After perusing what I like to consider my very organized database of columns, I realized it’s been some time since I wrote about getting your house ready for sale. Since we are dead in the middle of the busy selling season, it may be time for a tune-up.
According to the National Association of Realtors, more than 40% of buyers look at listings online as their first step. Because of this, you need to have excellent and clear pictures of your home done by a professional photographer experienced in real estate listings.
Before the pictures are taken you need to declutter, depersonalize and clean your home within an inch of its life. Out of the three of these, cleaning is by far the most important and the most obvious to buyers when they walk in the front door. Even if you are a good housekeeper or your regular housekeeper does in your opinion a good job, you should consider hiring a company that specializes in deep cleaning. Dust building up in corners and on baseboards, fans – especially high ones – and bits of mold are frequently overlooked when you’re living in a home day to day.
Next is decluttering and packing away excess furniture and things you don’t need for everyday living, including any items overstuffing your closets. Not only will this make your home appear cleaner and more spacious, it will also give you a head start on packing for your move.
Not everyone views clutter through the same eyes. Kitchen countertops cluttered with toasters, air fryers, two kitchen types of coffeemakers, countertop ovens, panini presses and every other type of small appliance we’ve all been guilty of buying and infrequently using should be put away. All of this also applies to bathrooms – hairdryers, electric razors, 10 different types of shampoo and crème rinse is something buyers don’t need to know about.
We all have collectibles and souvenirs from vacations and gifts from family members displayed around our home. Well now is the time to decide that the plastic hula girl statue your son insisted on bringing back from Maui has to go and pack away everything else that you aren’t attached to.
The part of the decluttering process that is the most painful is the pictures. Family photos are wonderful reminders of weddings, vacations and those big special moments in our lives, however, don’t forget this is your life, not a potential buyer’s. Family photos also can become a distraction for buyers touring your home. Everyone is a little curious by nature and they love to stop and look at your daughter’s wedding and your children’s first day of school down through the years.
All of this declutter advice also is important on the outside of your home. Whatever you can do to perk up the curb appeal with flowers, trimmed lawns, fresh paint and pressure washing will be helpful.
It should go without saying that all appliances and systems be in working order along with any booklets about them and the year they were installed.
After you have done everything above, the final cleaning job is to clean the windows. Again, a professional window cleaner will do wonders at least until it rains again. Plan on having him or her on retainer while your home is on the market, especially if you live on the beach.
I think I’m done, at least for the big stuff. The object is to set a stage that will make the buyers feel they can make your home their home where they aren’t distracted by personal items and want to stay awhile. Hopefully, it will be a busy season and you all have successful transactions; good luck.
