Happy New Year! We often begin thinking about selling our homes at the beginning of the year. If so, is your home prepared to sell? The real estate market remains strong by historical standards and if you were considering selling your home — now is a good time!
Here are some tips on how to make your home be market-ready!
- Enlist the help of an honest friend or a Realtor to walk through your home and note every fault that might leave a bad impression from a buyer’s point of view.
- Start structurally; obtain a full home and pest inspection, and fix any problems, large or small.
- Consider steam cleaning your carpets and draperies or replacing them if they are too worn to salvage.
- Decide if you need to repaint the walls and trim. When painting your walls, choose neutral colors that appeal to a wider range of people.
- Kitchens are often considered the make-or-break room in the decision process! If needed, replace dated appliances, hardware, cabinets and countertops.
- Replace worn-out fixtures, and make the home look up to date by replacing faucets, cabinet pulls, hinges, windows and lighting as necessary.
- Buyers are looking for homes that are “light and airy.” Clear your kitchen and bathroom countertops, bookshelves and tabletops, and any other surfaces that might contain knick-knacks or even excessive items you use on a daily basis.
- Consider taking down much of your personal artwork and photos. Not only do you want to appeal to a wide array of people, but keeping your personal tastes visible can have people admiring YOUR things and unable to view the home as their own, with THEIR things.
- Clean your home top to bottom. This is something that can be professionally done or done yourself. Either way, ensure that your home is sparkling before you begin showing it to potential buyers.
Make sure your home’s curb appeal is up to snuff. Keep the sidewalk cleared, mow the lawn, do necessary yard maintenance, paint faded window trims, clean the gutters, plant a garden, and make sure house numbers are visible. You want your home to be welcoming before potential buyers even take their first step inside. After all, first impressions are everything!
These steps will ensure that you sell your home for its maximum value. With today’s lower home mortgage loan interest rates, now is one of the best times to consider all your home buying and selling options. Call me today at 214-769-2947, and we can talk about the next steps toward selling your current house and buying your new home!
Beth Brake: Owner/Team Lead
Performance Driven Excellence