Preparing Your Home for the Market
If you're like most people, you've probably trained yourself to overlook details of your home that require some attention (dinged baseboards, marked walls, overgrown landscape, etc.).
But if your buyer is like most people, they will be critical of those same details when deciding on a home.
So right now, it's time to take a hard look at your current home and see it through the eyes of a buyer.
If you see something that makes you pause, correct it.
Maintenance
General maintenance items to consider:
- Pressure wash the home's exterior and hardscape
- Paint! A fresh coat makes a HUGE difference.
- Stain the deck
- Correct any known plumbing or electrical issues
- If the flooring needs replaced, go neutral or modern
- Replace old faucets (don't buy expensive ones)
- Recaulk where needed (counters, tubs, etc)
- Repair broken window seals
- Do the basement walls need to be cleaned or resealed?
- Spruce up the landscaping
Deep Clean
Make it easy... hire a professional cleaner!
- Dust everything (light fixtures, shelves, blinds, electronics, etc)
- Wipe down all baseboards and trim
- Clean grout lines
- Vacuum, mop, and sweep.
- Have the carpets cleaned
- Scrub counters, sinks, faucets, tiles, walls, appliances
- Clean/organize the garage (it doesn't have to be spotless, but it leaves a great impression on buyers)
- Move "yard clutter" to the shed or garage (leftover mulch bags, excess toys, extra pavers, tools, etc)
- Clean the driveway, sidewalk, deck, and patio
- The basement can be used for storage, but make it look organized (you don't want buyers to worry about a lack of storage)
- Hose down patio furniture
- Clean the windows, mirrors, showers, and tubs
Wrap it Up
We know we gave you a long list of chores that you could spend months perfecting, but if the goal is to get your home ready for the market, keep that target date in mind.
If a project or contractor is going to delay your timeline too much, call your agent or search for an alternative.
If you complete your tasks at a steady pace, you'll have buyers falling in love with your home before you know it.
Pro Tip
Want to make a good impression on buyers?
Consider hiring a home inspector to conduct a pre-listing inspection.
It's not as intrusive as a full home inspection, but it can help you identify items that you want to correct ahead of time.
You can even present it to buyers as a way to differentiate yourself from the competition.