Listing your home for sale can be an exciting and daunting time. Before you have that first showing it’s important to make sure that you’re prepared. And it’s not just the house itself that needs to be ready, you and your family should be as well. There’s a few things to make sure to do and a few to avoid to prep your home for selling.
Have Your Home Inspected
Serious buyers are going to hire an inspector for the property before they make an offer, and often, what the inspector finds will either make or break the deal. Before you list hire an inspector of your own so you know if there are major repairs or minor upgrades that may keep you from getting those top-dollar offers.
Depending on the results of your own inspection, you can go ahead and tackle those repairs and make sure to mention in the listing that you have a new roof, replaced bathroom porcelain, or upgraded the heating and cooling system, for example.
De-Clutter the House
Make sure that the buyers can see every part of the house, including closets and the attic or basement, by decluttering. One of the things that people look for is great storage, and if you have a fantastic walk-in closet or an oversized mud room, show them off without all the boxes of old clothes or holiday ornaments. Plus, clutter around the house can make buyers think it’s dirty, even if it isn’t. Make your home look its best with things placed in storage to best prep your home for selling.
Consider Your Curb Appeal
The first impression buyers have is when they pull up in your driveway. Make sure driveway is sealed and free of large cracks. If it’s spring, summer, or fall, plant some bright flowers along the edge of your lawn or place them in pots by the front door for a cheerful pop of color. Keep your lawn mowed regularly, weeds pulled, and any trees or bushes neatly trimmed.
Don’t ignore the outside of the house. It’s not just landscaping that contributes to great curb appeal. Give your exterior a fresh coat of paint or have the bricks professionally washed. Clean the windows. Remove and spiderwebs or wasp’s nests. Make sure your front door is in good condition. And, don’t forget to make sure that the mailbox is in good condition, too!
Double Check for Liens On the Deed
A simple title search can ensure that there aren’t any liens (debts held against the house) on the home’s title. If there are liens on the home, you’ll be required to settle them before you can legally sell the house. Expect buyers to check the title, too. Making sure you can legally sell the house is something that people often overlook to prep your home for selling.
De-personalize and Disconnect
When buyers are looking at a home, they’re trying to imagine themselves living there. Family pictures, personal artwork by children, or décor with your names on it can make it difficult for a buyer to picture making their own memories in the house. Remove photos, and replace with something neutral, and remove as much personality as you can.
Part of de-personalizing the house is making sure that you’re already distancing yourself from it. Selling a home, especially one that you raised a family in or you were raised in, can be a very emotional time for most people. Begin thinking of your house as an investment, which it is, and one in which you want to make a profit on. Think ahead to your future home, and, if you can, start making new memories there, like walking through the new neighborhood or picking out paint colors.
Are You Truly Ready to Sell?
Unless you have to move in a hurry, like for a job offer in a new city, you need to take some time to determine if you’re truly ready to sell. You might be looking to upgrade to a larger space or downsize, but before you sign a contract with the real estate agent, you and your family should consider if you’re truly ready to sell your home. If you aren’t, the sales process can be upsetting and even more stressful than usual.
Be Patient
The traditional selling process can take a long time, so be prepared to settle in for a few weeks or months of waiting for an offer. Even in a hot market, finding a buyer that wants your house can take some time. The listing, showings, buyers securing financing, and then having a home inspection can all take weeks from start to finish. If your home is in a slower market or the housing market itself is in a slump, your house could be on the market for months.
Need To Sell in a Hurry?
Will the traditional sales process take too long for you? Maybe you’re in pre-foreclosure and you need to sell your house fast. Or, changes in your family dynamic, like death or divorce, can cause people to want to sell in a hurry. Cash buyers can buy your house as-is, even if there’s fire or flood damage.
If you need to sell your house fast and don’t have the time or money to prep your home for selling, then come discover why a cash buyer, like WeBuyHouse is right for you.
We can go from initial contact to writing you a check in as little as two weeks. Give us a call or visit us online for a free quote!
Dyan Zammataro | Sep 2, 2020
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