By Christie
It is Spring and a young Mom’s heart turns to …. houses! The traditional season to buy and sell residential houses is in early Summer. Most families prefer to house hunt and move in a way that causes little disruption to their children’s school schedules. Plus, it is easier to see a house when it is not covered in snow!
Start prepping your house now for those early summer showings.
The Basics
1. Get rid of your junk! Donate to Goodwill. Have a yard sale. If prospective buyers see that you have stuff everywhere and overflowing closets then they will think you don’t have enough room for your stuff. Their next thought will be that the house isn’t big enough for them either. : )
2. Clean Everything. Don’t forget to dust and clean light fixtures. Check to see if you can switch to a brighter light bulb. Clean all the mirrors and windows. If you can afford to get a cleaning service in, do it!
3. Deodorize ! We get used to how our houses smell. We don’t notice the wet dog smell or the cat box. We are used to the diapers and wipes. Ditto for cooking odors, musty smells and smoke. Many of your potential buyers will notice right away. For many people, these smells indicate that the house isn’t clean or well cared for.
The Exterior
1. Go outside and take a look at your place. Then, get in the car and drive around the neighborhood looking at houses. Go home and look at your house while you are still in the car. Most likely, your prospective buyers will drive by and look at your place. The first impression is either photos online, or looking out the car window. From this perspective, do the shrubs need to be trimmed ? How does the lawn look ?
2. Clean out the gutters and then power wash everything! If possible, start with the roof and work your way down the siding to the driveway and sidewalks. Do this gently! This is a light cleaning. Don’t take the paint off the house!
3. Clean the windows and exterior light fixtures.
4. Do something to draw attention to the front door. Paint the door a bright color or paint some contrasting trim. Add a large bright planter with evergreens or flowers.
The Smart Stuff
1. Pay for your own home inspection. These generally cost $300 – $500. These reports can let you know if there is a problem that will prevent your potential buyers from getting a loan! You do not want to have your deal fall apart. Remember the greatest number of potential buyers are available in early Summer. In most areas, a Realtor will not actively market a home that has a signed offer. However, if the loan does not go thru then you will have lost a month of the selling season!
2. Hire a Realtor who takes good photos! 98% of buyers preview homes on the internet ! You must have good photos! The photos must have good lighting. Some realtors include home staging in their marketing package. Just flip thru your local listings and you will see which realtors are good at this. Remember, you must declutter for your house to look good in photos. The look you are going for is more “House and Garden” then “Animal House” !
3. Kitchens can make or break a deal. People just don’t want to deal with living with a kitchen renovation. Make the most of your kitchen with out breaking the bank.
If the appliances do not match, buy new ones. They don’t have to be brand new. I have a friend with a kitchen full of stainless steel Kitchenaid appliances. She bought every single one of them used off of Craigs List. ! She never spent more the $150 on any one piece.
Wood cabinets can be washed and conditoned or polished. Remember that wood dries out over time. A product that “feeds” unpainted woods can make a difference. White or laminate cabinets can be gently cleaned. Do not “scrub” laminates as the finish can come off!
A fresh coat of paint on the walls and the kitchen will look clean and fresh!
Yes, you can get your house ready to put it on the market! It can be a lot of work but it is worth it to know that you made your property look as good as you could.
What other tips do you have for getting your house ready to sell?
It’s amazing what a difference a thorough cleaning can make!
It definitely is. Just cleaning a house can make it so much more appealing!
Good tips. Last time I was in the market to buy a house I was amazed how many people were trying to sell dirty houses. I mean houses with pornography left out and dirty clothes lying around on the floor. Just 10 minutes worth of work and they could have been a little cleaner so there was at least some chance a person might by their house.
The one suggestion I have is that I feel yard sales are too much work for the amount of money you get back. If you itemize your taxes you can actually make more by giving your old stuff to charity, and it is way less work.
This is so helpful! I’m going to be saving this for when the time comes for me to sell my house.