Listing your home is a big step, and you want to make sure you (and your home) are ready before moving forward. Not only will the selling process be faster and easier, but you’ll also get better offers if you’ve put some work into your home before listing. Here’s a look at five essential things to do before you put up that for sale sign in your yard.
Declutter
The importance of this first step cannot be overstated. Sometimes when we live in a place for so long, we get used to seeing the stacks of papers on the counter or the pile of old clothes in the corner. But buyers aren’t used to seeing that, and clutter will stick out to them like a sore thumb.
Start by going through your entire house, room by room, and cut the clutter. Aim for keeping only about a third of the stuff in each room. The easiest way to do this is to sort your items into piles: one for the garbage, one to be donated, one for storage, and one to remain in the room.
Clean
Once your home is decluttered, you can begin the cleaning process. Clean your entire home top to bottom, inside and out. Pay special attention to the walls and baseboards, windows and window tracks, bathrooms, and the kitchen. Hire a professional cleaner if you’d like. Just make sure it gets done.
Make Repairs
Just before listing your home isn’t the time for major renovations or home updates since you probably won’t see your money back on those projects. But making minor repairs is a must. Patch any holes in the walls and touch up paint. Replace burned-out lightbulbs and broken fixtures. Fix the leaky faucet and that cupboard door that doesn’t shut all the way.
Update Your Curb Appeal
Take a walk to the sidewalk and turn to face your home. How does it look? Does the paint need to be touched up, or maybe the light fixtures need to be replaced? Do what you can to spruce things up a bit. Consider borrowing or renting a pressure washer to wash away the years of dirt and grime accumulated on the sides. Apply a fresh coat of paint to the front door and add a seasonal wreath and welcome mat. Plant some flowers and cut the grass. It doesn’t take too much work to transform a home’s exterior from drab to fab.
Do Some Light Staging
Most sellers don’t need to spend a lot of money to make their homes more appealing to buyers. A little bit of light staging can go a long way. Add a few potted plants, a fresh, clean rug, and some new throw pillows, and voila. Your living room is suddenly classy and chic.
List With HoneyHomb
Is listing your home next up on your to-do list? HoneyHomb is here to help! Our flat-fee listing service can save you thousands of dollars on real estate commissions, and you won’t pay a penny until your home sells. We help homeowners in Sandy, Utah, and the surrounding cities with every step of the selling process, and we’d love to help you too. Get started today!
