Read this before selling your home: 10 essential tips
Selling a home quickly and successfully requires meticulous planning, successful execution of the plan, and a dash of luck. To attract potential buyers, you must prepare your home professionally. This article lists some important steps to preparing your home for a profitable sale. So let’s dig in.
Remove All Traces of The Previous Inhabitants
- Saying goodbye to home is difficult. However, it is important to depersonalize your home to make it attractive to potential buyers. When a buyer steps into the house for a viewing, they should be able to envision the space as their home. Personal belongings, such as family portraits and heirlooms, can distract potential buyers from seeing the house as their own home, causing setbacks to a profitable sale.
Pack up all your belongings before opening your doors for a house viewing. You can leave only a few pieces of understated and neutral furniture that will not be too distracting. An impersonal and decluttered space will enable the buyer to envision the house as their future home.
Get Rid of Unnecessary Clutter
- Adopt the minimalistic approach when preparing your home for a viewing. Keep the rooms and hallways tidy, free from clutter. All unnecessary items, such as shoes, coats, toys, utensils, clothes, excessive toiletries, etc., should be stacked neatly in cupboards and storage areas. Unnecessary clutter distracts and takes the focus away from the home.
Decluttered, neat, and tidy spaces are more welcoming and give a favorable impression.
Upgrade and Tweak The Lighting
- Generally, any area appears more spacious when viewed under bright lights. By using lighting to your advantage, you can present the home in a welcoming manner with a little effort. Open the blinds and curtains and let the natural light flow in. To brighten up the evenings and dark, dreary winter days, add floor and table lamps to illuminate the space.
Replace all non-functional bulbs and LEDs before inviting a potential buyer. Tweaking and upgrading the lighting is an easy way to make your home more appealing to buyers.
Remove Items You Don’t Plan on Selling
- Everyone puts a lot of money and effort into decorating their home. Some items are very dear to us, and we do not wish to part with them, even if we say goodbye to the home. Remove any item you don’t plan to sell before the buyer arrives. This may include certain built-in appliances, window covers, decoration pieces, chandeliers, paintings, etc.
By taking down such items, you can avoid an awkward situation with the buyer, who may believe these items are a part of the house.
Augment The Curb Appeal
The curb appeal is an important and decisive factor for the successful sale of a house. The buyer will draw the first impression of the house by viewing it from the outside. You can augment the curb appeal through these few easy steps:
- Trim the branches and mow the lawn.
- Repaint the front door if the paint is chipping off.
- Place some flower pots on the front porch. This will give a welcoming vibe to the home.
- Fix any cracks on the front steps or broken tiles.
- Remove any obstacles that may cover the house plate number.
Get Rid of Funny Odors
- Each home has a distinct smell, usually caused by cooking food, pet beds, toilets, carpets, and rubbish bins. Some smells linger on, even if your home has an excellent ventilation system. Before inviting potential buyers into your home, eliminate all the smells. Welcome them into a fresh-smelling home with no unpleasant odor.
Use gentle and natural scents to give your home a nice and fresh vibe. Place potpourri and scented candles at a few strategic locations. These gentle scents will neutralize strong odors.
Remove All Obstacles That May Hinder The Flow
- Flow is an intangible aspect of the home, but it carries a lot of importance. Flow can be defined as the path you follow while touring the home – moving from one room to the other. To ensure smooth flow, remove all the obstacles that can hinder the movement and cause disturbance and distraction.
Open the connecting doors to facilitate the movement from one room to another. Remove unnecessary furniture and decoration pieces that can impact the flow. Smooth flow and movement will leave a positive impression on the buyer.
Make Some Important Repairs and Fixes
All homes require some maintenance, repairs, and fixes. Making a few important fixes increase the chances of selling your house successfully. Focus on the following:
- Cracked tiles draw immediate attention, so replace any cracked floor or counter tiles.
- Take care of leaky faucets. Fix jammed doors and windowsills.
- Replace all faulty lightbulbs.
- Repair holes and dents in the walls.
- Fix clogged drains.
- Make sure that the HVAC system is working properly.
Fix The Chipping Paint
- A fresh coat of paint can give the home an instantaneous boost. Paint gives a tidy appearance to the home. It makes the rooms appear spacious and bring attention to architectural details such as trim and crown molding. Painting can add a lot of value to your home.
Painting the home is a lengthy project and carries a substantial cost. If you are running short on time, focus on the following:
- Repaint the kitchen, bathrooms, entryway, and foyer. These are focal areas that draw the attention of the buyer. Repainting these areas will give them a fresh look instantaneously.
- Fix the chipping paint and repaint scuff marks and stains on the walls and baseboards.
- If any part of your home is painted in an unconventional and bright color, we recommend you paint them with neutral colors. Most people prefer warm and neutral colors for their homes.
Organize The Storage Areas
- Storage areas carry a lot of importance. Buyers want to see where they can tuck away their extra stuff. While giving a tour of your home, highlight the storage areas. To give the best impression, declutter and organize your storage areas before a house viewing.
Neatly stacked and decluttered storage spaces will allow the buyer to examine them carefully. It will also send the message that the current inhabitants have taken good care of the home. Show off your organizing skills by neatly stacking the dishes in the kitchen cabinets, placing the jars in ascending order to their size, and lining up the shoes perfectly in the shoe rack.
If you are looking for a professional and reliable realtor in Morris County, contact Jackie Scura. We are a team of real estate experts who will guide and help you with every step of the home-selling process. For more information, call us at 973-604-8868.
