You might be shocked by how difficult it can be to get your property ready to market if you've never sold a house before. It's a laborious procedure that involves everything from figuring out the right listing price to managing contractual obligations.
Here is a list of 10 things that realtors will tell you to fix up before you put your house on the market. Every house is different and needs a different amount of careful planning. To complete some of the tasks on the list below successfully, professional assistance may be required.
1. Remove Personal Decorations
When your house is on the market, a wide range of people will be viewing it. To encourage the most feedback, provide a neutral setting. Remove any items that are a reflection of your individual preferences and way of life to achieve this. You can run into issues if a buyer can go through your home and discover your preferred religion, number of children, occupation, and favorite alcoholic beverage.
Some buyers have a hard time emotionally relating to a home when a seller's lifestyle choices are front and center. This dilemma is particularly true when those choices contradict with theirs. Realtors advise removing any indication that you even own the property.
You will be well on your way to selling your house if you take out all of the ones listed. Also, it will assist you in emotionally separating from your house and getting ready to go. View your property as someone else's house to begin with. You know you've done a good job when a prospective buyer inquires while visiting your home as to whether anyone resides there.
The buyer will employ a home inspector to inspect your house as soon as you and the buyer have an executed sales contract. Why not go before them? In Washington State, inspections typically cost $250 to $350. When compared to everything, that is a mere penny.
Before you place your house on the market, take care of all the repairs. You shouldn't be taken aback if buyers provide a list of issues to fix after their house inspection.
In this industry, inspections are the number one deal-breaker. By addressing this problem right away, you can solve the whole issue. You might have to pay for it out of pocket, but you'll probably be spending money anyhow. When there are several faults listed in the inspection report, buyers will be skeptical about the property. Home buyers are more prepared to pay top dollar when they are aware that there has been a prior inspection and all repairs have been made.
2. Hire A Home Inspector
3. Clean Everything Thoroughly
The degree of "clean" varies from person to person. What is deemed "clean" by one person may not be by another. You must make your home as spotless as possible before advertising it for sale.
Assume you are selling your home to a person who is afraid of germs. Hire a specialized cleaning service for a daylong deep clean if you can afford it. The cost is quite worthwhile. Even if they are not very clean people themselves, homebuyers may find it challenging to emotionally connect to a dirty house.
The irony that many homebuyers have is that they anticipate their new home to be cleaner than their existing one is amusing. This reality must be taken into consideration. A tidy home provides the impression that it has been well cared for and is a special residence that is superior to other homes currently on the market. Before listing your house, properly clean it.
You need to appeal to every potential buyer if you want to sell your house quickly and for the highest price. Kids and animals don't appeal to everyone. Even with the ideal layout, price, and decor, if your home smells like animals or has toys jammed into every crevice, you risk turning off potential buyers.
If there are signs of animals inside a home, some buyers won't even finish looking around. They will occasionally reject a place if they notice a litter box in the property images.
Remember that you will never be able to smell your house as a buyer would. You're accustomed to its distinct smell because you live there. It's best to ask your real estate agent for a second opinion.
Several people have allergies to pets; one of them could be the ideal customer for you. Spend some time enhancing their appeal to your home. At the negotiation table, it might provide you an advantage financially.
According to statistics, pet scents are among the most frequent causes of a home's prolonged time on the market.
4. Remove Evidence of Pets & Kids
5. Replace Outdated Fixtures
The presentation of your home could be greatly improved with this simple modification. Replace any dated brass hardware you may have, such as chandeliers and door handles. It makes your house appear old and gives potential buyers the idea that there is a lot of work to be done before they can move in.
In home improvement retailers, a contractor pack of doorknobs in brushed nickel costs $5. Spend some money on high-end door handles if you want to attract high-end purchasers. Replace all of the outdated light switch covers as well. How big of a difference it makes will astound you.
Take some time wandering around your house and identifying each fixture that indicates the year the building was constructed. Before you put your house on the market, replace as many old objects as you can. Provide any important revisions in the listing description.
Should I replace my carpet before I put my house on the market? This is among the most typical inquiries that realtors receive from house sellers.
In practically every area of your house, carpets exhibit damage the most. It's probably going to be a problem if your home has carpeting. You might get away with not hiring a professional carpet cleaning business if the carpets are less than a few years old and are not discolored. You'll have to replace them if cleaning doesn't bring them back to life.
