Ready to sell your home? Here are some critical selling tips for preparing your home for sale!
Feel Free to Check Out My Guides “The Ultimate Home Seller’s Guide” and “How To Prepare Your House For Sale”
View your home from the buyer’s vantage point.
- Step out to the street and view your home. What are the first things you notice? Is your front exterior neat, clean & in good repair? Has the lawn been mowed, &/or snow removed? Is the landscaping fresh, neat & clean? Consider fresh mulch if needed! (Consider fresh paint on the door, flowers/planters & a new welcome mat!)
- When you step inside – what do you notice first? Buyers will make judgments on their first ‘experience’ of your home, so make it great! Nice lighting, fresh flowers, soft music & pleasant scents (don’t overdo it!) – are all great suggestions to enhance the experience.
- Check (&/or change) all smoke detector batteries to ensure none will be doing the “dead battery beep” during showings.
- Check (&/or replace) light bulbs as needed. If there’s a place for a bulb, it should be filled with a functional light bulb. (*if you don’t have ceiling lights, we suggest that you ensure that there are lamps present in each room to ensure prospective buyers aren’t left in the dark!)
Simplify, simplify, simplify!
- We recommend having surfaces (think countertops, furniture tops, etc.) cleared, except for small groupings. If every surface is full, the ‘stuff’ competes for the prospective buyers’ attention and focus.
- Consider packing up excess (or off-season) clothing, bedding, etc.! Less is absolutely more when it comes to appealing to buyers!
- Consider moving excess furniture into the basement and/or garage areas. Remember, the more spacious your home feels, the more buyers can relax and enjoy their tour! (& not worry that the home doesn’t have enough space to hold your items – or theirs!)
Clean, clean, CLEAN!
- Everyone is busy these days, but a sparkling clean home speaks VOLUMES to would-be buyers. If you can’t manage to clean the home thoroughly, we highly recommend paying a professional cleaning person (or company) to do the task. We also recommend that you pay special attention to the following:
- Ceiling fans – famous for collecting dust and grease!
- Light switch plates – agents &/or prospective buyers will turn lights off and/or on during their visit. If the light plates appear nasty… well… that’s just nasty!
- Floors – sticky and/or dirty floors (whether dirt, pet hair, or spills) are generally a turn-off for buyers.
Prepping for showings – a few of our favorite tips!
- Lights on – everywhere! This makes prospective buyers feel welcomed into your home. (make sure all light fixtures have functional light bulbs, as noted above!)
- Fresh flowers are always a ‘win’!
- Soft music and gentle smells (but not overpowering air fresheners) are conducive to a pleasant showing experience.
- Toilet seats down, please! We all have commodes, we all use commodes, and no one wants to ponder that thought while viewing your home. We suggest always having lids fully closed for showings.
If you’re considering selling, call The Jennifer King Team early! We’d love to take an in-person tour of your home and give you professional input on preparing your home for sale!
Call The Jennifer King Team @ 717-723-9080!
