SELLERS CHECK LIST
Are you ready to sell your house? Then it is time to roll-up your sleeves and get to work! Selling a home is a whole lot more than placing a “For Sale!” sign on your front lawn or downloading photos to a social media site. Before you put your house on the market, go over this checklist of things you should consider before listing your home.
1. FIND A REAL ESTATE AGENT
If you are thinking of selling your home on your own to save money on commission fees, you may be surprised to find out that those enlisting the help of a realtor tend to make more money on their sale, sell their home faster, and avoid legal issues then those going at it alone. It is okay to also interview several real estate agents before picking the right one for you. You should trust and feel comfortable with your chosen agent.
2. FRESHEN-UP YOUR CURB APPEAL
Buyers often tend to judge a book by its cover. That is why it is important to do exterior updates such as; planting flowers, repainting your front door, pressure washing your home and sidewalks. If you are unsure on how to improve your home’s curb appeal, ask your real estate agent for advice on how others in your area have improved the exterior of their homes before listing. Ask before you begin work, you may find that the improvements you would like to do may not be unhelpful to your sell and costly as well.
3. UNCLUTTER YOUR HOME
When it comes to selling your home, less is definitely more. Your house will look more welcoming to buyers and packing will be easier when it comes time. The more space buyers have to move around, the better.
4. DEPERSONALIZE YOUR HOME
Remove family photos, diplomas, or anything that will tell your buyer who you are. The goal is to create a blank canvas on which buyers can project/see themselves living there with their belongings.
5. REPAINT WALLS
Considering painting your walls a neutral color. Repair dry-wall nicks, scuffs, and holes. Neutral colors prevent your personal style from interrupting the buyers own lifestyle preferences.
6. TOUCH UP SCUFF MARKS
Clean walls and floors where scuff marks have been created. The cleaner the house looks, the newer it feels to the buyer.
7. FIX LOOSE HANDLES
Tighten-up any loose door, cabinet and drawer handles.
8. GET RID OF UNPLEASANT SMELLS
Not sure if you have a “blind” nose. Ask a trusted friend or relative if your home has an unpleasant or musty smell. The Sibold Group uses an Ozone Machine which can help you eliminate some odors prior to listing.
9. CLEAN
Clean! Clean! Clean! As mentioned before, the cleaner the house looks, the newer it feels. If you are not the cleaning type, consider having a professional come in to clean your home once all the repairs have been made. It is important when listing your home that it has always neat and tidy, for your home will be shown and visited multiple times throughout the listing cycle. This could be once a day or several times a day. You always want your home to look its best for potential buyers.
10. HIDE VALUABLES
Never leave your valuables or prescriptions out when listing your home. Also, ensure that those visiting your home do not know of upcoming events you plan to attend, such as; parties, vacations, and theater times. It is important that those visiting your home, do not know when you or your family are gone, leaving your home unattended for long periods of time.
11. CONSIDER
Consider things like:
- A Home Inspection before listing your home. This gives you some insight of what repairs or potential issues that may arise later in a buyers inspection period.
- An appraisal before listing your home to know what your home is worth, prior to listing it. A realtor can do a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA’s) to give you an idea of where to list, but be cautious, most realtors are not appraisers.
- A professional “stager” come in and stage your home.