Contrary to common belief, there’s more to selling your home than just listing it on the market. At least, this is certainly true if you want your home to sell quickly. Before you list your home on the market, it’s important to know how to get your house ready to sell. There are several things that you can do to help improve your odds of selling. Here are ten of the most important tips you can follow to prepare your home to be sold.
#1: Get to Know the Local Market
Knowing the state of the market will help you determine how much to price your home, how long you can expect your home to stay on the market, and whether now is even a good time to sell. Do your research and compare your home with other similar models already for sale. Find out how homes have been selling in your area, because the more you know, the better off you’ll be.
#2: Declutter
Don’t wait to declutter until after your home is already listed. Instead, be smart and get it out of the way early. Remove any personalized collections and décor and keep everything clean and organized. This will help your home become more appealing to potential buyers.
#3: Clean Thoroughly
Clean your home top to bottom. Find sources of odors and eliminate them; do not just cover them up with other fragrances. If necessary, call in professionals to handle the heavy cleaning.
#4: Paint
Applying a fresh coat of paint to the walls, ceilings, and doors will help make your home look cleaner and well put together. This is especially important if you have personalized colors in your home. Replace colorful paint with neutral colors and tones.
#5: Make Repairs
Why risk losing money on your home because minor repairs are needed? From leaky faucets and cracks in the walls to squeaky doors and missing hardware, get them taken care of before you list so they don’t pose a problem with negotiations down the line.
#6: Hire an Experienced Agent
It’s always better to hire an experienced agent to list your home instead of tackling the job yourself. Professional real estate agents know the market and what it takes to get the best price for your home, so look for a good one, and trust their expertise.
#7: Rent a Storage Unit
Store everything you don’t absolutely need in your home in a nearby storage unit. Nobody wants to see a garage filled with your belongings. Keep your home as simple and open as possible.
#8: Stage the Home
Studies prove that staged homes sell faster. In fact, this single tip is the most important if you really want to know how to get a house ready to sell quicker. The staging should be easy and comfortable, so it emphasizes the openness of your home and the sizes of the rooms.
#9: Take Professional Photographs
Great photos can have a big impact on how many buyers get interested in your home. They’re so important, especially in today’s world of online home listings, that we recommend you consider hiring a professional home photographer to do the job right, the first time.
#10: Stock Up on Light Bulbs
When showing your home, you’ll want to keep all the lights on. The more light you can get in your home, the easier it will be to sell. So, stock up on light bulbs so you can change them out quickly should one burn out.