What Every Seller Needs to do Before Listing Their House!!

Selling your house is a huge decision and can be a very emotional time. I may be able to help you calm those nerves and figure out at the same time if now is the right time for you. As of right now it is a great time to sell (September 2020) houses are going for top price, the are only staying on the market for a few days to a couple weeks and the inventory is very low for what is available. Now when you are reading this and or watching the video above the times will most likely be different, as the Real Estate market is always changing.

You may be wondering how I can help make selling your house easier and less stressful for you. To start off I have an awesome 30 day seller guide that I offer to any one who wants it for FREE. It is a guide of 30 different things you should do to get your house prepped to put on the market. The way it is laid out is one task per day. Obviously if you are excited and ready to get your house on the market you can do more in a day and get it done quicker or you can take the 30 days. There are also a lot of tips in there that sellers don't always think about when getting ready to sell. Nothing in the guide is required it is all 100% suggestions to help you during the closing part of the transaction.

In this guide there is things like get an extra key made, clean the house room by room, getting your paperwork squared away and so much more. Today I am going to go over the five things that I think are super key to prepping your house to sell. The five topics are; get minor repairs done, decluttering, freshen up the yards, carpets and tile cleaning, and selecting a Realtor.

Getting Minor Repairs Done

This is one of the most important things to do first because it will save you a lot of stress when the inspection period comes up. Getting small things like windows repaired, cracks fixed, holes fixed, light switches fixed, anything plumbing fix, electrical fixed, etc goes a long way during the inspection period. I would even suggest painting and changing burnt out light bulbs or even upgrading old out of date light fixtures. All these things may seem minimal but they go a long way in getting your house ready. Now I am not suggesting remodeling your whole house! Even doing one or two of these things prior will help you immensely.

The benefits of doing this now include; less stress to get it done later before closing, buyers will realize how much you loved and took care of the house and you can be confident you will get top dollar for your house. During inspections buyers may ask for as much as they possibly can to help minimize their cost down the road. Think about it they are making a huge purchase and want as little to worry about as possible when moving in. Get this done sooner then later and keep your receipts.

Decluttering the Entire House

When I say declutter the house I mean declutter the house. You should really start semi packing at this point. I suggest starting with the most visible things. Remove family photos from the walls or shelves, remove trophies and family memorabilia. You want buyers who are viewing your house to see themselves in the house not your family, it makes them feel more welcome. You should also declutter countertops, cabinets, closets, pantries and shelving units. Less is better when it comes to showing a house to buyers. You want buyers to see their personal belongings in the house not yours. Cleaning out cabinets and pantries makes them appear bigger. If you have a closet stacked full with blankets and other stuff it gives the impression that you do not have enough storage space and you have to cram everything into one spot. Get rid of these things or pack them away! The more you can get pre-pack, tossed or donated prior to putting your house up for sale the better.

The benefits of doing this very time consuming task are you get it done now instead of putting it off until the last minute and you give the impression your home has more storage and wider counter space, etc. Clutter makes rooms, places and things feel small and uncomfortable. Clean and clutter free makes places feel bigger. So again get this done sooner rather then later it helps tremendously.

Freshen up the Yards

Cleaning up the front and back yards are very important for multiple reasons on both. The front yard is the first impression buyers will get of your house. Make sure it is what you want them to think. Pull all weeds, trim your trees and bushes, rack the rocks or cut the grass, pressure wash the house, clean the driveway. Anything you can think to do to brighten up your curb appeal the better impression you will make. The backyard is just as important!! This is where buyers are going to visualize themselves having BBQ's, parties, celebrating birthdays and holidays and having get togethers. You want to make sure the backyard is inviting and beautiful. Again, pull the weeds, trim the bushes and trees, plant some flowers to add color, clean the pull and make it sparkle, power wash the pavers. Get the backyard ready the way you would to host an event with family and friends because that is how the buyer is going to be looking at the backyard.

The benefits of this include; a beautiful representation of your house front and back, buyers view this as one less thing to do, and buyers can truly see themselves and their families and friends in the space having a great time. The more you can help a buyer see themselves at your house the more likely they are to put an offer in. Yes the house is the most attractive part to buyers but all these little things help so much.

Carpet and Tile Cleaning

This is one that not everyone is going to tell you is important but I feel it is one of the most important things. Having dingy carpet or tile with grout that looks like it has never been cleaned is a total turn off for me. This may because my fiance owns a tile and grout cleaning company but I also feel clean carpets and tile shows pride in your house. When you get your carpets and tile cleaned the house smells clean and fresh, this is very welcoming to buyers. Everyone has different scents and sensitivities to smells, the last thing you want is buyers to think man this house smells odd. Cleaning the carpets and tile helps lift and remove those smells and leaves the house fresh and new smelling. Also, when the grout looks dirty and discolored people think I will have to replace the tile (same goes with the carpet). This is a huge misunderstanding all they need is some tender love and care. It all comes back to giving the best possible first impression and getting your tile, grout and carpets cleaned will go miles, I promise.

The benefits of carpet and tile cleaning is simple. You are showing the buyers looking at your house how much you cared about it and took care of it. Replacing tile and carpet can get expensive so why not make it something they can do later on in life and not something they feel they need to do prior to moving. This will also help your house sell quicker because buyers will see your house as move in ready not a “fixer”.

Selecting the Right Realtor

This probably should have been first on the list but that is OK. Selecting the right Realtor for you isn't always who is going to give me the best deal. Your Realtor should be someone you trust, like, can communicate with and are completely comfortable with. This person is going to be your go to, your support, your friend and with you 100% of the time during the transaction. I recommend finding someone who makes you feel confident they know what they are doing and that they know the market. They are someone you wouldn't be scared to ask even the smallest question to. Your Realtor should be someone who when this is all done with you consider a friend and may even consider grabbing a coffee or beer with. Having the right Realtor for you makes the stress of the entire house selling process easy and maybe if you are super lucky fun!! Moving can be fun you just need to find the person who makes this decision fun for you!

The benefits of the right Realtor is easy: you feel 100% safe, secure and taken care. That is it!!

Now that you have all the details to why these are five of the most important things I feel you should do prior to listing your house, are you ready to sell? I am just kidding but if you want more information on getting your house ready to sell in 30 days send me an email amy@siennahomegroup.com or call/text me anytime 480-577-4496, I would love to send it to you.

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