Selling your home is a big deal, especially if it’s your first home. There are a lot of different things that go into preparing a home for sale, and that’s where a good real estate agent can really help you. A good realtor will go over your home carefully and help highlight areas that will need to be repaired before the home can be sold. This will help you make your home more attractive to potential buyers and help ensure that you get your asking price or very close to it. Of course, there are some things you can do to your home before you meet with a realtor so that a lot of the work is already done.
Clean house. This one is pretty obvious, but if you’re still living in the house while it’s being shown to potential buyers, make certain that it’s clean. You want buyers to see your home at its best, so dust, vacuum, and straight up every time a potential buyer is coming over. You may also consider hiring a professional cleaning service like Joy’s Cleaning Services. Some realtors will ask that you leave the home while it’s being shown, so make certain you have some advance notice so you can do any last-minute cleaning before you step out. For added convenience and peace of mind, consider enlisting the services of Evergreen Home Cleaning to ensure your home is always show-ready.
Repaint any areas that need it, both inside and out. In fact, you might even want to give the whole house a quick repaint, although that’s not always necessary. But if the outside of the house doesn’t look very good, you’ll definitely want to put a new coat of paint on it. The same goes for any interior area that has markings on the wall or areas of drywall that have been repaired.
Replace any broken windows, mirrors, or light fixtures. All of these little details will be noticed, so make certain you take care of them before the house is shown.
Have the carpets professionally cleaned. This is especially important in homes with animals and in high-traffic areas like entryways and hallways. Do your best to get all of the stains out. For homes with tile or linoleum, be sure to mop them regularly while the house is being shown.
Remove anything that may be controversial. This may sound odd, but displaying your personal opinions on things like religion, politics, and other controversial issues can make potential buyers subconsciously walk away. If you have something in your home that might make certain people uncomfortable or angry, consider putting it away. Of course, some realtors, such as gay and lesbian real estate agents, may work to bring only like-minded clients to your home, so this can also be a selling point.