What Are The Most Important Things to Consider When Selling Your Home?

Selling a home is one of the most important financial transactions you’ll ever make. It’s also one of the most stressful. There are so many things to consider when selling your home that it can be hard to know where to start. I’ve gathered some tips and tricks from my experience helping sellers and buyers in near Traverse City. Read on to learn how to prepare your home for sale!

Decluttering

Decluttering your home before putting it on the market is essential to making a good first impression, and will likely save you money in the long run.

Start by getting rid of items that are no longer useful or sentimental to you. Then determine which items you can store elsewhere—perhaps with family members or friends—and reclaim some space in your home. Don’t forget about the basement, attic and garage; they likely contain many forgotten treasures (or junk). It may seem daunting at first, but it’s easier than ever to rent a storage unit for those pieces that need more time away from their homes than their owners do!

As for what should stay behind: furniture should be comfortable enough for potential buyers’ tastes and needs; wall art should complement each room’s color scheme; and there should be ample lighting throughout all rooms of the house (particularly bedrooms). This includes ensuring that electrical outlets have been upgraded where necessary.

Cleaning

The first thing you should do is make sure your home is in tip-top shape. Pay special attention to the kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms for obvious reasons, but also think about other areas of the house that may be less noticeable—like cabinets or closets. Any item that looks worn should be replaced or repaired immediately; this includes things like rugs, curtains and furniture (especially mattresses). If you’re planning on selling your home within the next year or so, schedule a deep cleaning immediately—cleaning services are often pricey but they’ll save you tons of time and money in the long run by making it easier for potential buyers to picture themselves living there.

Odor Control

Your home should smell fresh and clean when you put it on the market. After all, your prospective buyers will want to know that they can move in and enjoy their new space without smelling any undesirable odors. If there are unpleasant smells lingering in your house, here are some tips for eliminating them.

• Clean up any pet urine stains with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar as soon as possible after they’re made so that there isn’t an opportunity for bacteria to grow on them (and thus contribute to more odor).
• Vigorously scrub away any other lingering smells using baking soda or vinegar mixtures
• Use air freshener around the room
• Put out flowers!

Use an air purifier or dehumidifier to reduce the amount of moisture in your home so that mold doesn’t grow on walls, floors, and other surfaces. If there are any lingering smells from food preparation (e.g., onions or garlic), try baking some bread or cookies that use those ingredients as their base—they’ll help neutralize any leftover smells!

Touching Up Paint

• Touch up paint is a good idea. Often, minor touch-ups can be done by the homeowner and do not require hiring a professional painter. However, if you have never tackled this task before or are unsure about your ability to get it right, it may be worth hiring someone else to do the job.  My son is a professional house painter (Peninsula Painting Professionals) and has helped several of my clients get their house “show ready” quicker than expected.
• Use the right tools. The first thing you need is a roller that will spread out the paint evenly onto your wall or ceiling surface. You also need to make sure that any brush you use is thin enough that it can reach into corners and edges without making too much of a mess on the surrounding areas. A damp cloth or vacuum cleaner should be used before painting in order to collect any dust that might otherwise fall onto wet paint once it has dried out after application; for best results, wipe down all surfaces with water beforehand as well (while wearing old clothing). If applicable for windowsills or other hard-to-reach areas like ceilings where no ladder exists nearby, consider using a mixture of vinegar and water instead (this will help prevent mildew build up).

Fix It

Any part of the home that’s in obvious disrepair…

• Fix it.
• Replace it.
• Update it.

Be careful with updating too much.  It’s not necessary to replace carpeting unless it’s severely stained or smells bad.  A buyer’s tastes will differ from yours.  Getting advice from an trusted agent about what to update and what to leave to the new buyer will be a great help.

Conclusion

Before you list your home for sale, make sure it’s ready to go.