Watching too many TV shows about getting your home ready to sell? Not sure where to start? If you can only do three things when selling your home, these should be the three you tackle!
1. CLEANLINESS- Buyers pay for a clean house. Buyers will deduct from the value, in their minds, when your house is not clean, and actually may not even look seriously at your home as a possible candidate for their consideration. The perception of a house that is not clean is that it is also not well-maintained. Clean means more than tidy. Look in every nook and cranny, remove cobwebs, dust baseboards, and clean inside light fixtures. Clean the air — open up the house and air it out, on a daily basis for 10 minutes if you can. If the carpets need cleaning, get it done. If grout needs scrubbing, do it. If you only have time to do one thing when selling your home, CLEAN!
2. SPACE- Everyone wants more space than they had in their last home. If your home is full of stuff, the Buyer’s perception is that this home isn’t big enough for you, so it won’t be big enough for them. They want more space. By removing things you won’t need between now and when you move, storing extra unnecessary pieces of furniture, cleaning out closets and packing away seasonal clothing and bedding, and even emptying kitchen and bathroom cabinets of items that are rarely used, you will show extra space.
3. LIGHT- Nobody wants to buy a dark home. Everyone wants more light! Light is perceived as space. When selling your home, open curtains, open blinds, and move anything that blocks natural light. Clean your windows inside and out. Upgrade every light bulb in your home to the maximum wattage allowed for that fixture. When you have a showing, turn on all the lights – don’t assume the Realtor will. It will cost you a little more in hydro that month, but Buyers pay for light!
Finally, you know that little ‘To Do’ list you have been adding to over the last few years? Don’t leave Buyers with your ‘To Do’ list. They will be mentally making that list as they walk through your house, and they are likely to assign a higher price to the cost of getting it done than what it actually would cost. They will deduct from the price they offer if there is anything they will have to do after they buy. Do it yourself before selling your home, pay yourself with a higher offer, and get it done in less time!