When the weather warms up, the real estate market heats up, too! The months during summertime are the perfect opportunity to put your home on the market. You’ll likely have several interested buyers, especially in the current market. People are interested in buying a house now post-quarantine, and inventory is still considerably low. These factors are encouraging for sellers in today’s real estate market.
While you will probably have buyer interest in your home regardless of the prep you put into it, there are several ways to maximize the value of your property before you list it.
Here are ten ways to get your house ready to sell for the most money possible:
Declutter and Deep Clean
The first step to getting your house ready to sell is to declutter and deep clean. The act of decluttering an entire house may feel daunting, but you can consolidate this task by decluttering one room at a time. In each of your rooms, remove any knick-knacks and “loud” artwork.
When considering which wall decor to keep, think about whether or not it’s pleasing to most people. Is it neutral and calming or vibrant and out-of-touch.
After you remove knick-knacks and over-the-top artwork:
- Begin to dust each room from top to bottom.
- Start with the ceiling fans and the top corners of the room.
- Make your way down to the floors – and don’t forget the baseboards.
In the bathrooms and kitchen, clean any grout stains and soap buildup. And of course, sweep and mop tile or hardwood, and vacuum rugs and carpet.
To make sure your house smells nice (or has no alarming odor), clean out your refrigerator and kitchen trashcan. You can also wash your trashcan with warm soapy water. If you have pets, consider removing hair off of your upholstery and cleaning out the litterbox before showings.
Lastly, cleaning the windows is one significant improvement to make your listing shine. Use a window cleaner on the inside and outside of every window. You will be shocked at the improved visibility and natural sunlight your home receives after a good window cleaning.
Touch Up Paint
Fresh paint is an affordable way to improve the look and feel of your house. Prior to touching up or repainting your walls, fix any holes or cracks with spackling paste. After you spackle, lightly sand the area and then add fresh paint. If you need an idea of which paint to choose, look at reputable paint company websites like Behr or Sherwin Williams.
When touching up paint, don’t overlook doors and windows sills.
Rearrange Furniture
You may have your furniture arranged a specific way for comfort, but furniture placement could positively or negatively affect buyer interest. Consider staging the space in a way that is more appealing to buyers during showings. Additionally, remove any furniture that does not help the room reach its full potential.
You can receive staging advice from your real estate agent, or you can find ideas for staging a room on sites like Pinterest.
Add Fresh Linens
Another way to significantly enhance your listing is by adding fresh linens. Use crisp white sheets, pillowcases, and a duvet cover for your bedrooms. If white is too bright, consider another neutral color. In the bathroom, use plush white towels to create a spa-like ambiance.
In addition to fresh linens, it can help to have at least four plush pillows on each bed and double up your duvets. These two tricks create a cozy and luxurious space both in person and in your real estate images.
Replace Lightbulbs
You want buyers to see that your home is well-maintained. A small way to show that you maintain your home is by replacing any burnt-out lightbulbs.
Consider warmer, softer lighting features to create a peaceful ambiance. For any matching lamps, like those found on nightstands, make sure the lightbulbs are the same.
Change Exterior Paint Color
If you have the time, changing the exterior paint color can significantly improve your home. A fresh coat of exterior paint gives a home a facelift and can hide any imperfections, especially if you select a darker paint color. Consider a trendy exterior paint shade to draw in buyers and enhance your home’s curb appeal.
Your local Home Depot or Lowe’s has pamphlets with trending exterior color examples in the paint section.
Fresh Flowers and Mulch
Depending on when you list your home, this step can be crucial. If you list your home in the spring or the summer, definitely update your landscape with fresh flowers and mulch.
It’s ok if you don’t have a lot of flowers or bushes planted in the soil. You can still create curb appeal with potted plants – this option will save you time, which is valuable when selling a home.
Mow and Edge Grass
Just like flowers and mulch improve curb appeal, so does fresh-cut grass. Before you take listing photos, make sure to mow your lawn and edge the grass where it meets any concrete. And, of course, pull or spray any pesky weeds!
Let Go Emotionally
This one is easy to forget, naturally. When putting your home on the market, you need to let go emotionally. It can be hard not to let your emotions control how you feel about a list price or any offers you receive, but you will be less stressed if you can remember that selling your home is a business transaction.
Hire a Real Estate Agent and a Professional Photographer
Lastly, but most importantly, to successfully sell your home, you need to hire a real estate agent and a professional real estate photographer. A real estate agent is your biggest advocate. They handle all of the logistics, marketing, outreach, and paperwork. A real estate agent’s goal is to get you the best offer for your home.
Similarly, it’s vital to hire a real estate photographer to take listing images of your home. Your real estate agent will likely schedule the shoot for your listing, but it’s good to know what to expect from a real estate photo shoot. Professional real estate images help your listing get 2x more clicks than amateur real estate photos. Professional listing images also help sellers sell their homes faster and for more money.
