Congratulations on your decision to sell your home!
Whether you’re upgrading, downsizing, or making other moves – this is an exciting time. But now, it’s time to prepare your home for an open house and private showings.
How you prepare your home could lead to bidding wars or minimal traction. That’s why we’re going to cover what you need to do to prepare to show your house for the best results.
It’s all about allowing the people viewing your home to imagine themselves in the space. This means removing as much of your unique personality as possible. Because what may have worked wonderfully for you and brought you happiness may send potential buyers away.
6 Things You Need To Do To Prepare To Show Your House
Put yourself in the buyers’ shoes. Start from what will be their first impression to the most minute details. You never know what someone will notice, so don’t take the chance of leaving any ceiling fan undusted or weed unpulled.
Ready to learn more about selling your home for top dollar? Contact The Tomczak Team, SOLID Real Estate Services today
1. Tidy The Landscaping For The Best First Impression
When life gets busy, it can be a little too easy to let the landscaping duties slide. But when you’re preparing to sell your home, it’s time to turn over a new leaf in the yard department.
This is incredibly important because your landscaping will directly affect your curb appeal. It’s the first thing potential buyers will see when they arrive. And it’s the last thing they’ll see after they’ve completed a tour of your home. Plus, you definitely want to highlight your yard and any special outdoor features.
Whether you handle the landscaping yourself or outsource it to a professional, now is the time to prioritize your lawn and garden care by…
- Adding new grass seeds or replacing sod
- Pulling the weeds or treating them with a weed killer
- Planting new shrubs and flowers
- Fixing any faulty automatic sprinklers
Need help finding a professional landscaping company to help get your home ready to sell? Reach out to The Tomczak Team for our most trusted referrals in the area.
2. Deep Clean Inside & Out For Your Buyer’s Fresh Start
You know those little nooks and crannies you’ve grown used to over the years?
Unfortunately, what you don’t even see anymore may be the first thing a potential buyer notices. This means it’s time for a deep clean of the entire interior and exterior of your home.
Have algae, dirt, or other debris accumulated on the outside of your home? Either rent a pressure washer or hire a professional to remove the grime. Like your landscape, your home’s facade is the first and last thing potential buyers will see when they visit your home.
As for the inside, it’s time to clean the counters, baseboards, crown molding, floors, walls, and even ceilings. Because it’s so easy to overlook little spots of grime that you’ve been living with, it can be helpful to hire a professional cleaning service for a top-to-bottom deep clean.
3. Organize & Clear Away Clutter To Allow Buyers To Imagine Their Belongings In The Space
This is oftentimes one of the most difficult, yet impactful, tasks for sellers to complete. But when you’re selling a house, you need to simplify and minimize.
You should expect open house and private tour visitors to open every door, cabinet, and drawer in your home. Yes, even that bottom bathroom drawer with the long-expired cold medicine. With that said, it is inadvisable to cram your belongings into the closets as you need top-to-bottom organization and visibility.
Whether you see this as an opportunity to clear clutter out of your life for good or invest in a storage unit – get the stuff out. Your home should feel like a blank slate that buyers can envision themselves living in. If your stuff is blocking the view, you are doing yourself a disservice.
Don’t know where to start? The Tomczak Team can refer you to a professional home staging company. They will advise on what furniture to keep in your home and what to haul out. You may need to adopt a minimalist lifestyle until your home sells. But it will be worth doing the heavy lifting prior to closing day. Plus, your home will be more likely to sell much faster than if you ignore this very important piece of advice.
4. Perform Or Schedule All Minor & Major Repairs In & Around Your Home
Is your AC acting funny or emitting a foul smell? Roof shingles loose? Gutter overflowing with leaves and debris?
From patching holes in drywall to repairing the roof, it’s a good idea to either put on your DIY maintenance hat or call in the professionals. While it’s true that you can sell your house “as is”, this may result in you missing out on a higher selling price.
A good buyer’s representative will look for any and all reasons to help their own clients save money. While it may not affect the official selling price, the seller may be asked to compensate the buyer at the closing table through other channels.
The market is hot and a bidding war will lead to your home getting top dollar. So do what you can to get your home into tip-top shape to let the offers roll in.
5. Introduce Homey Smells & Remove Bad Odors
Imagine walking into a home that smells like fresh-baked cookies. The aroma circulates through the air bringing a comforting and nostalgic feeling.
Wouldn’t you feel right at home?
Now, imagine walking into a space with a faint mildew smell that has you wondering if there are stinky sneakers around the corner or mold growing through the air ducts. While this may bring back memories of a high school locker room, it’s not exactly the feeling that makes you want to call a place home.
That’s why you should ensure your home smells clean and fresh. Go ahead and bake a batch of cookies an hour or so before the open house or private tour. Just be sure to leave yourself enough time to thoroughly clean!
Another trick of the trade is to pour a small amount of vanilla extract into a small baking dish. Place it in the oven or toaster oven for 20-30 minutes. This will mimic the smell of fresh-baked cookies or cake.
6. Remove Your Pets, Family, & Yourself From The Property To Avoid Awkward Encounters
Have you attended an open house or toured a home and the owners or residents were there?
To say the least – it’s awkward.
But it can be much worse than a humbling experience. Your presence in your home could turn potential buyers away. They’ll struggle to envision themselves living in the house if you’re there.
When open houses and private tours are scheduled, it’s best to make yourself scarce. Take the opportunity to run errands, hit the gym, or do anything else your heart desires – outside the home.
If this makes you nervous, feel free to install surveillance cameras to keep an eye on your things. However, it is also recommended that you hide or remove all valuables, prescription medications, and anything else you hold near and dear.
As you prepare to leave, turn off your automatic sprinkler system if you have one. The last thing you want is to hose potential buyers down as they arrive or leave. While they won’t likely forget the soggy experience, it’s not the one that will sell your home.
Sell Your Home For Top Dollar With The Tomczak Team
Whether you’re thinking of selling your first home or seventh, it’s an emotional experience. You’re imagining a future in a new space but possibly growing more sentimental of the place you’ve called home for years. This is completely normal and we understand!
This is why The Tomczak Team, SOLID Real Estate Services works closely with our sellers to help them reach their goals. Through our selling process, we’ll advise you on how best to prepare your home so that you can sell it for top dollar. Whether you’re reinvesting the equity in a new home or another type of venture, we work hard so that you can move forward confidently through a smooth selling process.