What To Do

How to Prepare Your Home For the Market

There are two types of buyers, the investor who doesn’t need a home to be in perfect condition and makes a deeply discounted offer to buy, and the buyer who wants a “move in” condition home and is willing to make an offer in the higher market range. You have a choice by the condition and pricing of your home which buyer we will target.

Clean

We all have a tendency to notice dirt in homes we are viewing to purchase, but not dirt in our own homes.

So CLEAN everything you see!

  • Windows, Floors, Baseboards, Soffits, Door tops
  • Clean and Polish Cabinets inside and out
  • Have Carpets and Upholstery cleaned
  • Touch up or repaint
 

These cost effective investments can enhance the appearance of your home allowing us to help you realize it’s greatest value.

  • Remove or replace outdated carpet – sometimes just replacing the pad in high traffic area will make the carpet seem new
  • Remove outdated flooring, wall coverings,
  • Replace outdated lighting (discount stores offer newer looking fixtures for $100 or under) and plumbing fixtures in kitchen and bathrooms
  • If outdated, consider painting bathrooms and  kitchen cabinets and replacing the hardware.

Edit and Neutralize

  • You want your home to look like a model home. When I worked with developers, we staged homes  their model homes based on the market we were targeting. If you have a two bedroom townhome in an upscale area you’ll want young couples, singles and single parents to be attracted to your home. You don’t have to go to the lengths that we did when we modeled a home,  just strive for a ‘neutral look’ so that anyone viewing your home can picture themselves living there.
  • REMOVE CLUTTER
  • Trim down collections and family photos
  • Pack supplies that you may need while the home is being listed
  • Attractive baskets and boxes are inexpensive and provide nice texture to a neutral decor
  • Clear off surfaces – put away your blender, toaster, oil and vinegar, salt and pepper containers
  • Have a focal point in each room , such as a fresh flower arrangement  on the island for the kitche
  • Add a basket with clean color-coordinated (or plain white) towels on the vanity counter with an attractive pump soap container to avoid slippery squishy looking soap
  • Pack away children’s toys “in the closet”
  • Start your clean out process by going through each drawer and closet and giving away or throwing away anything you do not want to pack, move and have in your new home
  • If you have an abundance of stuff left, start packing the things you can’t bear to part with, put them in similar sized moving boxes and stack them in the garage against a wall This is an acceptable situation to a buyer. They know you are moving

If you would like help deciding how to Edit and Neutralize your home, call us for a free consultation.