Did you know that selling a home takes a lot more than sticking a ‘for sale’ sign in the front yard? It could take many months to get your home ready to sell, at least if you want it to sell fast and for the amount that you want. Today’s buyers want a home that they can move into and start their new life with immediately.
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So what can you do to prep your home the best? Keep reading to learn the top ways to get your home ready.
Get Professional Advice
This first step costs money, but it will be money well spent. Take the time to hire an inspector. Let him look through the home and tell you what’s wrong with it. This gives you the option to fix the issues before you even put it on the market. This way you pave the way for a clear inspection from the buyer’s inspector. This can sidestep any negotiation issues or buyers backing out of the sale because they don’t want to deal with the maintenance issues.
You don’t have to do anything with the inspection if you don’t feel that it is necessary. If you think that you’d rather take the chance than spend the time or money fixing it, that’s your choice. At the very least, you’ll know what to expect, though.
Get Rid of Clutter
Next, you need to get rid of the clutter in your home. This doesn’t just mean the ‘junk’ lying around, though. You want to make your home look as spacious as possible. Keep only the crucial things in your home that keep your home running.
The more room that there is, the more potential buyers can picture their own items in the home. If the home is cluttered, it only serves to clutter up the brains of the potential buyers. They won’t be able to imagine their own items in the home and are less likely to fall in love with the home.
Clear your counters, empty your yard, and keep those closets looking as tidy and spacious as possible. You’ll even want to remove the ‘personal items,’ such as family pictures, art projects from your kids, or any other items that are personal to you, but won’t appeal to anyone else. You’ll entice many more buyers than you would if these areas were cluttered and messy.
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Rent a Storage Unit
It sounds crazy, but you’ll want to put away at least half of the items in your home. This may even include furniture. Don’t think about shoving the unwanted items in your closet either because potential buyers will go through your closets. They want to know everything there is to know about the home before they make a decision.
If you rent a storage unit, you can put items away that you don’t have an immediate need for right now. This will help you keep the home clutter free throughout the week. Then you don’t have to do the mad scramble that ensues when the realtor calls and says they have a potential buyer that wants to walk through your home.
Update Your Home’s Curb Appeal
You want your home to appeal to potential buyers from the moment they drive up the driveway. If your home doesn’t look inviting, it could turn potential buyers off right away. Take the time to care for your lawn and plant flowers in the front yard. Clean the windows and make sure the front door looks nice. Plop a wreath on the front door and make sure the handle is nice and secure. These are little details that buyers are going to look at and take note of when looking at your home’s curb appeal.
Take a walk around your home too. Do you have areas that need painting? Is there mold on the siding? Are the window wells clean? Are all of the windows in good condition? While the buyer won’t see the side or back of your home right away, chances are that they will walk around it and look closely at it. They want to know that the home looks good from all angles.
Make Repairs
Finally, you should make repairs on your home. If there is something major wrong with it, you can decide if you want to repair it or sell it for a lower price as-is. If you make the repairs, decide if it’s something you can do yourself or if you need to hire a professional.
This isn’t a time to make upgrades or change anything in the home (unless it needs it). This is a time to fix things that are wrong with the home, like a leaky faucet or a hole in the wall. You want to make sure that everything is in good working condition and is aesthetically pleasing so that buyers want to buy your home.
Prepping your home to sell it is a big job. You have to make sure your home is ready for buyers. If you don’t, you risk losing the potential sale. Buyers want a home that is move-in ready. The more steps that you can take to provide them with that, the better your chances of selling your home become.
