James Long: Preparing your house to go on the market

Local realtor James Long shares his column this week on preparing your house to go on the market.

Dress Your House for Success
When your ready to put your home on the market you want to sell your house for the best price in the least amount of time. In order to do this you will want to take a step back from your home and put on your “buyer glasses”. Doing this can help you prepare your home to sell it more quickly. In fact one way to look at your home is go around your house and snap pictures of your home, and ask yourself if those are pictures that would entice you to want to see a house. In fact get a checklist from your real estate professional of things that may help your home present itself better. A Realtor can also help inform you of what buyers in the market are looking for in a home. This doesn’t have to be an expensive process, just a diligent one.

Start from the outside and work your way in. First impressions are very important, and curb appeal will give a buyer a level of excitement as they walk into your home. Your home doesn’t have to have the most expensive landscape but it should be manicured. The lawn should be mowed, the flower beds should be weeded. Dead plants and shrubs should be removed. The front porch should be swept and clean. By doing this it gives people a comfort level that the house is being maintained. By not doing these simple things people start to question, what may be wrong that they aren’t seeing.

Once you’re inside, CLEAN. People like a clean and clutter-free home, it allows them to see the house for the space it provides. If you find that your home has a lot of items lying around that don’t seem to get used anymore, it might be worth spending some time clearing all old items out of the home. For example, if you don’t plan on taking some of your furniture with you once you sell the house, renting a disposal bin could be ideal to allow you to completely clear your home. Companies like Trash King offer this service, you could always call 778-806-5121 for more details on prices and availability, allowing you to show potential buyers the space as empty as possible. Additionally, make sure your home is odor-free. If you have pets, you will want to ensure you keep your house free of pet hair and use vacuums designed to tackle it too like those listed on this website, or you’ll never be able to do a thorough job. Also, make sure litter and pet food stations are cleaned and use air purifiers or deodorizers. One thing you might consider is using an ozone generator, just be sure you follow the instructions on how to best use one safely. You can read different reviews on ozone generators at https://allgreatappliances.com/ozone-generator-health-benefits/ to get an idea of what each one offers you before you bite the bullet and buy one. It would also be beneficial as you can take it with you to your new home to help improve your health, so you’re not only using it to create cleaner air in the home you’re selling.

Look around your home for necessary repairs inside and out and make them. When it comes to repairs consider hiring a professional, one you will know it is done right, two if not done right it may come out in an inspection, and three it can save you time and money. Most buyers like to find homes they feel are move-in ready. By making these repairs before your home goes on the market helps give buyers that feeling. In addition, it will help inspections go more smoothly. For many potential buyers, being able to purchase a home that has a secure front door and some recently updated windows is desirable. When updating windows, it’s important to try and match the windows to the exterior of the home, this makes them look more natural. For example, some people might find that black windows look better with their home than white windows. That’s an example of one of the many decisions homeowners must make before putting their property on the market. By ensuring your home looks good from the outside and inside, it’s much more likely to sell.

We all like to personalize our home and make it our own, but when you decide to sell your home you’re wanting someone else to make your house their home. The best way to do that is neutralize your home. If you have wild or what you may call “custom” paint colors it might be in your best interest to tone it down to a neutral color. If you have any distracting art, decor or yard ornaments it may be in your best interest to pack those away, again so buyers are able to focus on the house itself.

The best place to do this is where the buyers first come and last leave and that is the front porch and foyer. Give your front door a lift, a fresh coat of paint is a great way to do this. Live plants are always a nice touch, as well as a new throw rug and a new door mat will help freshen up a space.

Again, make sure you have a checklist so that you are sure not to miss anything. In fact you can contact our office and we can supply you a “Before You List” checklist. And remember, you need to think like a buyer and have a critical eye.