Selling a Home? Be sure to Play Your Part
Want to sell your home fast and for the best possible price? Getting your house ready for market – and keeping it that way – should be your top priority. The good news is, our simple tips won’t break the bank and will help ensure your house sells quickly. Maintaining your property in ready-to-show condition takes some effort, but it’s well worth the results.
Staging and Maintenance before the sale:
The key with staging is to remove distractions. Your goal should be to make the house welcoming and as neutral as possible. Think of a hotel lobby. It’s welcoming, but doesn’t say much about the personality of the owner. Your prized miniatures collection may be amazing, but you want shoppers picturing themselves in your home, not admiring the things that aren’t going to be there when they move in. Now is a great time to pack away family photos and mementos. You’ll have to pack them eventually, anyway, and the home will photograph and show better without them.
Address the clutter. Both inside and out, make sure everything has a place. Clear out any trash, pick up old newspapers, and put away tools, toys or leftover building materials. Pick up after pets.
Keep the lawn mowed and edged. Trim hedges and shrubs and replace or dig up old plants and freshen the mulch in the flower beds. Add color with flowers and potted plants. Power wash the driveway if there are grease or oil spots.
Park vehicles in the garage or on the street; leaving the driveway clear.
Scrape away peeling paint and replace rotted trim, then freshen up with a new coat of paint. Peeling paint on your exterior doesn’t present well and will make people question how well-maintained the home is. Inside, freshen with a neutral paint color or at the very least, dust and wash the walls, removing any smudges or marks.
Shampoo carpets or replace them if they’re too worn, and have drapes dry cleaned.
Have the windows washed and steam clean the grout in kitchen and baths.
Do your best to eliminate pet and smoking odors, but don’t overdo it with air fresheners. Any overpowering scents will be a distraction.
On showing day, make the beds, do the dishes, empty wastebaskets and put away laundry. Set the thermostat to a comfortable temperature and turn on some soft music. Do quick vacuuming and dusting. Set out “show towels” in baths.
When you list with your MetroTex Realtor, make sure to let them install a professional grade lock box and key. An electronic key box can only be accessed by licensed professionals and leaves a time stamp record whenever the property is accessed. Leave the key box on through inspections and final walk-through.
Try to be flexible in the scheduling of showings. Yes, you lead a busy life and your life will be interrupted for showings. A lot. But if you turn down showings, that potential buyer may not try again. They probably also have busy schedules or may be coming from out of town and may not have the opportunity to reschedule. Do your best to allow showings as much as possible so you have the opportunity to get the most feedback and offers in as short of time as possible.
If approached directly by a buyer who is not represented by a real estate professional, please contact your MetroTex Realtor. Do not allow strangers into your property unescorted. Just because your house is on the market doesn’t mean you should let anyone into your home without an appointment.