don’t need and box up the rest you won’t need in the next 2-3 months. After all, in a seller’s market, you’re likely to sell quickly!
REMOVE EXTRA FURNITURE
Not using it? Time to say goodbye! Often homes have a too much furniture, especially for showing it for sale. You’re getting ready to sell and move after all, so start giving away, selling, or storing (off site) extra furniture pieces. Just keep a functional set for each room. You may want to consider hiring a staging company who will help you “edit” the pieces in your home or fully stage it for you, which is a very effective way to sway buyers.
CLEAN It
A wise woman once told me, “Other people’s dirt is grosser than your own.” In other words, we take our own household grime for granted. Try to look at your home the same way you might look at other people’s homes. For example, if you were walking in for the first time, would you notice that there is grease splatter on and around your stove? What about the backsplash? Are the areas behind the toilets grimy? What does the grout look like? Look at ALL the corners and details of your home. It may need a deep cleaning after you declutter. Consider hiring a one-time cleaning service then maintaining it daily until your home sells.
MAKE Small REPAIRS
Too many minor breaks and cracks make houses look as if it has not been maintained. This may raise red flags in the minds of buyers. We don’t want to put any obstacle in front of YES, I’LL BUY IT! For example, holes in walls, cracks in the drywall, ceiling, and switch plates. Even faded or yellowing switch plates look quite unappealing to someone looking for their next “new” home. Patch up and paint those holes. Fix leaky faucets. Usually a handyman can make these repairs in short time and without a big price tag. Contact me if you need help finding one.
UPGRADES (OPTIONAL)
If it’s financially feasible, consider upgrading very dated items in your house. Here are some high-impact items to upgrade: remove dated wallpaper, update faucets and light fixtures, and paint the interior. If the carpet can’t be professionally cleaned effectively, replace it.