To successfully sell your house, there are many important things to consider before the sale goes through. In this checklist of what to do before selling your house, you’ll find actionable advice that will help you get your home in its best possible condition while making it more appealing to potential buyers.
Find a Great Real Estate Agent
You can choose a real estate agent to help you through each step of selling your house, from meeting with potential buyers to finalizing any transactions. A good agent is worth their weight in gold. If you have a relationship with someone you trust and they’ve helped you buy or sell a home before, by all means, use them again! But if it’s been a while since your last transaction, or if you don’t have an established relationship with anyone, in particular, go online and find three or four agents who specialize in selling homes similar to yours. Then schedule a quick 15-minute phone call with each one so you can compare notes and experiences.
Consider Your Curb Appeal
If you’re not planning on living in your home for a while (i.e., if you’re moving out before putting it up for sale), make sure to consider your curb appeal – and what you might need to do to fix it up. Even small cosmetic fixes like freshly painted shutters or a repainted door can make a huge difference when potential buyers pull up to your house. If people drive by and aren’t impressed by your property, they won’t bother taking a closer look – which is probably one of the worst things that could happen in an attempt to sell your house. Therefore, it’s important that you focus on making sure that your home makes a good first impression when potential buyers are driving past.
Declutter Living Areas
Fill a garbage bag with personal items you can get rid of, like receipts or magazines. Make room for your future homebuyer by clearing out unnecessary items. If your house is full of clutter, buyers will wonder if they’ll be able to get rid of the junk when they move in.
Depersonalize Your Space
Depersonalizing your space is another important step in preparing your home for sale. Depending on how long you’ve lived in your home, there might be an incredible amount of stuff that you don’t use, need, or even want anymore, taking up valuable space. Be ruthless and get rid of all non-essentials before having a professional photographer come over to take pictures that will be used to market your home. Make sure every room is tidy and looks well maintained. Also, take a trip through each room and spot anything broken so it can be fixed by the time prospective buyers look at it.
Repaint Walls to Neutral Tones
One of those little things that can make a big difference is painting walls in neutral tones. Neutral colors, especially off-white and greys, look like they’ve been repainted recently, whereas warm reds and oranges make a room look dated, and dark colors like navy blue and black tend to make rooms look smaller. You want neutral colors that will complement your decor but won’t date as quickly as bold colors will.
Touch Up Any Scuff Marks
We all know you’ve been there before, and it isn’t fun when you get to your new place and notice scuff marks on your beautiful flooring. Touching up these scuffs is a good way to ensure that potential buyers won’t see them later. The same goes for any paintwork: Make sure that your walls and doors are in tip-top shape before putting your house on the market.
Clean and Organize
A messy house can be a big turn-off for potential buyers. It’s okay if you don’t have time to deep clean each room—but making sure everything is tidy can go a long way in creating a positive impression for your home.
