Getting your house ready for to go on the market is more then just a suggestion, it really is a must.
Taking the time to get your home is ready for sale will bring you thousands of dollars more and ensure a quick and painless sale. A well-polished house appeals to far more buyers and will sell quicker and for a substantially higher price. Nothing turns buyers off faster then a dirty or cluttered home, think about when you were looking for a home. Buyers are more comfortable purchasing well maintained homes because they’ll associate it with being well kept and maintained and presume that the things they can’t see have also been well cared for.
Here are three key points that will help you get more money and that you should keep in mind when getting your home ready to be on the market:
How Much Should You Spend
The Exterior Appeal
Preparing the Interior
How Much Do You Need to Spend
We want your home to “stand out” for its potential buyers, but you don’t need to go spending a ton of money to make it happen. There is a huge difference between making small and low-cost “polishes” and “touch-ups” to your house, Small thing like putting new knobs on cabinets and a fresh coat of neutral paint in the living room and de-cluttering rooms. As your GTA realtor, I’m familiar with local buyers’ expectations in this area and can advise you on specific improvements that may need to be made.
The Exterior Appeal
The exterior of your home is just as, if not more important, then the interior. It’s the first thing prospective buyers see when online and when they pull up to the front. If we can’t get them to the front door, nothing you’ve done on the inside matters. So take some time, and get honest opinions of what needs to be improved, changed, or removed.
Trim hedges, weed lawns and flowerbeds, and prune trees regularly
Check doors and windows for peeling paint
Keep your the lawn edged and maintained
Repair or replace any loose or damaged roof shingles
Cleaning and align storm gutters
During spring and summer months add a few annuals, perhaps in pots, near your front door
Check the foundation, steps, walkways, walls and patios for cracks and crumbling
Re-seal an asphalt driveway
Apply a fresh coat of paint to the front door
Preparing the Interior
The work you’ve done has gotten them through the front door, it’s time to let the inside of your home do some work. An unbiased opinion is extremely helpful here as well. I can tell you what should be altered, cleared out, and emphasized. Here are some pointers to remember:
Clean every room in your house thoroughly as well as removing as much clutter as possible. This on its own will make your house appear bigger and brighter. Some homeowners with over-crowded rooms have gone as far as renting a storage unit and moving half their furniture out, creating a sleeker and more spacious look.
Consider hiring a professional cleaning service, while the house is on the market. This may be a good investment for owners who are busy elsewhere. Remove the less frequently used items from kitchen counters, closets, and attics, making these areas much more inviting. Since you’re anticipating a move have a garage sale at this point is a great idea.
If needed, repaint dingy, soiled or strongly colored walls with a neutral shade of paint, such as off-white or beige. Check for cracks, leaks and signs of dampness in the attic and basement. Repair cracks, holes or damage to plaster, wallboard, wallpaper, paint, and tiles. Replace broken or cracked window panes, moldings. Inspect and repair any plumbing, heating, cooling, and alarm systems that need work. Repair dripping faucets and shower heads. Buying showy new towels for the bathroom, to be brought out only when prospective buyers are on the way.
By following these three steps this will ensure that your house will stand out to any potential buyers!
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