Preparing To List Your Home

Prior to putting your home on the market, there are some steps to take that will significantly increase the probability of your home selling quickly for top dollar. These steps are designed to be relatively quick and inexpensive so that you can get your home on the market as soon as possible.

#1
Deep Clean
Your home should look great when it is on the market. We recommend hiring a cleaning service to perform a deep clean. Your house should look and smell good to make a great impression on potential home buyers. If you are going to be living in your home while selling, remember to keep it clean throughout the process.

#2
Remove Pets and Kids Items
If you are living in your home while selling, you will need certain items for your kids/pets. Try to reduce the number of items you have in plain sight. Remember the purpose of each room, and make sure it reflects that purpose. Sometimes kids' items can seem to take over the entire house. Consider putting the cat box somewhere more discreet. Purchase a storage box for the dog toys. You want your home to appeal to as many people as possible!

#3
Paint
A new coat of interior and exterior paint makes a significant difference. The new paint looks clean and fresh and is always recommended before you selling your home. If your paint is in good shape, you may be able to get away with only touching up a few walls.

#4
Repair Small Maintenance Items
Homebuyers can notice small issues around the house, and it can make them think that the home is in poor condition. We recommend repairing these items so that your home appears maintained well. Fix running toilets or drippy faucets, install new outlet covers, repair small holes in the walls, etc. If you are unable to repair the items let us know, we can recommend a handyman.

#5
Inexpensive Upgrades
There are some easy upgrades around the house that can make a big difference. A few items to consider: hardware around the house (knobs and handles), updating the light fixtures, etc. A larger upgrade that has a good ROI is replacing the flooring.

#6
De-Personalize
Potential buyers want to envision themselves living in their future home, not your current home. It is very helpful to remove personal pictures and/or decorations and leave only neutral ones that everyone would appreciate.

#7
Curb Appeal
The front of your home is the first and last thing a potential home buyer will see. Make sure the entrance of your home makes a great impression. You can purchase new house numbers, paint the front door, plant new bushes or flowers, or install new lights. We suggest making sure all plants and the lawn are looking good. Something to consider is hiring a gardener to come every other week until your home is sold.

#8
Get a Storage Unit
If you are planning to live in your home while it is on the market, you may want to consider renting a storage unit to store items so the house can look as neat and clean as possible. If you are moving before selling, this won't be an issue as your house will likely be vacant or staged before selling.

#9
Inspection
Almost always, home buyers will want an inspection before removing their inspection contingency. You don't want the inspector to come back and report some major repairs are needed that you were not aware of. We will provide a home inspector to come BEFORE we put your home on the market. You can either repair the issues the inspector notes or keep it in mind that you will likely need to repair them down the line or offer the buyer a credit. If the inspector does find issues, you will be required to disclose them to the buyer.