How to Prepare Your Home for a Sale
Calling a realtor and getting a photographer to come in and take pictures of your property are the initial steps in getting your house ready for the market, however if you want your house to be desirable to realtors and potential buyers so it sells quickly you will need to put in an honest effort which includes planning and organization.
Being proactive and working to spruce up your home means you will likely find interest from buyers and the realtors who set up viewings for their house hunting clients. If you plan on selling your home there are many options in the Springfarm Yorkhill real estate market. This list can help you to see what steps lead to a quick sale. Touring other homes will show you how successful these tips can be.
- Prep for Listing Photos
The pictures of your house on the realtor’s website or local property listing sites are very important. A well-done photo shoot showing a brightly lit, tidy and organized home emphasizing the houses’ positive points from good angles drives traffic to your listing and helps your realtor to set up multiple viewings. On the other hand a poorly done shoot can mean very few positive reactions or tours.
- Consider Hiring a Professional Stager
While many property owners feel hiring a stager is a waste of money on the contrary it can actually be money well spent. Walking into a staged home you can quickly see the difference in contrast to one that is not and why they typically sell much faster. Someone experienced in design is good at highlighting the aspects of your house that make it unique and desirable. If you cannot afford it, attempt it yourself.
- Depersonalize and Declutter
Clutter and other personal items you have lying around detract from the beauty of your house and also makes it difficult for house hunters to see the potential of the property. It is hard for them to see past the mess and imagine themselves calling it home. Get some containers and pack the belongings you want to keep and put them in the basement for storage. Everything else, trash or donate it.
- Prepare for an Open House
Often realtors host an open house in order to maximize the number of buyers viewing your house at one time. This can mean fewer individual tours and less time and effort for everyone involved. Be sure your house is in pristine condition and is staged in a way that highlights its best features.
- Do Maintenance and Repairs
Your house might be in excellent condition but you have fallen behind when it comes to general maintenance and repairs. Perhaps you have grown used to your gate hanging slightly sideways or the paint peeling on the back deck. The furnace seems to be running smoothly but you have not had it serviced in a couple of years. This is the time to start checking them off your to-do list.
- Landscaping and Lawn Care
If you have a yard it is typically a factor potential buyers base their decision on when choosing whether to make an offer or not. A well-tended lawn and yard can get them off of the fence and into your house. Consider hiring a professional landscaper to come in and make sure your plant life is in tip-top shape. Get them to prune the hedges and plant some more flowers in your gardens.
- Curb Appeal
The front of your home is the face realtors and buyers see first and this can make either a positive or negative impression on them they carry into the house while touring it. If your front deck needs to be re-stained make sure you get to it. Mow the lawn before any viewings and consider placing some nice planters on the porch as they can help in creating a nice inviting home to maximize curb appeal.
- Hire a Professional Cleaner
House hunters are much more likely to put an offer on a house if it is sparkling clean when they walk through it. Not only does clutter and dirt put off a buyer it also points to the fact that the property may not be very well looked after. While cleaning it yourself is always an option, if your house sits on the market for even a few months it is likely you will tire of scrubbing it from top to bottom with each tour. Get a cleaner instead.