It’s January, and even though everyone is recovering from the holiday season, we’re staring the spring real estate market in Greater Lafayette right in the eye! It’s hard to believe that it’s already upon us. As early as last fall, I was meeting with people who are considering selling their homes this spring.
It’s never too early to start feathering the nest! A little careful planning and some professional help can go a long way toward having your home in top-notch shape when it goes on the market this spring.
Here are some simple tips to get you started:
Declutter Your Home
I hate to state the obvious, but the way you live in your home now is altogether different from how you’ll live in it while it’s actually on the market. A clean, clutter-free home looks bigger than one that is stuffed to the brim, and it’s easier for buyers to imagine themselves living in your home.
If you don’t need something, donate or throw it away before putting your home on the market. It’s the perfect time to do some purging for the new year.
An abundance of collections or displays can make buyers think you’re less motivated to sell than you might actually be. Remove some books from bookcases. Pack up some of the knickknacks on the shelf. Clear everything off your kitchen counters.
Also, remember that potential buyers are going to be opening up all of your cabinets, drawers, and closets to get a feel for the storage space in the home. Now, imagine what a buyer will believe about you if they see that everything is well organized and doesn’t look cluttered. They’ll believe that you take good care of the rest of your house, as well.
Rent a Storage Unit
Even if you get rid of some of your items, you probably will want to rent a storage unit to store some of your belongings before putting your home on market. Almost every home shows better with less furniture. Remove any pieces of furniture that block or hamper paths and walkways in the house and put them in storage. It doesn’t leave a good impression if people are tripping over things in your house.
Now that you’ve removed a lot of the books from your bookcases (right?), consider putting the shelves in storage. You should also store the books you removed from the shelves. Remove extra leaves from your dining room table to allow for more walking space. Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room’s purpose as well as plenty of room to walk around.
Make Minor Repairs
You’d be surprised how much making minor repairs improves your home in the mind of buyers. Remember, you want them to believe that you take good care of your home. When the minor things aren’t a problem, they are more likely to believe that the big things don’t have problems either. Yes, a loose doorknob and a burned-out lightbulb can start people wondering if the roof leaks, too.
A bonus is that these minor items also won’t come up on the inspector’s report. A longer report doesn’t do your home any favors when a buyer is going over the report and considering whether or not to ask for seller concessions to make repairs.
These repairs are inexpensive and easy to make (well, except for maybe painting the walls)!
- Caulk cracks in tile and around tubs and sinks
- Replace cracked floor or backsplash tiles
- Have chimney cleaned
- Replace furnace filter
- Tighten toilets (nuts on the sides)
- Replace burned-out light bulbs
- Tighten doorknobs
- Tighten handrails
- Tighten closet doors
- Fix leaky faucets
- Patch and paint holes in walls
- Fix kitchen drawers that jamb
- Fix doors that don’t closer properly
And a quick plug for painting walls in your home that are more unusual colors. You may be used to your pink, purple, or orange walls but your buyers won’t be. Neutral walls can go a long way toward helping your home show well.
Make the House Sparkle
A clean house gives that well-cared for impression you want. You’ll need to clean your house right before it goes on the market and then keep it up daily (sometimes hourly, unfortunately) for showings.
A clean house really does show that much better.
- Wash windows and glass doors inside and out.
- Clean out cobwebs.
- Wipe down baseboards and walls.
- Polish chrome faucets and fixtures.
- Clean mirrors.
- Clean out all kitchen appliances.
- Vacuum daily.
- Dust furniture, ceiling fan blades, and light fixtures.
- Bleach dingy grout.
- Replace worn rugs.
- Hang up fresh towels.
- Mop hardwood or tile floors.
- Sweep front porch.
- Scrub kitchen sink.
Increase Your Home’s Curb Appeal
If a buyer won’t get out of an agent’s car because of the way the exterior of your home looks, you’ll never get them inside it! Here are some things you can do to increase your home’s curb appeal and make the inside that much more appealing, too.
- Keep sidewalks cleared of vegetation overgrowth.
- Mow the lawn.
- Rake up leaves.
- Paint faded window trim.
- Plant yellow flowers (yellow evokes a buying emotion), like marigolds, or group flowerpots together.
- Trim bushes and trees (especially trees hanging over your roof).
- Make sure your house number is visible.
- Pressure wash the exterior of the home, including drives and walkways.
- Mend holes in fences.
- Weed flowerbeds.
Click here to download my top 10 tips to prep your home for sale this spring! Remember, a little preparation goes a long way toward making sure your home sells quickly and for top dollar. If you’re thinking of selling this spring, I hope you’ll give me a call!
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