How to Prepare Your Home For Sale in 10 Steps

Are you ready to prepare your home for sale? Depending on the condition, I recommend giving yourself 1-3 months to repaint, make repairs and do some landscaping, before putting it on the market. Here are the steps that you should take in order to make your home more marketable to potential buyers:

1.    Make necessary repairs

It goes without saying that your home should be in good shape if you want to sell it for the best possible price. Especially in a buyer’s market.

2.    Repaint colorful walls 

To make your home appear more inviting and attract a wider range of buyers, it’s best to paint your walls a neutral color. Bright or dark colored walls might be off-putting to a potential buyer.

3.    Declutter your home

A clean, open space is more appealing than a cluttered one. Potential buyers want to envision their furniture and personal touches in your home. You can tidy-up by tucking your belongings away in the attic or renting a storage unit.

4.    Organize cupboards and closets

Individuals touring your home will open up cupboards and closets. Make sure to organize them as cluttered cupboards and closets will make it appear as if there isn’t enough storage space inside of your home.

5.    Tidy-up

This one goes hand in hand with decluttering. A clean home will attract more buyers than a messy home. Make sure to do some deep cleaning before having professional pictures taken, and before all scheduled showings.

6.    Maximize curb appeal

Make a good first impression. Potential buyers should be charmed by your home as soon as they pull up for a showing. Maximizing curb appeal may include giving the exterior a fresh coat of paint, painting the front door an inviting color, pressure washing the siding, cleaning gutters, clearing the walkway and doing a little bit of landscaping.

7.    Eliminate odors

Deep cleaning should help to eliminate bad odors. But if it they’re still lingering, spray some neutral-scented air freshener. Nothing is more off-putting to a potential buyer than an unpleasant smell. 

8.    Let in natural light

Open up all of the blinds and curtains and let the light shine through your home. Dimly lit spaces can be improved with a floor or table lamp. Nothing is more inviting than a well-lit room.   

9.    Remove personal items

Potential buyers want to envision their personal belongings in your home. So, it’s best to remove family photos and your children’s artwork while your home is listed for sale.

10.  Keep décor simple & tasteful

Hire an experienced home stager to evaluate and redecorate the interior of your home. They can work wonders by tidying up bookshelves and bringing in furniture and other decorative elements to polish and redefine your space. If you can’t afford to hire a stager, consider removing bold artwork, rugs, and prints from your home.   

If you enjoyed this article, you may also want to read Should You Buy A Home Without A Realtor?