Selling your home is about more than just sticking a for-sale sign outside and letting your real estate agent do the legwork. As an owner, the onus is on you to present a property that is inviting and enticing to prospective buyers, so your home isn’t languishing on the market for weeks or months with little to no interest, never mind offers.
But how do you prepare for sale, and what do you need to be aware of so you can avoid making home-selling mistakes?
Clutter Doesn’t Sell
One of the best things you can do prior to accepting viewings is to declutter. Get rid of all those bits you’ve been meaning to sort out for years and empty your home of excess “stuff” that doesn’t need to be there. Not only will it make the home feel less crowded, but it will also make packing up easier for you too.
From here, you can start putting away items you’re keeping but don’t necessarily need to be on display. Personal photos, knick-knacks, and anything that makes rooms feel crowded need to go. People need to be able to see themselves living there, not you, and removing clutter and excess times helps them to do this.
Deep Clean Everywhere
Inside and out. You need to make sure that you are giving the property a deep clean internally and a good clean externally. A spotless home is expected for viewings, and people will notice the dust building upon your ceiling fans or the dirt behind the toilet you didn’t think they would notice, and that slick of grease above the air fryer.
Pay close attention to things like fingerprints on lightswitches, smears on windows and scuffs on baseboards, too.
Then head outdoors to see what needs cleaning. Things like dirty windows, grubby walkways, mildew on decking, etc. This all detracts from the curb appeal and will put potential buyers off. If you’re not up to the task or don’t have the resources to do a thorough interior and exterior clean, you can hire an exterior cleaning company to handle this for you, and a cleaning company that can work magic indoors.
Quick Fixes
The last thing you probably want to do when you’re considering selling it is spend money fixing the place up. And while you shouldn’t be tackling those huge jobs right now, the small ones should absolutely be addressed. Cracked tiles, dripping faucets, the ever-flushing toilet, or holes in the drywall are visible signs that the house isn’t in great condition and will go against you when selling. Now is the perfect time to take care of them, not only to make the house work as it should, but also to help you get as much for the property as possible.
Stage
Rearrange furniture to display the room in its best light, add fresh flowers, set the dining table, and bring out the throws and blankets to create the illusion of comfort. These are all great tips for staging your home. You don’t need to bring in a professional company; you simply need to change how your home looks to present it in the best way possible.
Meg is an author at Cinnamon Hollow. She writes on a variety of topics sharing tips and ideas for daily life.
