MUST-DO #1
Declutter, de-personalize, and clean the house.
You want the house to be free of clutter so that when potential buyers walk through the house they can visualize themselves in the space. Think of a hotel. Its so easy to walk in and drop your bags. Thats exactly what you want your house to feel like for new buyers. Start with taking things off the wall like pictures. Wrap those babies in bubble wrap and go room by room. Youll be amazed how much a difference it will make.
Youre going to need to take them down anyways when you move so this is just a jump start to the process!
Declutter any areas that are full of knick knacks and other decorations. If you can live without it for a few months, thats a good indicator that it can be tucked away to get your home ready to sell.
Clean and organized closets, cabinets, and drawers are good signals for buyers who will be checking every storage space available.
MUST-DO #2
Once the house is cleaned, its time to take care of the minor problems. Fixing minor repairs can make the house put its best foot forward. If youre not handy, do not try to do it yourself. This could end up being a bigger problem than you started with. Otherwise, even a missing cabinet hardware or a lightbulb can have set a negative mindset on buyers, prompting them to think What else is missing here? This will cause them to look through the house with a fine tooth comb for anything else that might be missing or wrong with the house.
Here are a couple things that may need some attention from you or a handyman:
- Repair loose cabinets, locks, handles, and doors that dont close properly.
- Patch any holes in the wall.
- Fix any leaky faucets.
- Consider painting your walls in neutral colors, especially if theyre currently in a screaming red or purple.
- Give your front door a fresh lick of paint.
You also want to note any major repairs that are needed. Major home improvement projects such as re-doing an entire roof or remodeling a kitchen or bath arent cheap but they can significantly add value to your home!
MUST-DO #3
Find The Best Realtor
When you hire people who are smarter than you are, it proves you are smarter than they are. - Henry Ford
Do some research on who has a good track record and is highly knowledgeable about your specific market. Choose an agent who could be a friend in this stressful situation but also has a concrete plan on how he or she will sell your home. Make clear expectations with your agent about your goals so that you know exactly what to anticipate as they will do the same.
If you are wanting a realtor to walk you through the process please reach out to us. Theres a reason why our team was voted Baltimores Best!
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