Ideally, you might want at least six months to cover all the tasks required. But life’s plans can change quickly, and the DFW market is “red hot” right now, so if you’re short on time and long on to-do’s, here are some things you should do to get your house ready to sell on short notice!
Set a listing price
Work with me and I will run the comps before listing to gauge your home’s current market value and set an appropriate listing price. Pricing your home too high could lead to a price reduction. We will take a look at what the market says about the value of your home as well as look at the competition will face when we list it to make sure we list it to sell with fewer days on the market as well as possibly bring you a nice net profit.
Start the staging process
Pack up lesser-used items, recycle, donate, or dispose of worn-out belongings, and move excess things to an off-site storage unit. Go room by room and eliminate unnecessary furniture taking up valuable space. And avoid the temptation to cram things in a closet — buyers look for homes with ample storage space, and full closets can make it look like your home doesn’t have enough room. Aim to only use about 50% of your available closet space. I have recommendations for you on companies that can help you stage or I can help you with recommendations of my own to get your house ready to sell on short notice.
Paint
Painting your home a few weeks before listing is the perfect time — the walls will still look freshly painted when your home goes on the market, and you’ve already done some of the packing and moving, so you won’t scratch or damage newly painted walls. When painting to sell, it’s best to choose a light neutral tone like white, greige or taupe. This is an extremely recommended way to improve the value of your house and one of the best ways to get your house ready to sell on short notice!
Create curb appeal
The exterior of your home is the first thing buyers see, both online in listing photos and when they see your home in person. Poor curb appeal can even cause a potential buyer to decide it’s not worth coming inside. Improving your landscape, removing old and dead bushes as well as planting new bushes and flowers really improves curb appeal. If you have a gardener, get them out to give you estimates on new plantings and edging the lawn or adding new mulch. Also, painting or staining the front door, changing outdated hardware or light fixtures, and adding accent lighting to the landscape improve the appeal.
Do a deep clean
Have your carpets professionally cleaned. And in addition to your regular weekly cleaning, you should clean windows and screens, patios, walkways, entryways outside of the home, and inside disinfect bathrooms and polish kitchen appliances. Don’t forget — you’ll need to clean regularly the whole time your home is on the market, so this isn’t a one-time task. Don’t pack cleaning products in boxes yet, but make sure you can easily tuck them away after you’ve used them each time.
I am happy to offer you recommendations and vendors to improve your house’s appearance to get your house ready to sell on short notice!
Beth Brake REALTOR®
Positively impacting your life as you move toward your dreams.
214-769-2947