Preparing Your Home For Sale…. It’s All About The Details!

 

If you’re planning to put your home on the market, it goes without saying that you want your home to sell fast and for top dollar. Preparing your home for sale is the first and one of the most critical steps in the home selling process. Set the stage for success with these tips for styling and upgrading your home to increase the value of your property and make that great first impression!

 

Change Your Perspective

When putting your home on the market, it’s important to disassociate yourself from your home.  Make the mental decision to “let go” of your emotions and focus on the fact that soon this house will no longer be yours. Don’t look backwards – look forward to the future. Your goal here is to turn your home into an irresistible and marketable house.

 

De-Clutter

De-cluttering creates a light, airy and spacious feeling throughout your home giving that all important great first impression and allowing buyers to see the full potential of your home. Think of this process as a head-start on the packing you will eventually need to do anyway to move on to your dream home.

 

  • De-clutter, clean and organize kitchen counters, refrigerator doors, stovetop, cupboards and drawers.
  • Clear the front entry, halls and stairways of clutter.
  • Clean out the basement and attic and move excess items to storage.
  • Purge all closets of unnecessary clothing.

 

Edit Your Current Decor

This is a perfect time to edit your current décor by removing and replacing outdated furnishings. Your new furnishings will not only add great value to the sale of your existing home but will be a wonderful addition to your new home.

 

  • Review each room through the critical eye of a buyer.
  • Remove overpowering pieces.
  • Leave enough furniture in each room to fully represent its purpose.
  • Place select pieces on an angle to create a cozy feeling in each room.

 

Make Minor Repairs

Buyers have high expectations for their new home and today’s savvy buyers will notice minor repair issues. If left unaddressed, buyers may question the care that has gone into the rest of your home. Attention to detail in making your home as maintenance free as possible will not only expedite the sale of your home by attracting more qualified buyers looking for a “move in ready home” but will increase the perceived value, allowing you to sell your house for top dollar.

 

  • Oil squeaking doors and tighten door knobs and latches.
  • Fix doors that don’t close properly and drawers that jam.
  • Replace defective light bulbs.
  • Clean and repair all interior and exterior windows.
  • Patch holes in walls and ceilings.
  • Apply a fresh coat of paint or paint touch ups.
  • Replace old and out- dated light fixtures.
  • Repair squeaky floor boards.
  • Replace cracked floor and counter tiles.
  • Repair leaking taps and toilets and replace broken fixtures and fittings.
  • Remove rust and calcium stains from kitchen and bathroom fixtures.
  • Have your furnace cleaned and inspected by a professional and change the furnace filter.
  • Call a professional and have your fireplace inspected to ensure it’s in top working order.
  • If you have considered replacing a worn bedspread or bathroom and kitchen linen, now would be a great time!

 

Make It Sparkle!

When putting your home on the market, there is no such thing as a home that is too clean! Follow these steps and your home will be in tip-top shape in no time.

 

  • Clear and clean kitchen counterttops.
  • Clean and polish all kitchen appliances inside and out.
  • De-clutter, clean and stage kitchen pantries and cupboards.
  • Scrub and freshen bathrooms.
  • Polish chrome fixtures and mirrors.
  • Re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks.
  • Hang new, fresh bathroom towels and a new shower curtain.
  • Empty waste baskets.
  • Vacuum your house from top to bottom.
  • Dust furniture, ceiling fans and light fixtures.
  • Clean and polish floors.
  • Wash baseboards.
  • Steam clean carpets, drapes, upholstered furniture and window blinds.
  • Wash walls and do paint touch ups where necessary.
  • Buy storage bins and pack away as many toys as possible.

 

Light, Bright Homes Sell

Lighting is a key design element that dramatically affects how a buyer feels about a home so it is very important to maximize lighting wherever you can.

 

  • Take down the drapes.
  • Clean the windows.
  • Change the lampshades.
  • Increase the wattage of your light bulbs.
  • Add additional lighting to eliminate dark corners throughout your home. It will make your home bright, cheery and bright, welcoming and inviting.

 

Choose Sophisticated, Neutral Colours

Paint is one of the least expensive design elements that has the most dramatic impact.

 

Rich neutrals like creams, greys, taupes and mochtoas create a sophisticated backdrop that makes everything look more pulled together and will increase your homes overall sale-ability.

 

Conclusion

Preparing your home for sale is a detailed process. But, once it’s complete, you’re just steps away from being ready to put your home on the market.
Still looking for something more to maximize the ROI on the sale of your home? Consider professional home staging. Click here to read of one of our latest posts, “Dressed to Sell! Top 5 Reasons To Stage Your Home”  to see if professional staging is right for you!

 

 

Related Posts:

Your Guide To A Totally Organized Home In 10 Weeks
Dressed To Sell! Top 5 Reasons To Stage Your Home
WOW Your Buyers With Amazing Summer Curb Appeal!
5 Ways to Increase the Value of Your Home with Paint

 

 

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