How to Prepare Your Home For Listing
There’s naturally so many emotions when you decide it’s time to list your home. You’ve lived and loved the space, decorated to your taste, but now it’s time to say goodbye. Detaching yourself from the home and re-imagining the space into a market-ready product is a task. The goal when preparing your home for listing is to maximize your profit potential as a seller. In order to do that we need to present the home in a way that will appeal to a wide variety of buyers.
First impressions are everything. Preparing your home for listing can take anywhere from a few days, to weeks or longer depending on the tasks at hand. It’s important to work closely with your REALTOR® to determine what will yield the highest sale price possible for the least amount of output. The goal is to maximize your final sale price and net return.
1.) Clean It Up
We literally want your home to shine. This means doing a DEEP clean like, surgical room clean…if I’m being honest. Scrub the grout lines, polish the appliances, clean the windows and do whatever you can to make your home seem like it is brand new. If you’re not keen on doing the cleaning, it’s best to have your home professionally cleaned a day before the listing photos are taken. Once it’s cleaned you’ll want to maintain it to that standard throughout the open houses, showings and inspection process.
2.) Depersonalize & Declutter
Tackle decluttering room by room. Items that you’d like to keep but don’t necessarily need to be left on display can be packed away and put into storage. You might find items during this time that you will want to recycle, toss out or donate. Find a charity that will take your items or ask your REALTOR® if there are any local groups that do donation pick-ups. Knickknacks, family photos, paintings, abstract decor pieces etc. should all be packed away so that potential buyers can be welcomed into a depersonalized home. Focus on simplifying each room so that buyers can understand the functionality of each space without distractions.
3.) Tend to Outdoor Space
Make sure all your plants are alive, pull the weeds and mow the grass. You don’t have to trim your boxwood hedges into giraffe shapes but if you have the skills don’t hold back! Adding fresh soil here and there can really spruce up the exterior and make it seem like it’s a breeze to take care of your beautiful garden. Wood patios can benefit from a sanding and staining. Bricks or stepping stones that are uneven should be readjusted so they are not a hazard for people walking around your property. If your backyard is literally a cement pad, just make sure it’s the nicest looking cement pad you’ve ever seen. Buyers love outdoor space. You may also choose to stage your backyard or patio. If not, your REALTOR® can help potential buyers envision what the outdoor space could be during the showing process.
4.) Make It Smell Like Roses
Pet hair, kitty litter boxes and “Eau de Rover” must not be part of the sensory experience during showings. Open the windows and air the place out for a few hours. No to incense or other strong smells. Just a pleasant neutral candle burned a few hours before the showing and then put out is a nice touch. Being a former chef, I would also recommend baking something sweet and nostalgic like chocolate chip cookies right before an open house. Everyone loves the smell (and taste). Flowers on the kitchen table or bathroom vanities can help mask any lingering aromas.
5.) Repair or Replace
All those little tasks around the house you kept saying “I’ll do this weekend” will now probably actually need to be done. Patch, sand and paint over any imperfections on painted walls. Replace caulking around bathroom & kitchen fixtures. Check all lightbulbs and be sure to replace any burnt out bulbs. Appliances should all be in “good working order” or else any defects should be disclosed on the property disclosure statement. If you opt not to repair or replace items, it gives buyers leverage to negotiate the cost of these repairs into the contract. We recommend taking care of repairs before listing so there is nothing to negotiate down your price.
6.) Upgrade
Get tactical with upgrades. Ask your REALTOR® for advice on which upgrades (if any) will yield the highest return on investment. We know what is important to buyers in your market. Some sellers will opt for quick and easy upgrades like new appliances, kitchen and bath fixtures, light fixtures or cosmetic upgrades like updating a backsplash. If your home has a complicated layout it may be worth it to go as far as reconfiguring the space so it flows.
7.) Stage
All homes benefit from some form of staging. There are three main ways to stage your home:
Work With What You Have
If you have natural interior design skills and your style is marketable, a simple throw cushion here and blanket there could be all that is needed. We also have a few simple and effective accent items on hand at zero cost to you that can easily elevate a space.
Full Staging or Partial Staging
Staging companies can come into your home and refurnish a specific room or the whole home. This can come at a hefty price and may mean that certain rooms or the whole home needs to be vacant before listing. Homes which have awkward layouts may benefit from furniture that will express how to live in the home comfortably. It is also a good option for vacant units and those having recently undergone renovation.
Digital Staging
This option is basically magic. When the professional photos are taken it is possible for the photographer to edit out existing items and “add in” digitalized furniture. A whole home can be transformed without physically having to do anything to the property. The only downside is when buyers tour the home, it looks nothing like the photos presented online. This can throws buyers off, so it is important to discuss with us which option would be best for your home.
I hope you enjoyed the above tips to prepare your home for listing! Are you considering selling your home within the next year or two? Reach out to me (Nevada Cope) at 604-897-6971 for a no obligation pre-listing consultation and market analysis of your home. My professional recommendations can maximize the value of your home. In addition, I have a list of trusted professionals and tradespeople that can help with any job. Utilize my network of amazing partners from painters, renovators, electricians, plumbers, stagers and more. Let us do the heavy lifting to make selling your home seamless and stress free.
