How To Homeown

When we are representing a seller, we have three main things in mind: – Sell it quickly – Avoid hassle – Get top dollar Sound appealing?  Here are our top 5 tips for making your listing stand out above the rest and achieving a quick, hassle free sale for the most money possible! 

It’s all in the preparation! Your objective as a seller should always be to get the maximum number of eyes on your product – your house! You want to do your best to prepare your house to appeal to the masses so that when people see your home online, they want to see more. The more eyes that see it online and like what they see, the more feet you get in the door. The more physical showings that you have, the more potential offers you will receive! Preparing your house to be inviting to as many people as possible will achieve this chain reaction.

For every seller we work with, we have a minimum standard of listing preparation that we strongly recommend:

1.Put everything away! The way you live in your home and the way it should look when you are showing it to thousands of potential buyers, both online and in person, are two completely different things. You want to ensure you have as little of your personal effects out as possible! – Put away kitchen countertop items such as toasters, coffee pots, mail, etc. Make sure the kitchen sink is clean and all dishes are put away. – Remove all toiletries from showers and tubs and bathroom countertops, all of this stuff can be stored under the sink for easy access for the time being. – Put everything in it’s place, be it kids toys, pet supplies, craft items, or workout equipment, you want your house to be tidy and organized so that buyers can focus on the house itself. – Lock up any valuables or family heirlooms, you never know who is coming through your house and it is better to be safe than sorry. – Replace any personal photos with generic scenery that matches your aesthetic, your personal privacy is very important and this can also eliminate buyer bias.

2. Freshen up what needs freshening up! This could include anything on a smaller scale from interior/exterior paint, carpeting/flooring, landscaping, or maintenance to larger scale items like appliances, cabinets, lighting fixtures, etc. It is best to get the opinion of your trusted Realtor on where your time, money and effort is best spent regarding your freshening up plan. Need a second opinion? Reach out to us and we are happy to help you make a plan that works for you and your budget! 

3. Once your house is tidy, organized, and updated, it’s time to decide: to stage or not to stage? If you need help answering that, we have a whole article dedicated to the benefits HERE! Either way, removing or arranging your belongings in a welcoming and stylish fashion that provides easy access to each room in your home is imperative. 

4. Get your house professionally deep cleaned – including windows! No matter how often you clean your own house, having it deep cleaned right before listing serves as both a treat for you and an opportunity to get specific attention to areas you may overlook such as: fan blades, ovens, baseboards, door jambs, window sills, stairs, and walls. Do not forget to have the windows washed both inside and outside. *Bonus tip! Power washing your entire house, including the driveway, walkways, and patios can make a world of difference and truly makes your house SHINE! 

5. The last step before you become “photo ready” is add some pizazz! Pizazz will range from house to house, depending on the style and price point, but they key here is adding small pops that make your home memorable to the potential buyers viewing it! Some of our favorite pizazz examples are: black bark in the yard, pots or bowls with colorful flowers on porches and patios, live plants throughout the house, string lights, lanterns, tasteful artwork, fresh towels, subtle personal touches like a teapot, hand stamps in concrete, a bird house, or a noteworthy book. Have fun with this step! 

Now you are one step closer to launching your listing to the market. There are a few things between now and then that your Realtor will take care of such as professional photos, inspections and disclosures, but for now, we leave you with that and wish you the best of luck with your home sale! 

Happy Listing Prep!