Seller's Guide

Guide for Preparing to Sell Real Estate

Transfer your viewpoint. Start thinking about your house as someone else’s house. Changing your mindset will get the ball rolling for your move and also help with the business of negotiating, not to mention cleaning. It’s much easier to keep someone else’s house clean than your own.

Have your house professionally organized and cleaned, down to the cabinets and baseboards, or do it yourself. Before you pack (or even before you list your house), get organized. The expense of having professionals come in and help is worth every penny. It lets you focus on getting other things ready for your move and once your house is sparkling clean, it’s easier to keep it that way. Having a clean sink, stove top, oven, microwave, and fridge will make buyers think you are a clean freak. While clean freaks might drive the people living with them crazy, people love buying houses that were owned by them.

Have your windows and screens professionally cleaned or do it yourself.  This lets in pure light which always shows your house better. We guarantee you will wish you’d done it sooner so that you could enjoy your clean windows, but don’t look back! Think about your new windows in your new home. 

Declutter your home. Organizing and decluttering your kitchen, bathrooms, and cupboards will make cleaning, packing, and unpacking easier and quicker. Also, when buyers open drawers or cupboards (and they do usually open at least one in the kitchen), they will see your neat and organized drawers and shelves. And don’t forget your pantry! This will showcase your house with more impact. If your closets and garages are crammed, your house will look like there’s no storage space. In addition, if your cabinets under your sinks are overflowing, buyers will wonder what they can’t see (i.e., leaks or mold). Clean it up and get ready to move! If a garage sale would be helpful to you, call us! We’re happy to organize it for you.

Staging your home. Staged homes always sell faster and for more money than homes that aren’t staged. Consult a professional or a friend with fabulous design skills about how to stage your home. Sometimes it’s as easy as moving furniture around. Something as simple as that can make your square footage seem much larger. Space is good when you’re selling, but well-used space is the best. De-personalize your house. Remove as many personal pictures as possible. While family pictures and kids’ projects add that special touch to your home, they often prevent buyers from being able to see themselves living there. Think “model home”. We know a few people who give free staging consultations, so be sure to ask us if you need a recommendation.

Tidiness – Every hour that you are at home, do a five-minute pick up around your house. Having your house ready to show at any time will make for better showings, as well as reduce the stress of having your house on the market. Be sure to leave your home in show ready condition when you head out the door.