Prepping Your House for Sale

Not everyone can invest a lot of time or money into prepping a house for sale, but there are some things to consider doing if you want to get top dollar when you sell.

Clean houses sell! It’s a good idea to get a professional, deep clean prior to listing that includes windows, doors, walls, sliding door tracks, light fixtures, base boards, corners, behind and under things, ceiling fans and everything else—including the kitchen sink. Even houses without updates sell more quickly when they are ultra clean.

Consider investing in some items that will pay you back. If you have carpet that is stained or worn, you might want to replace it. Sometimes the old pad can be left in place to save money. If you have newer carpet, hire a company to steam clean. Have your home power washed and possibly add a coat of paint on both the interior and exterior if necessary. Add mulch in the garden beds—and not necessarily the typical orange mulch. There are several colors that may greatly improve your home’s curb appeal and they cost the same. Put some flower pots around the front and other outdoor living areas with fresh annuals and perennials. While some of these projects aren’t necessarily cheap when hiring someone else to do them, they will almost always pay you back more than you spend and will help you sell more quickly

Have a garage sale. Donate items you don’t plan to keep. Take some trips to the dump. Start packing ahead of your move, but don’t stack boxes around everywhere. Get a storage unit and thin out closets, especially things on the floor and overpacked hanging racks. Replace dusty hangers with new, matching velvet hangers. Pack up doo-dads and nick-knacks around the house that collect dust. Even extra accent tables, chairs and items that add a feel of clutter can
be removed and put in storage for a few months. This helps people imagine their things in your house, but it also gives a more open, airy and spacious feel.

If you plan to move out before you sell, consider staging. There are several levels of staging and the more extensive the staging, the more expensive, but the higher the payoff on the right house. Not every house will see the same level of benefit from staging, but it is worth considering. I’ll explain the differences between soft staging and full home staging and potential benefits and pitfalls of staging your particular house.

Once the house is prepped, I will have my talented photographer maximize your home through artistic photography, showing it off in its best light. This will be the basis for my intelligent advertising efforts on your behalf.

Once open houses and showings start, don’t overdo it with air fresheners or candles. Many people have a bad reaction to oils or strong odors, and a headache will not help someone fall in love with your home. Think clean and fresh…

As your agent, I will advise you to price your house correctly depending on what the market is doing, as well as your needs and timelines. Once under contract, appraisals are not exactly an objective science and there are risks and benefits of pricing higher or lower in your home’s price range based on recent, nearby comps and also based on your pool of potential buyers and their spending power and lending needs. For example, FHA and VA offers/appraisals can
be more risky and difficult to close, but depending on your house, its updates and your price compared to comps, considering these types of offers can provide a larger pool of potential buyers. I will look over comps and improvements on your home and determine a best course of action for your situation, and I’ll explain everything so you’re fully informed. Your final decision in these details will be based on good information.

In something as monumental as selling your home, take time to prepare and you will certainly reap a reward for the work and financial investment you put into some smart preparation.