Getting ready to sell your house this spring?
It’s time to get to work! Putting your house on the market entails a lot more than just propping up a “For Sale” sign on your front lawn. Before you put your house on the market, take a look at Brookside Real Estate’s 10 tips to get your house ready to sell for top dollar!
1. Focus on Curb Appeal: First impressions are everything. Regardless of how much effort you put into the interior of your home, the exterior is the first thing potential buyers see. Give your house a good power wash and fix the little things – touch up your paint and replace rotting trim. And don’t forget about your lawn! Keep your grass mowed and put down some fresh mulch – you never know who may be driving by.
2. Declutter Living Areas: When it comes to getting your house ready to show, less is more – you’re trying to sell your house, not your stuff! Start off with a clean sweep of counters, tables, windowsills and all other visible areas. Then, move on to hidden items in drawers, closets and cabinets. Next, take a look at the furniture around your home and ask yourself if each piece is adding to the overall ambiance. If not, get rid of it or move it to the basement for the time-being! Everything in your home is coming out anyway, so consider it pre-moving.
3. Depersonalize Your Space: Now that you’ve decluttered, it’s time to depersonalize your space. When potential buyers come into your house, they want to be able to picture themselves living in the home. This step includes removing personal items, family photos and any other bold artwork/furniture that could make your house seem too lived in. The goal is to create a blank canvas, so home buyers can project their own visions of living there.
4. Paint Walls to Neutral Tones: Freshly painted rooms make everything look fresh and clean! Stick to neutral colors – you may prefer bright and bold colors, but that doesn’t go for everyone. Light and neutral colors also allow buyers to envision what the walls will look like with the color of their choice. Keep in mind, your prospective buyers are mentally noting all of the jobs they will need to take care of once moving in.
5. Touch Up Scuff Marks and Loose Handles: Even if you’re not doing a full-on repainting project, pay close attention to scrubbing and touching up doors, walls and baseboards to make your house look especially cared-for. Fix any loose handles and replace missing lightbulbs. The small details matter. You don’t want the buyer to stop and wonder what else is broken in the home.
6. Add Greenery: Another small detail that goes a long way- green is good! Plants create a warm, welcoming environment. Add a touch of greenery to each room to keep a consistent welcoming environment throughout the entire home. Consider adding a bouquet of flowers to the dining table and a bowl of fresh, colorful fruit in the kitchen.
7. Deep Clean: Clean, clean, clean and then clean some more! You want your house to be spotless. Give the bathrooms special attention – making sure everything sparkles. Complete your initial deep cleaning and continue to maintain the cleanliness each day. This way you won’t feel panicked when a call for a showing comes through.
8. Complete a Smell Test: Now that you’ve deep cleaned the house, have an unbiased third party in to detect any lingering odors. Even the slightest foul odors can be a deal breaker, and the biggest problem is you may not even notice them. Many buyers are on to “masking techniques” including plug-in deodorizers and candles, so it’s important confirm all odors are eliminated prior to adding pleasant scents.
9. Complete Research on Staging: If you’re like most people, there’s a good chance your furniture has been arranged the same way for a decade. Although this can be fine in some cases, there may be a better way to stage your house you haven’t thought of. Do a quick search on home staging – you’ll find free advice and information to get your home ready to sell. Making rooms look larger is key!
10. Find a Great Real Estate Agent: Unfortunately, integrity can be a bit lacking when it comes to the real estate business. At Brookside Real Estate, integrity is a way of life! This is an earned and prized professional trademark for our team of Realtors – and an implied promise that we go above and beyond the ordinary to enhance your experience using our experience – from day one, to closing. Click here to learn more about our team of agents!
Now that your home is market ready, leave it to the experts at Brookside Real Estate in Kansas City to take it from here! Give us a call at (816) 333-3330 or stop by our storefront office at 9 W 63rd Street – when the flag is up, we’re open!
After two decades in marketing, printing and broadcast, Jim decided to make a change. He realized the career satisfaction he longed for was not in marketing sales. That’s when Jim decided to take a leap of faith, follow in his father’s career footsteps and pursue a career in residential Real Estate.
