When you think of all the things that go into getting your house ready to go on the market, you may want to throw your hands up and run away. Do not despair, there is hope. You will free up a lot of your time when you ask for help from your real estate professional. The support may come in the form of a quick walk-through of your home and property so you can note where to put your time and effort. From the front to the back and even into the dreaded bathroom cupboards you will need to scrub and organize all the places a buyer will want to look.
Neat and tidy curb appeal
Often, the initial impression people get of your home is the online picture. Because of this, you will want your entryway and front yard looking clean and inviting. You will often hear the advice to depersonalize your yard and home. Doing so allows the potential buyer to see themselves living in that space. It may seem sterile and generic to you, but it really will help you get your house sold. Keep the front porch area simple with a small seating area or colorful flowering planters to greet potential buyers. Keep away from lawn ornaments or too many flower pots and planters this will look cluttered and make the area seem small and cramped.
Every closet, every drawer
If you are still living in the house while it is on the market keeping it clean will be a struggle. So, to combat this, a good old fashion de-cluttering is in order. Storing away items not in season or rarely used is in order. Take advantage of some of your garage space and get a jump on packing those boxes to move. Remember this is just temporary, and a clean-looking space welcomes the buyer and communicates you cared for the property well. Remember when people are looking, they may open cupboards and drawers so organized them and repair anything that needs attention. A sticky drawer or loose cupboard door is a turnoff to buyers.
The quick start list
A few quick and easy ideas to start you in the right directions are:
- Shampoo all the carpet areas
- Wash all the windows inside and out, plus screens
- Pressure wash the siding, brick, decks, walkways, driveways, and garage doors
- Keep the lawn and edging trimmed and weeds pulled
- Wipe down all the interior walls and cabinets
- Dust everywhere
Take any suggestions your real estate professional gives you seriously. It may even be worth paying someone to come in and do a few larger projects to get your place in top condition. Call your local realtor for a market analysis of your home today.
About the Author
Scotty Ledford, P.A.
Scotty has been a licensed Florida REALTOR since 2005. He has sold over 300 homes and specializes in Sarasota & Manatee counties consistently outproducing his competition with production in the top 2% of REALTOR's in Sarasota/Manatee. Scotty's focus is to be completely honest, provide valuable knowledge and be resourceful to his buyers and sellers.
