The moment you even
begin to think of putting your home up for sale is the time to start thinking
like a buyer. Why? Because thinking like
a buyer will help you make your home move-in ready for just the right buyer.
The less they think about what they have
to change, the shorter the distance will be between the viewing, their offer,
and the day you say, “Sold.”
1.
Host a pre-listing party. Invite a few trusted
friends over for an inventory. Make some cocktails and go from room to room in
your home asking what they would either change if they were to buy your house,
or see as a red flag if they were a potential buyer. This can help you create a
solid list of potential improvements to discuss with your Realtor before you
list.
2.
Consult with a great agent. Now that you have
your friends’ opinions, run them by an expert. See which problems you
should address before listing and which fixes won’t be of financial
benefit.
3.
De-clutter. Closets get full. Extra pieces of
furniture get crammed into corners. Bookshelves overflow with odds and ends.
Help the potential buyers see your actual home and not the stuff in your home
by moving out the extras. Try renting a portable storage unit that can be
delivered to your home. This way, you can box up extras, and they’ll be ready
to be delivered to your next dream home. In the meantime, you’ll be making room
for someone else’s dreams.
4.
Clean out the garage. The future owners
of your home want to know that their cars can fit into the garage.
5.
Think neutral. It’s hard for potential buyers
to see themselves in a home that has you written all over it. Since your home is soon to not be your home
anymore, consider taking any brightly or bold-colored walls back to neutral. A
simple beige satin wall paint with a semi-gloss white or off-white pain trim
can do wonders for giving potential buyers the “blank canvas” feeling. You want
future owners to be dreaming of picking out paint — not how to get rid of
not-right-for-them color decisions.
6.
Grout, tile, and natural stone restoration. Have your bathrooms
and kitchen counters lost their luster? You might want to look into having them
refreshed (and it’s much less expensive than having them redone). For not a lot of money, you can kick up the
shine on your tiling and counters and get that long-neglected grout back to
clean.
7.
Make those hardwood floors spiffy. Wash all
surfaces with a simple mild, soapy water first (avoid Murphy’s Oil Soap — it
leaves a residue). Next, use a hardwood floor polish like Bona or a product
like Rejuvenate to bring the beauty back — and all for under $40-$50 for the
average sized home. Be sure to use the cleaners recommended by each product to
prevent buildup and to keep the shine going through your whole listing. There’s
nothing that can kill a deal like your perfect buyer thinking that they have to
refinish a few thousand square feet of hardwood. Help them see hope, not
hardwood-related dollar signs.
.jpg)
