Dear Olivia,
I need to sell my home and move into something a little larger for my family. What are some simple things I can do to market prep my home?
Some people mistakenly think that getting your home ready to go on the market means remodeling the kitchen or having a new driveway poured. But the reality is that those kind of huge projects may not be necessary.
Much of what we advise our clients to do for market prep is decluttering and cleaning, two things that only cost you time, but can have a huge impact on how potential buyers perceive your home.
Start By Decluttering
Photo by Onur Bahçıvancılar on Unsplash
You might have things piled up on a kitchen counter or the table in the foyer. Maybe you have a “catch-all” area in the mudroom that’s piled high with shoes and coats. Or perhaps you have an entire “catch-all” room that’s full of things to go through, but that’s hidden behind a closed door.
Start with one of these areas – just one – and work your way through the clutter. File away documents you need for future reference, find a permanent home for items that don’t need to be laying out, and throw away, recycle, or donate items that you no longer need.
When decluttering, here’s a few keys to remember:
- Concentrate on one area at a time, otherwise it can become overwhelming.
- Set a timer for 15-20 minutes and see what you can accomplish in that time. If you don’t get done – it’s okay! Come back to the task a little later, again for 15-20 minutes.
- Get help! You’ll accomplish more in the allotted time if the whole family pitches in.
What you should not do is cram the piles of stuff into closets, storage rooms, or the garage. When potential buyers come to look at your home, they will look in these areas. The point of decluttering isn’t to get the clutter out of sight, it’s to eliminate it!
Clean Everything
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Having a clean home is absolutely critical when you put it on the market.
Just like you don’t want potential buyers to be inundated with your piles of stuff, you also don’t want them to be greeted by cobwebs around the front door, dust on the furniture, and dirt on the floors.
Even worse, you don’t want to overwhelm buyers with smells from pets, smoking, and so forth.
When cleaning your home, it can seem like a never-ending task, but a clean home is a home that’s more likely to sell!
Here’s a few tips for getting your home sparkling clean:
- Concentrate on the kitchen and bathrooms first. These rooms should be absolutely spotless from top to bottom and smell fresh and clean.
- Wipe down moldings, baseboards, and trim to clean off dirt and dust. Clean doors, doorknobs, and light switches. Do these tasks at least on a daily basis.
- Dust all horizontal surfaces, vacuum furniture, and clean the floors.
- If you aren’t already, get in the habit of making all the beds each morning and putting dirty clothes in hampers, toys in bins, dishes in the dishwasher, and so forth. You want your home to look its best in case there’s a last-minute showing.
- Wash windows, clean the front door, and clear dirt, cobwebs, and leaves from the front entry.
- Clean up the yard by raking leaves, cutting back dead plants, and adding potted plants or other accessories to the entryway to make it more inviting.
These are just a few steps you can take to get your home market ready. There are many more, but these will get you started!
Good luck, and if you have any other questions about getting your home ready to list, don’t hesitate to reach out!