If you are wanting to sell your home quickly and for a great price then there are certain things you need to do before you even consider putting your home on the market. Before you get the photographers and the agents to do their part you need to do yours.
Declutter
First and foremost you need to declutter your home. This is because filling spaces with your belongings makes the home and general surroundings seem smaller than they actually are. Putting stuff away and opening up spaces will give the illusion that the area is bigger and more spacious. Buyers don’t want tiny cramped spaces to live in; they want open spaces they can fill with their own stuff.
Another reason to declutter is so buyers can envision their own belongings in the house. They don’t want to come in and see all your stuff lying around as then it will be more difficult for them to picture what their own items will look like.
A top tip for decluttering is to go room by room and sort through your items. Place them into three piles that consist of stuff you want to keep, items you want to sell, and stuff you want to throw away. You will be surprised at how many belongings you actually have that you don’t need. You can hold a yard sale or garage sale with the items you want to sell. This is a good way to make money to use however you want to, either on the move or something else.
While you are busy decluttering it may be useful to start packing up the items you know you won’t need until you move out and into your new place.
Deep Clean
Once you have decluttered, you need to give your home a thorough clean. This removes all the dirt and debris that has been missed over the years. There are certain places that aren’t cleaned regularly and gather dust, places such as oven hoods and baseboards. Areas to focus on include the kitchen and bathroom, these look a lot brighter when they are clean and sparkly. Be sure to pay close attention to the sides of the bath where black mold can sometimes form due to the water.
Extractor fans are another thing that should be thoroughly cleaned ready for potential buyers looking around. Extractor fans are notorious for gathering dust and dirt and are very unsightly so be sure to clean them. If you have pets you will need to be extra careful to ensure you remove all remaining pet fur. You never know if people coming to look around are allergic to pet hair and dander.
If you have carpets they will need to be hoovered and shampooed. You may be shocked or surprised at the amount of dirt that comes off them when you empty the shampooer. If you have hard floors they will need to be swept, mopped, and steamed to make sure all dust has gone.
If you are not able to clean thoroughly or you simply don’t have the time then you could call in the professionals to help. They will be used to cleaning and will ensure your home is sparkling and looks brand new when they are finished.
Repairs
Before you list your home and more importantly before you sell your home you need to be sure to tick off all the repairs you have been putting off. If your home is in a state of disrepair it will put buyers off looking around and buying your home. You may have been saying ‘i will do these at a later date’ well that time is now. You may have a hole in your roof or a crack in the wall, whatever the damage may be it needs to be repaired.
You may have noticed that the hole in your roof has caused significant damage to the underlayers, such as the walls, floorboards, and insulation. If this is the case then you need to fix it yourself or get the professionals in to help. Your insulation may need replacing, if this happens be sure to get the best on the market which happens to be 100mm Celotex. This insulation reduces your carbon footprint and your energy bills.
The thing you need to remember is that potential buyers will always send a surveyor to take a look at the building and report any damages they find. The report is then sent to the buyers and if anything is amiss then this will put them off buying it and they may very well pull out of the sale.
Curb Appeal
The outside of your home should match the interior and look neat and tidy when you open it up to potential buyers. The exterior is the first thing people will see. If they don’t connect with the exterior then they may have already got preconceived ideas about not liking the inside of your property. It is not uncommon for potential buyers to find out the address of the home they are taking a look at and do a drive-by. This is to gauge whether they will like the property before they see it in person. If your curb appeal isn’t up to standard then they may cancel their viewing.
You need to make sure any doors are looking good as new, such as the front door and garage door if you have one. If they look tired and damaged, think about giving them a fresh coat of paint or a new handle if the old one is rusting. This makes your property warm and welcoming.
The grass and flowers should look neat and kept trimmed. If you are unable to maintain the upkeep of your garden then maybe think about hiring a gardener or even a landscaper to manage it for you.
We hope this helps you understand what you need to do to get your home ready to sell. Fingers crossed it doesn’t take long to sell and you get a great price for it.