DO WHAT YOU CAN WITH WHAT YOU GOT,  FROM WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW

So you are thinking of selling your house. Selling your home is a major decision, before you decide to invest the time, energy and money into any major upgrades, consider doing some basic housekeeping that also adds value and presents your home to buyers looking its very best.

First of all, remember that the extra money you put into your home preparing it for sale should all come back to you as it increases the value of your property and what you are able to sell it for.

FIXES, UPGRADES, CLEANING AND DEPERSONALIZE

REPAIRS: If you know something isn’t working or working properly, fix it. This means little things like a leaking faucet, a running toilet, a door that doesn’t close properly or larger things like a HVAC system that needs some service, a roof repair or the fence in the backyard that’s not quite right. A potential buyer may not notice these little out of sight things right off the bat, but a home inspector will and if the repairs and the costs to fix these things add up, it could be a turn off to a buyer.

INTERIOR PAINT: You may love the Royal Blue on the master bedroom walls, but buyers may not. Look through all the rooms in the home and consider going with a more neutral palate so that new owners can envision themselves and their belongings in your home.

CLEANING: Clean your home as if you have company coming over. If your budget allows, consider hiring a cleaning service to deep clean your home. Have carpets cleaned, appliances moved and cleaned under and behind, have baseboards cleaned and spruced up.

DE-CLUTTER AND DEPERSONALIZE: The goal is to have a buyer look at your home and see themselves living in your space. If it’s full of all your belongings, they may have a difficult time imagining themselves occupying your home. Depersonalize by clearing kitchen counters of unnecessary items, organizing pantries, remove knickknacks. You want your place looking picture perfect. Look through the home and remove personal items such as family photos, kids toys, more knickknacks. Pack them up since you are going to be moving anyway or have them stored at a facility. De-clutter and organize the place to make your home look as perfect as can be. The rewards are potential buyers see your home was well cared for and that there will be plenty of space for all their belongings! Remember, you are selling your home, not your stuff, so remove what doesn’t necessarily need to be seen.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Curb appeal matters so much. Within minutes of a potential buyer seeing a home from the outside they are already judging the place. Make your place their new dream home. Stand on the street and look at your home objectively. Consider what the first impression of the home gives off as a buyer pulls into the driveway. If it’s been awhile since you’ve spent some time outdoors spiffing up the landscaping and pulling weeds, take that time before you go to market. Power wash the exterior and driveway. Keep the lawn trimmed and paint the exterior if necessary.

READY TO LIST? Once you have looked after the cleaning, needed repairs and de-cluttering your home you may want to consider hiring a pro to come in and inspect the major systems to see if there are any potential issues. Once you are confident the home is ready. Stage the home and your Realtor will arrange for professional photos to be taken.