Getting Your Home Ready to Sell

Photo by Sidekix Media on Unsplash

Getting your home ready to sell may feel daunting, but like most big jobs, breaking the process down into smaller tasks can help! Here’s my breakdown for preparing a home to sell and how you can get started with the small stuff right away.

Declutter and Depersonalize.  

Even WITHOUT planning to sell, most of us could use some time to declutter our spaces! You want your home to feel as open and inviting as possible so potential buyers can envision how much room and space is available to make their own. I tell my sellers to think VRBO or AirBnB: if you wouldn't see the item in one of those rentals, then it should go ahead and be packed away. Buyers want to see the space, not your things. Where there is counter space, clear away your junk mail and cooking oil bottles and reveal it! Where there is natural light, let it in. Where there's flooring (so, you know, everywhere), remove excess furniture. As a general rule, if you have more than 4 furniture items in a room then you’ll want to consider removing some.  

When it comes to depersonalizing, anything you don’t want plastered across social media should be put away. We market homes heavily online and your personal pictures may be something you’d like to keep personal. It’s also important to consider how personal traditions, values, and customs may be reflected in your decor and to be mindful of how people from all different backgrounds may view your home. In order to appeal to the widest range of people possible, you should leave as blank a slate as you can, allowing potential buyers to easily imagine how their own lifestyle and personality could thrive in the home.

Since decluttering and depersonalizing will involve packing things away, it’s helpful to think of this process as the beginning of moving out. This helps the real move out date feel less overwhelming, because by the time your house has been put on the market, you’ll be halfway done (or more!) already. Think in phases. Phase one: pack away personal items that are important to your heart. Phase two: pack away clothing and other items you won’t be using until you're in your new home. Phase one and two can totally be stored in your garage, because most potential buyers already expect garages full of boxes as the homeowners prepare to move out. As long as an inspector can get to any hot water heaters or other necessary control panels that may be in the garage, fill it up! Phase three: movers come get the big furniture and boxes–and you’re done! 

Deep Clean.

It’s crucial that your home look and feel clean to others. After decluttering and depersonalizing, it should be easier than ever to see areas that might not have been cleaned in quite some time. The most important area to me is the bathroom. This space should be spotless. If you can get the old caulk out of the tub/shower combo and add fresh new caulk, it will make the shower and tub feel SO much cleaner.

Another thing I pay attention to are windows. Natural light is huge when people are shopping for homes and dirty windows can be a key factor that makes your home feel “less” than it is. Lots of people shampoo their carpets, too, which is great, but if I had to choose between the two–windows all day long!

Unless you have a knack for these things (and let’s be honest, most of us don’t), I highly recommend hiring a professional to deep clean all these areas. An outside cleaning person has a different set of eyes that will definitely catch the areas we tend to miss because we’re so used to our own spaces. They’re great for finding areas we’ve been neglecting, as well as addressing dust and dirt build-up in spaces we may never have thought to look. For example, air conditioning vents can be magnets for dust, and a vacuum wand with a brush can do wonders.

Photo by Sidekix Media on Unsplash

Pay Attention to Smells and Sounds.

If you can, invite a good friend over and ask them if they smell anything strong or different. Sometimes when we live in a space we become immune to how it smells. Some spices or residual cooking smells in the kitchen, for example, can come off particularly strong to people who aren’t also used to it. Also pay special attention to any musty areas or places mold or mildew may potentially grow. If you have pets, their bed and litter areas should be so clean and odorless that even they can tell something’s up! ;)

For sounds, pay attention to where there may be particularly loud plumbing (a common place for this is the in-sink garbage disposal, which may need an adjustment) or squeaky door hinges, cabinets, windows, or sliding doors. Often a little WD-40 is all you need.

Determine Repairs and Updates.

For this you really need an experienced Realtor. The current trends and expectations of buyers are REALLY important when considering updates. Realtors who are actively working with buyers have crucial insight into what those expectations are. Right now, for example, an updated and modern backsplash in the kitchen with updated appliances would be the very first things I’d tell a seller to update. Consult a professional BEFORE you pour money into a home you are about to sell.

Spruce Up Your Home’s Exterior.

If you live here in sunny San Antonio, you know more than half the year can be spent comfortably outside. So show your buyers where you spend your outside time. Make sure leaves are away from the home and you can see the type of grass in your yard. (Buyers are so informed these days that they are checking what type of grass you have!) Have someone trim back branches that may be touching the home and bushes that have grown taller than windows. These are both HUGE deterrents to curb appeal. Think about your front door. Does it need a new coat of sealant? Does it need to be replaced altogether? This is one update I always feel pays for itself two fold. Your front door is your home's first impression. Add some greenery and flowers to your front porch, making it feel warm and inviting. Powerwash EVERYTHING.

Once you get the wheels going on these five categories, you’re well on your way to having your home in top shape for professional photos and showings! If you have questions about preparing your home for sale and need a Realtor, don’t hesitate to contact me!