Maricopa Amy's 30 Day Seller Guide Summed Up!!

As you all know, I offer a seller's guide to getting ready to sell your house. Some of the things within are common sense things, but some sellers do not even think about others. What I want to do is touch a little bit on all 30 things I recommend to do that are listed in my seller's guide. Some of them I won't go into details on because, as I said, they are so common, but the rest I will explain more in detail.

Some of the things that I feel I do not need to go into detail about are decluttering, cleaning, and starting to pack things away. These are things all Realtors tell their sellers, well maybe not all Realtors but the ones I work closely with do this. I mean, sellers know that buyers want to come into their house and visualize themselves living there, not the seller. Decluttering and cleaning also shows you are ready for the next place in your life and that you are moving on to your next adventure.

Now let's get into some of the things you may not think to do before listing. One thing I urge all sellers to do is get all their paperwork completed before listing. You will want to have your Sellers Property Discloser Sheet completed; this will be needed once you go under contract. Anything you can find about HOA (if required) and the items you are selling with the house. All of these things Realtors typically go over with you during their initial consultation, but these are just helpful hints.

Another thing I highly suggest is to have your Realtor do a pre-price evaluation to ensure you are not underselling or overselling your home. If you have the budget for it, get a pre-listing appraisal to ensure your house will appraise the price you are listing at. I know this is not always in the budget but it is something to think about, not necessarily do for sure.

Get a spare key made! If you don't already have an extra. When you have the key prepared to put straight into the lockbox, other Realtors can start showing your house as soon as it hits the market without you having to be there. It is always more comfortable when the buyers can view your home without you there.

One thing that should go along with cleaning is the lighting. Lighting plays a huge role in how buyers are going to visualize the house they are viewing. Buyers do not want to come in and see a dark and unwelcoming house; they want it to be bright, cheery, and welcoming. I suggest going around your home and making sure all areas are adequately lit with lamps or ceilings, lights, etc. Also, double-check that the light bulbs are pleasing to the majority's eyes. Incandescent light bulbs give off a very warm light that is almost yellow looking; you may think this is the best because it is easiest on the eyes. From a designer aspect (which I am also an Interior Designer), this is one of the worst light bulbs. I suggest light bulbs that resemble daylight. Daylight is the easiest on most people's eyes. It does not distort the colors of the walls or floors like an incandescent will or every led. Lighting may seem like a small and easy thing for the new homeowner to do, but it will help you wonders if you do it prior. It may even help you get more offers than you would have if you didn't fix your lighting.

Do not forget about the front yard. The front yard often gets missed because sellers are more focused on the interior and the backyard because that is honestly where people will be seeing themselves hanging out and entertaining. But, think about the front yard is the first thing potential buyers see. Make sure it is appealing and that you start the buyers off with the best possible first impression of your house.

Do as many small repairs as you can. Put yourself in the buyers' shoes; yes, selling your house is a huge decision but buying a house is a hefty price tag. The more you do to help potential buyers' pockets, the more willing they will be to put in an offer. Everyone likes the idea of a move-in ready house; make yours as move-in ready as possible. Now, I completely understand that many things may be out of the budget or unnecessary to do, so pick the ones that if you were looking to buy your house, you would request to be fixed. Small things like broken light switches, leaky faucets, missing items, and holes in walls or baseboard paint. Nothing huge yet; wait on those until the offer you choose requests it.

Having your tile and grout and carpets cleaned prior is a fantastic idea! I recommend this to all my sellers. I feel when the floors and carpets are cleaned, the house smells fresher and more welcoming. This also helps remove some of your family scents and creates a newer or vacant house feeling. Everything you can do to make buyers' first impression soar is the best thing for your listing.

Think about getting a pre-listing inspection done. When you do a pre-inspection, you will have some ideas of what potential buyers may ask you to repair before closing. This will help you out tremendously because you can tackle some of them prior to listing or have appointments lined up for when the request comes in. The more prepared you can be, the easier the closing process will be. And if you get an inspection done prior, you will not have any surprises that you were not already aware of, which is an amazing feeling for sellers.

Photos and video tours are another smart thing to get done. The more pictures you can have of your house, the better. Nowadays, with the internet being so prominent, everyone searches houses online even if they are not in the market. The more presentable you can show your house online, the more showings you will get because buyers will want to see more of your beautiful house. Videos tours are great right now, with some buyers being nervous due to COVID. Videos give buyers a pre walk through view of the house and entice them to look in person. Again, anything you can do to make your house for sale more intriguing, do it!! This will help you sell quickly and for top dollar.

If you are getting ready to sell your house and you want to take advantage of my FREE sellers' guide, let me know. I am happy to send it to you whether I am your Realtor or not. If you are looking for an agent to help you sell your house quickly, efficiently, and for top dollar, I am your girl. I love being a Realtor and Interior Designer and love helping people with their houses. Homes/houses are my weakness, and being apart of one of your most significant decisions makes me feel so grateful. For more information or to set up a time to discuss your house, call or text me anytime at 480-577-4496, send me an email at amy@siennahomegroup.com or check out my website www.maricopaamy.com.

I look forward to hearing from you and helping you with selling your house! Maricopa Amy, your local real estate gal!

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