There’s more to just putting a For Sale sign when you’re selling your house. In fact, you need to consider a lot of things before you put it on the market. Take some time to plan out your ideas and think it through so you can avoid frequently made home-selling mistakes.
Fortunately, there are ways to prepare the house, space, and yourself before the planned dates. Consider some of these things, and take some pointers when you prepare your home for selling:
Get a Good Real Estate Agent
This is your home, and it’s likely that you’ve spent a lot of time in it, so you want to make sure to find the best people suited to live in it. There is no one-way approach to getting a good real estate agent, so you have to go to the process of interviewing them before you hire one. A good interview question would be to ask them for a marketing strategy of your home, and you can ask them to give some advice depending on your needs.
A good realtor should be able to help smoothen the process of selling the house. They should also have strong credentials and references. You will know they’re good if they have a good number of monthly transactions, strong customer service schools, and a good work ethic.
Prep Your Documents
Before you can sell your property, you need to show proof that you own it in order to prepare the necessary documentation. There is a lot of paperwork, so you need to go through the following, including the deed of sale, utility bills, tax bills, among many others. You should also clear all building violations and take care of town or city permits as well.
Repaint Walls
Over the years of living in your house, there may be some scuff marks, some stains, or you may have accent walls in different colors. Repainting your walls can help give you the look and feel of a blank canvas where potential buyers can easily see what kind of color to repaint it when they buy it.
A neutral color such as white or cream may be a wise choice because it is not distracting and it makes the room more open and attractive especially when it is bathed in sunlight.
Declutter inside and Out
If you’re putting a house on the market, prospective buyers will naturally want to book a visit. Therefore, it is critical that you declutter everything in sight from the front yard, backyard, garage, and the living spaces. You should leave no stone unturned or cupboards unopened because curious buyers will want to check out every inch if they can.
It should be noted that some people want to see if their stuff can fit in your home, so take the excess stuff and go. If you haven’t cleared your belongings yet, consider it a head start when you actually have to move by taking care of the clutter first.
Improve Sewage System
A good, working sewage system is one of the top concerns buyers have when looking for their next home. Consider getting a macerating or grinder pump like the SaniCUBIC 2 because it is an all-around tool for either residential or commercial buildings.
Give prospective buyers some peace of mind about your property when this is mentioned to them because the pump will take care of multiple wastes from toilets, washing machines, dishwashers, tubs, and more. The installation is even easy, and most grinder pumps come with warranties.
Repair and Replace
All the cracks in doors, walls, and ceilings need to be repaired. The burned-out light bulbs, missing fixtures, leaky faucets, and outdated appliances need to go or replaced. You should also do an inspection of every door and window in the house for some squeaking so you can oil it up. Take some time for the bathrooms and kitchens too, and regrout tiles if they are needed.
Clean, Clean, Clean
When everything’s repainted, replaced, and repaired, it’s time to clean. If you want to impress prospective buyers, you should do a deep and thorough clean so that no dust or cobwebs will be in sight when the buyers visit.
Consider vacuuming all carpets, window coverings, and the ceiling. You should also mop floors, wash the windows, and air out closed spaces. You can even put some air fresheners afterward.
Sell First before Buying
Suppose you already have the funds to buy a new home before your old one gets sold, consider selling first before buying. While it is tempting to look at all the available listings of houses the moment you know your old house is ready to be sold, don’t do that just yet, especially if you’re not in a market when homes get sold very fast. This is advantageous if you want to use the money you will get from selling your old home, because you could be paying for two homes instead of one if you move too hastily.
Settle down first, and once the check from the sale comes, you can take your time trying to find the home that works for you. You’ll have the money for the down payment and some renovations or repairs that you may have.
Do you sell first before buying or buy first before selling? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.