The Best Kept Secrets For Selling Your Home

Getting ready to sell your house is a big step, and it can feel intimidating if you’ve never done it before. Here are a few things to keep in mind when preparing your house for the market.

The Walk Through

The first thing that you will need to do is a walk through. This is where you walk through the whole house looking at it through the eyes of the buyers. You will want to bring a notepad and pen with you to make notes about every room. Write down your first impression of each room as if you were seeing it for the first time yourself. Does it feel open and inviting or dark and cramped? Write down everything you see that needs to be changed, moved or gotten rid of altogether. Once the walk through is finished the real work begins.

Get Rid of the Clutter

The whole point of hosting an open house or house viewing is to get prospective buyers to see the full potential of your house. In order to do this the clutter needs to be removed so that the house takes center stage. This is not removing surface clutter like you are preparing for house guests, this is stripping every room down until only a handful of the furniture remains. Packing up all knick knacks, removing books from bookshelves, and even clearing kitchen counters until they are bare. Even daily essentials will need to be stowed away during viewings.

Hide Family Pictures

This effects buyers more than most people realize but buyers need to be able to see their personal belongings and pictures in that space instead of your family heirlooms and portraits. Bare walls are ideal, however, if you are conscious about leaving them totally empty a nice mirror is a great way to fill up space while making the room look larger. Remember, the goal is to remove personality from the space so the buyer can imagine theirs.

Clean, Clean, and Then Clean Some More

This should be more involved than an annual spring cleaning, focusing on things that usually get over looked such as the bottom vents of the refrigerator, fan blades and the tops of your valances. Windows should be washed and appliances and faucets should be cleaned and polished to a shine. Don’t forget to check the inside of cabinets and closets as buyers will open every door, drawer and cabinet in the house. If you are not able to do this or don’t have the time needed to do it right then it would be well worth the cost to consider hiring someone to come in and do it for you.

Last Minute Touch-Ups

Now is the time to address any last minute items that need attention such as any leaky faucets or pipes needing to be fixed, or loose door knobs that need to be tightened. Don’t forget to change any burned out light bulbs. Little things left undone can greatly effect how buyers view your home.

Repaint Statement & Accent Walls

Walls that are painted bright or bold colors are far too individualized to appeal to the masses and often results in potential buyers being turned off because it wasn’t in their taste. Repainting them in neutral colors is the most effective way to make your house appealing to everyone. Just be careful to avoid painting any walls white as most buyers find this color to bland.

Lastly: Curb Appeal

This is one of the most forgotten–yet most important–steps when showing your home. A buyer will decide if they are interested enough to come in to view the house based on the impression they get from looking at your yard and entryway. What impression is yours giving? Does your curb come across as warm and inviting or are the weeds and over grown bushes scaring away potential buyers? By trimming the bushes, getting the weeds out of the flower beds and adding some greenery around your front door you create a welcoming environment that will generate interest and invite buyers inside.


If you like this article check out: 4 Reason a House Doesn’t Sell