MUST-DO #1
Declutter, de-personalize, and clean the house.
Think of a hotel. It’s so easy to walk in and drop your bags. That’s exactly what you want your house to feel like for new buyers. Start with taking things off the wall like pictures. Anything that is personal to you is a good indicator of things to remove. Wrap those babies in bubble wrap and go room by room. You’ll be amazed how much a difference it will make.
You’re 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 random things. If you can live without it for a few months, 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, it’s time to take care of the minor problems. If you’re 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 light bulb can have set a negative mindset on buyers, prompting them to think “What else is missing here?”
Here are a couple things that may need some attention from you or a handyman:
- Fix any leaky faucets.
- Repair loose cabinets, locks, handles, and doors that don’t close properly.
- Patch any holes in the wall.
- Give your front door a fresh lick of paint.
- Consider painting your walls in neutral colors, especially if they’re currently in a screaming red or purple.
You also want to note any major repairs that are needed. Major home improvement projects like re-doing and entire kitchen/bath or replacing an entire roof aren’t 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. You’ll be working closely with the agent and the more they know about you, the better they can serve you. Make clear expectations with your agent about your goals so that you know exactly what to anticipate as they will do the same with their plan of marketing and selling your house.
If you are wanting a realtor to walk you through the process please reach out to us. There’s a reason why our team was voted Baltimore’s Best!