Selling a house is a complicated process. From getting the paperwork ready to finding buyers, there is a lot of work involved. One also needs to learn about the local real estate market, pricing strategies, ideal home staging, and the legalities involved to ensure that the deal is closed fairly. While there are a lot of things to do to get a house ready to sell, working with a checklist may help simplify the process.
Hire a real estate agent
When it comes to selling one’s home, the first task to take care of is hiring a real estate agent. Thanks to their awareness and experience in the field, an agent can help ensure that the process goes smoothly and that the seller gets a fair market value for their home.
To find a real estate agent, start by asking neighbors and loved ones for recommendations. One can also run a quick search for real estate agents in their area online. Take some time to analyze their experience and reviews as well to ensure they are the right fit for the job. Based on this research, shortlist three to four top-rated agents and set up interviews with each of them. The agent should be someone who is easy to communicate with and has the seller’s best interests at heart to ensure a good working relationship and a smooth sales process.
Make repairs
Selling one’s home is a cumbersome process as it is, but selling a home that needs repair and renovation can be even more difficult. Even if one is not interested in investing too much money in improving the upkeep of the home before the sale, it may be a good idea to invest in smaller repairs around the home that would make it appear more attractive to buyers.
This could be achieved by cleaning the interiors, fixing any loose or broken handles, cleaning or replacing lights and switches, checking the fireplace, carpets, and blinds for broken or torn bits, and ensuring the HVAC system is working properly.
Declutter and depersonalize
To get the house ready for a showing, one needs to spend a considerable amount of time decluttering and depersonalizing the space. While a home with knick-knacks and memories may feel like a personal haven to the homeowner, it can be an imposition on potential buyers. This is also a good time to remove any valuable or sensitive items on display, such as jewelry, password books, financial statements, electronics, etc., as it is not possible to trust everyone who comes to an open house.
For a buyer to be truly enamored by the house and proceed with the sale, it is important to let them imagine what their life would look like in it. This is best done by turning the house into a blank canvas for buyers so they can build their own vision from scratch.
Add curb appeal
The entryway to any house is the first thing that buyers look at. That is why sellers must also take some time to improve their curb and porch and make a lasting first impression.
This doesn’t have to be too expensive either; it could involve repainting the fencing, entryways, and front door, repairing any cracks or holes in the area, and planting some bright and colorful flowers to make the house look more picturesque. Curb appeal can also be enhanced by power washing the windows and exterior fixtures, repaving the front walkway, and installing a new mailbox.
Consider staging
Home staging is the practice of sprucing up a home with new/fresh-looking furniture and appliances to make it appear more attractive to buyers. Not only can it ensure that the sale goes through quickly, but it may also help bring in a better price for the home.
While homeowners can stage their house themselves, this tends to be a rather expensive process, given the materials involved. Instead, it is advisable to hire a professional stager who will assess the current condition and belongings of the house and then make recommendations on how to make it look more appealing. This could involve renting or buying certain items, rearranging furniture, or even reorganizing the bookshelves to make them look more pleasing to the eye. Their suggestions are based on what others are currently looking at in the real estate market and what sells.
Ensure there is no foul smell
An unpleasant smell around the home may be the quickest way of turning potential buyers away. To ensure that there are no odors around the house, invite a third party (such as a friend or family member) and ask them to check for any smells around the house – this could be pet smells, odors from the kitchen, or even mold in the bathroom.
If the smells are too strong, hire a professional cleaning service to perform a deep cleaning of the entire premises. Lighter smells, on the other hand, can be masked by using potpourri, candles, or room deodorizers. One can also place some vanilla extract in an oven-safe dish and bake it at 100℉ for an hour to make the house smell warm and inviting.