Tips for Listing Your Home
What to Do Before You Sell
While the real estate market stayed strong over the winter, spring is typically the hot season for selling your home. Now is the time to start prepping it for sale! We’ve created a list of our top tasks to complete before your property hits the market. If you tackle a different project each weekend, you’ll be ready to go this spring with a show-ready home.
Many regions across North America are experiencing a seller’s market – which means there are few listings, and many buyers looking for a home. You may experience receiving multiple offers, and your property may sell for over your asking price. Your home may not need expensive updates in order to sell, but it’s important for the property to look its best. If you’re also purchasing, you’ll want to get as much equity out of your current home as possible and our list of tasks can help.
If you live in an area with a balanced market or a buyer’s market, these tips are going to be extremely useful for you. A balanced market means there is a relatively equal number of people both selling and buying a house, whereas a buyer’s market means there are numerous listings competing for a small number of buyers. In these situations, it’s vital that your house stands out for all the right reasons!
Curb Appeal
You only have one chance to make a first impression, so make sure it counts! The exterior of your home is the first thing a potential buyer will see when they arrive for their showing, and the last thing they see as they’re leaving. You want to ensure that your yard, driveway, and walkways are in good condition for all visitors. Depending on where you live, winter conditions can linger well into spring, so if applicable make sure that any snow is shoveled, and pathways are well salted. If you have a front lawn, garden beds, or hedges, have them cleaned up and trimmed. Make sure any toys or lawn equipment are picked up and stored away. A fresh coat of paint on the door, and some potted flowers on the porch can do wonders to brighten up your entry way.
Declutter
Adequate storage is one feature that many homebuyers will be looking for. To determine if your home will fit their needs, they’re going to be inspecting the cupboards, drawers, and closest. To avoid embarrassment, or a potential avalanche tumbling out, it is vital that you declutter before listing your home for sale. Make sure you’re also keeping the kitchen and bathroom countertops clear. Small appliances or your daily skincare routine should be tucked away before a showing. If you have children or pets, keep a decorative basket handy to quickly gather toys in case of last-minute showing requests. Decluttering also offers an extra bonus to you, since you don’t have to pack up and move any of the items you purge or donate!
De-Personalize
While you’re in decluttering mode, you should consider de-personalizing your living areas. The buyers will want to envision their family in the home, and neutral décor can help them achieve that. Carefully pack up and store personal items like family photos, wedding mementos, academic diplomas, and the fridge full of artwork. If you’re working from home, ensure that projects or documents are out of sight before a showing.
Small Updates
In today’s market, major renovations aren’t always necessary to sell a home. There are, however, some small updates that can refresh your space without breaking the bank. Replacing the hardware on your kitchen or bathroom cupboards can make a big impact with minimal effort. A slightly more ambitious option is also to replace the door handles throughout your home. Swapping out rounded knobs for a flat or lever handle not only looks more modern, but it also improves the accessibility of your home. Cleaning up or refinishing caulking and grout can also really brighten up bathrooms and flooring. An updated kitchen is on many buyers’ wish lists, but if a full reno isn’t in the budget you still have options. Painting or refinishing the cupboards, new hardware, and a modern faucet can freshen up the space and allow the buyers to see the potential for any further updates they may like to do.
Light Fixtures
New light fixtures are the easiest way to brighten up your home. Updating the light fixtures is a surprisingly simple and inexpensive change you can make, especially if your home is full of dated or builder-grade fixtures. Along with updating the light fixtures, swapping out light switches for rocker style switches is much more modern and again adds accessibility features. While you’re at it, swap out old bulbs in your light fixtures for LEDs - buyers love energy efficiency!
Fresh Paint
It’s no secret that a fresh coat of paint is going to make the absolute biggest impact for the lowest cost. From your front door to the kitchen cupboards to the walls, the colors you choose will make a difference. When it comes to your walls, neutral is best. This gives every buyer viewing your home the opportunity to visualize their furniture and décor in the space. Thoughtful tip: leave the cans and paint chips when you move. If the buyer needs to do any touchups, they’ll appreciate the color matching.
If you’ve completed all the items on this list, congrats! Your home is looking its absolute best and will be the envy of the neighborhood. The work doesn’t stop here – make sure you’re keeping up with the cleaning and decluttering so that it stays show-ready! If your appliances could use some love before you list, be sure to check out our other articles and videos for all the best tips, and our site for all your OEM replacement part needs.