How to properly prepare your house for selling

Selling a home under any circumstance is a lot of work. You need to find the buyer and ensure your home is ready and prepared for selling. Several factors go into properly preparing your house for a sale, and they are as follows:

• Declutter
• Meticulously clean the house.
• Depersonalize the house.
• Get rid of the trash.
• Repaint where needed.
• Repair where needed.
• Play some relaxing music on the viewing day.

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Declutter

Making a home ready for viewing is the first step in selling it. The worth of your home will also be determined by this phase, making it the most crucial one. This is the ideal time to declutter the home if there is any disarray or if items are scattered across the space where they shouldn't be. Packing will be easier after the house has been sold if you declutter. 

Do your best to reduce your clutter, especially in public areas. Put everything where it belongs, and if you don't have enough room to store everything, ask a family member or friend if you may keep your belongings there until the property is sold or until you can find a new location. If not, consider using storage bins and carefully packing your items. Then you can store those items in the basement, under the bed, or elsewhere.  

Don't stuff everything into the closet; instead, make sure you donate or toss away whatever you no longer need. Or, even better, make some money by selling them online. 

Meticulously clean the house. 

Cleaning the house is one of the most important things to accomplish. After decluttering, wash and put away all of the dishes. Make everyone's beds neatly; tidy up the house; fold the laundry and put it in the closet. Ask for assistance or pay cleaners to come in and do the work for you if you don't have time to do it yourself.

A spotless home will probably draw in more buyers and enhance both your reputation and that of your property. The value increases as you take better care of it. To avoid doing too much last-minute cleaning, keep your home tidy and sanitary at all times. 

Depersonalize the home

Depersonalize the home as you get ready to put it on the market. Remember that you aren't marketing the house to a specific demographic, so if your home is decorated with a lot of colors and has a vintage or bohemian motif, you would need to make it fit to sell to different kinds of people.

Remove any personal items and make the house as open as possible. You don't want a buyer to feel like they’re coming into someone's home and somehow invading your space.

Get rid of the trash.

A clean home will give potential buyers a good impression. Clear out any trash after you’re done decluttering and depersonalizing the house. Remember that preparing a house for sale takes much effort, and you’ll have to ensure there is no trash anywhere in the home.

Tip: Clean the floors, walls, furniture, blinds, curtains, etc.

Repaint where needed.

Buyers will always try to find a problem with the house so they can negotiate and offer less than the house is worth. These minor repaints or repairs could cost you more than they would if you repainted the home. Look out for any chips, scrapes, and stains. Make sure to repaint the house thoroughly, and if you can’t do it yourself, hire professional painters to do it for you.

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Remember that professional painters don't come cheap, especially if you have a bigger home that needs more repainting work. Clean any mold and dust on the walls and prep the home as needed.

Repaint every room in the house that needs it. Remember to depersonalize it while painting, as you potentially won’t be living there in the future. You don't have to repaint every inch of the house; recognize where it is most needed.

Do some repairs

Go through each room and record any repairs that need to be done. Repairs can be a wall socket, an air conditioner, plumbing repairs, changing light bulbs, etc. There are small repairs that most of us tend to brush off or forget, but when selling a home, it is crucial to remember the little things. 

Fix any loose screws on the cupboards and closets. Change any shower curtains that need changing and clean the shower glass.

Other things to keep in mind

Don't forget to get the outside of your house ready. Clean the porch, move any outdoor equipment, and arrange the outdoor furniture. Cut the lawn, water the garden, and clean the BBQ. Trim any necessary trees or flowers. 

Additionally, make sure that any children or pets you have at home aren't there on the viewing days. The best course of action would be to make hotel reservations for a few weeks or, if you have close friends and relatives nearby, move in with them while the property is up for sale so you don't create any additional trouble.

List your home and get it ready for viewing.

It's time to stage and properly prepare your house for selling after you've finished cleaning, painting, and purging. Once you have made minor renovations, listing your home is almost the last step. Clean up the house and prepare it. If you're uncertain about staging it, get assistance or look up staging ideas online, then put them into practice in your house. 

Clean the sinks, turn on the light (if necessary), and put any dirty dishes in the dishwasher. 

Play relaxing music on viewing day

Now that the viewing day has arrived, prospective buyers can see the house. Perform a final inspection before guests arrive, freshen up the air in your house, and play some music.

Attend the viewings whenever possible, and make sure you look and smell good.

Summary

It can be difficult to get a house ready for sale, especially if you live alone. Nevertheless, it isn't impossible; because there are handyman and cleaning services that are available. Keep your house tidy so that you won't have much to do when it comes time to sell. Maintain cleanliness and make necessary repairs. 

Depersonalize and declutter your home, and store extra items in self-storage or with relatives and friends. Repaint and make repairs where you can to make your house more desirable to potential buyers and to leave a positive impression.

If you have pets and children, find a family member who can care for them while the viewing is taking place. Remember that selling your home could take weeks or months, so if you still live there, minimize damage and always keep it clean. The best would be to book a long-stay hotel or stay with family members until you can move into your own home.

Ready for a move?

While you unwind and enjoy moving into your new home, we can handle your relocation. At Capital City Movers, we make sure that our clients are at ease as we relocate their belongings. Rely on us to handle that for you. For a free estimate or more information about our services, call us at (718) 619-4881 or visit our website.