Most real estate agents will tell you that a house with soiled, worn-out carpets is difficult to sell. It's less of a problem if the property is in foreclosure or is being sold for less than market value. Yet, you'll need to address this argument if you want to compete for top dollar.
6. Shampoo or Replace Carpets
7. Touch Up or Re-Paint
It's time for some touch-up painting if it's been more than a year since the interior of your home was painted. Use any remaining paint from your last painting session to cover nail holes, scrapes, and handprints.
Your property will seem brand-new again if you simply touch up any existing paint. You can try to remove any existing paint or cut a tiny piece of sheetrock if you don't have any extra touch-up paint (which you can repair later). Please do this in a place where it won't be as obvious, such behind a door or in a closet.
Spend some time outside working on your home's exterior if the paint needs to be restored. Fences, sheds, mailbox posts, fences, home siding, and trim work are all included in this step. To entice a buyer to make a sizable offer, the exterior of your home must appear well-maintained.
Bonus Tip: Paint gives a house a fresh scent. Humans adore anything new. Choose a match for the oil-based paint on your door trim and keep it on hand. Apply a small amount of paint to the door trim where no one would put their hands during a showing before it goes on the market.
The house smells new and fresh thanks to the paint's aroma. Because oil-based paint has a strong smell, use only a small amount in three or four locations throughout the house.
Your garage is crammed to the gills with stuff if you live in your home like the majority of people do. It is typical. The issue is that some of the houses you will be up against are either empty or nearly empty. Because the buyers can picture themselves moving in much more quickly, these properties will present beautifully.
To completely declutter and maintain your competitive edge, it makes sense to hire a storage container. With your home on the market, start filling the storage container with everything you won't need. Place stuff that you won't need often in the back of the room.
The more you store, the better. Should I store this, you might wonder. the response is: "Yes! ”. Start packing as if you only have one month remaining to live in your home once it has sold.
8. Rent a Storage Unit
Because your home will sell much more quickly, the more storage you put in, the less you'll need! Homes that seem to be ready for immediate occupancy are very popular with buyers.
9. Freshen Up Landscaping
According to statistics, landscaping offers the best return on investment when selling your house. We are all aware of the significance of "curb appeal" and how important first impressions are in the real estate industry.
New mulch is the quickest method to revitalize your landscaping. It should be evenly distributed throughout your landscaping areas. This process costs little money and takes very little time.
Plant some vibrant flowers to further enhance your initial impression by making your fresh mulch stand out. Your outdoor spaces will seem brand new again if you trim any overgrown plants and bushes and maintain them. This action is likely to have a major beneficial impact on your buyer's first impression and purchasing decision.
Every property is different and will have particular and distinct issues to deal with. Over the week, knowledgeable buyer's agents tour dozens of properties. At a listing appointment, real estate brokers will tour your home while mentally voicing potential buyers' concerns. While getting your house ready for sale, their expertise is priceless.
Realtors are aware of what buyers want because they inform us daily. There are distinct strategies for each market because they are all unique. A knowledgeable realtor will list all of the objections that you can anticipate your potential buyers raising. There will always be sellers who don't want to hear it, but because this is important information, make sure to use it as soon as the listing process begins.
Some people will attempt to sell their house on their own. They take this action to avoid giving Realtors real estate commissions. These houses receive less foot traffic since they frequently never appear in the neighborhood MLS. Multiple offers are less probable for them.
10. Get Advice From an Experienced Realtor
Final Thoughts
Don't be frightened by the volume of work as you go through the list above. Create a list of the items you believe are crucial for your home sale, and make your plans after that. Take care of one item at a time, and your list will be finished quickly.
When your home is prepared for the market, it will probably receive an offer before your competitors. A lot of sellers may attempt to skip some of the aforementioned procedures. If you spend the time and money necessary to address these problems, your home should stand out from the competition and garner the best possible sales price.
The saying "you get out what you put in" holds true when it comes to selling your house. You'll get good credit for your work.
Schedule a 1-hour consultation with me as you go through the list to ensure that we pick the appropriate paint colors, flooring, etc to get top dollar for your home!
TANYA BARRANS
Windermere - PSR, Managing Broker
TANYA BARRANS
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For nearly 50 years, Windermere has put integrity and professionalism at the heart of our business. This, along with our commitment to building thriving communities, is what has helped Windermere grow into one of the largest and most respected real estate brands in the country, with more than 300 offices and 6,500 agents throughout the Western U.S. and Mexico.
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