So you’re ready to sell your house––congratulations! While the idea of “out with the old and in with the new” can be exciting, going through the selling and buying process is daunting. You may be asking yourself, “Where do I start to get my home ready to go on the market?”
Preparing your home to list, show, and sell takes a lot of work. If you are planning to sell six or more months from now, you’ll have ample time to do market research, plan the perfect listing date, and shop for the ideal agent. But if you are on a quicker timeline, you may be looking for the basics of what to do to get your house ready to go on the market, and there are common tasks every person needs to check off before their house is ready.
Keep reading to learn a few tips for getting your home ready to list on the market.
1. Repair and Update
Let’s assume you already have your agent and are ready to get down to business. It’s time to start addressing the broken light switches and leaky toilet you’ve been putting off for months. Starting the repair process early allows for plenty of time to get everything completed and also signals if you need to hire someone to take on the bigger projects.
No matter how clean your house is, a buyer doesn’t want to take on a new home that already needs tons of repairs. Besides, your home inspection will definitely pick up on repair items, so why not get ahead of the game?
2. Be Open to Painting
Paint choices can be very personal and with decor trends changing so frequently, you may find your home with an outdated look. An easy way to prep your home for a sale is to consider a quick interior paint job to liven up your space and make everything look fresh!
Bold accent walls in dark colors can sometimes tarnish your look, not be the showstopper you want for a listing. Painting doesn’t have to be daunting––a nice neutral color might be all that it takes. In fact, a neutral color is your best bet so that it appeals to a broader audience!
3. Declutter and Purge
You’ve been meaning to clean out those junk drawers and the cluttered garage for some time and now is your chance. They should be the cleanest they’ve ever been -- it’s their moment to shine!
First, start tackling anything that you know for a fact won’t make the move to your new home by tossing those things into the trash, selling them, or giving those items away. Then, start working on preemptively packing personal items such as photos and knick knacks that won’t be on display for your listing photos and showings. Personal items are always the first to go when staging a home, so make it easy by packing those things away early on.
Decluttering not only helps neutralize your space so that potential buyers can picture themselves in your home, but it also works to make your home appear bigger and more spacious -- two things buyers look for and love!
4. Hire a Home Staging Company
Once your space is clean, it’s time to check out your local home staging company. For those in the Indianapolis or surrounding areas, you’ll want to head to our Home Staging page here. While you undoubtedly worked hard to get your space spic and span, a professional home stager like Redefined Interiors and Staging will take your home interior to the next level and elevate your selling price-point as well.
Professional stagers will help reorganize your space, bring in tasteful decor, and, most importantly, give you a bigger return on your investment.
How?
Statistics show that staged homes photograph much better, which means more interest once your listing becomes active. The more interest you have, the more showings and offers you will receive––and hopefully a bidding war that can increase your sales price. Learn more about the benefits of staging here.
5. Keep Your Home Clean
Perhaps the most difficult part of selling your home is keeping it clean––so clean that it looks like no one lives there.
You never know when a potential buyer may want to view your home and rather than rushing to tidy up last night’s dinner dishes so your kitchen looks presentable, maintaining an overall clean house avoids the issue.
Try and spot clean bathrooms after using them, sweep often, and wipe down mirrors and countertops daily. The first impression is usually what sticks with a potential buyer, so let it be one of a clean space.
This is also why staging a home is beneficial. It clears out the space so there is less to clean each day!
Preparing a home to sell takes effort, but is well worth it. We can make it easy for you! To learn more about our staging services, click here. To schedule a consultation, call us at 317-627-1929 or click here to fill out the contact form and we will call you.