FIVE TIPS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU SELL

Are you thinking about selling but you're not sure where to start? It doesn’t have to be as much work as you think. Depending on the condition of your property there are a few steps you can take that make a huge difference. Here are just a few of our simple tips you can use to get your home ready and on the market.

1. Create a detailed "to do" list

Make two lists one for the interior of the property and one for the exterior. This way you can break down your most expensive items and prioritize your time better. When you walk the property, it is important to identify both the items that stand out to you and the unfinished items that may stand out to others. Sometimes after living in a space so long we forget that board is missing as it has been that way for so long. A new buyer will notice unfinished items and question the overall care of the property. After you have walked around and made your notes you can decide what items you can do first and that will not break the bank. As you move through your detailed list you will clearly start to see what the most expensive items are. If you have major repairs, you cannot afford to tackle that is okay. Do some groundwork and gather some quotes to provide to a potential buyer so the costs are disclosed up front. This way you can save yourself the time and energy should they get quotes and turn the offer down later over those repair costs.

2. Depersonalize the space

You may love your treasured memories, albums, and pictures but chances are others don't know you and they will feel invasive walking through someone else's home. What you want to do is instead have a clean slate environment where the buyer can see themselves in your home vs being distracted by your beautiful images. TIP: What if you have a picture wall and the frames add to the home decor? No problem! just cover the images with white paper. Other ways to depersonalize are to remove your makeup and toiletries from visible spaces. Tuck them away during showings. Walk around the exterior and remove old wood, lumber, garden tools, and kids toys. A quick rake of the leaves and your off to the races. We also recommend removing any garden decor to depersonalize the property.

3. Remove the clutter!!

Okay I can’t stress this one enough. DECLUTTER DECLUTTER DECLUTTER! No one wants to see all your fridge magnets! Plus, you are getting ready to move right? So, let’s make the space look good and express how serious you are about moving on. Getting started can seem like a daunting task so I recommend starting from the bottom up. Chances are those items in the basement storage or spare room are your least used items. Can you live without some of these items? Start packing up the items you want to keep in these spaces. Being organized ahead of time will help you and these items are not being used on a daily or sometimes even weekly basis. Use detailed labels as this will help you find that random item should that time occur.

Are there items that you can sell in advance that make your space appear more open. Anything you are not planning on taking with you should be removed as well as some of the items you do intend to keep. Neatly stack your boxes in one area of the property buyers can easily forgive stacked up boxes in a space given you are moving. Do not block spaces that need to be repaired this almost always backfires on the seller.

Space's that really stand out for clutter in showings are mud rooms, laundry rooms, living rooms, bedrooms, cabinets, garages, and spare rooms. If you are in the middle of packing that is okay. Tidy and organize the spaces still in use and pack or remove the rest. By working with the least used spaces or seasonal items you can easily get a head start on your decluttering and packing.

4. Just add paint

You do not have to be a home repair expert to conduct some simple paint repairs. Chances are you may already have the paint tucked away. If you do not have the paint color, there are ways to scan the color with apps on your phone and/or peal off a small chip for the paint store to color match. Once that is all set and you have some simple sundries you can go about filling holes and touching up baseboards. A simple swipe with the brush along the top of your baseboards can instantly clean up the space. You do not always need to paint the entire surface in this case. Remove dark colors. It may be worth investing in some paint to neutralize some of your dark or highly saturated colors. This can often cost less than $100. Chances are the new buyer will want to do their own colors, so we only recommend this in the more extreme cases.

TIP: if you have a hole in the middle of the wall keep in mind the entire wall may need to be repainted to properly hid the blemish. A quick tip you can do is to fill the hole with some wall fill or “mud” as us contractors refer to it. Use your finger and the smallest amount vs creating a big mass along the outside of the hole. The smaller the fill and the smaller the paint touch up the better. After the fill dot has dried, take a wet cloth, and wipe the excess fill of the wall. Take an artist’s brush and paint over the filled white spot.

5. Clear the air

Before showings it is important to make sure your spaces are clean and inviting. Try avoiding cooking highly fragrant recipes such as bacon and spice dishes. These odors can often linger in your kitchen space. Some say to bake cookies but if you have a diffuser or a scented candle that can work all the same with far less effort. If you have pets it may be a good idea to take them for a walk if applicable and ensure all the pets areas are clean & odor free. If you have pet damage it is best to try to remedy this prior to listing the property. If you have little ones make sure all diapers and the disposal bins are removed and are odor free.

TIP: Using wool dryer balls and essential oils can add a soft fragrance in your spaces. Drip a few drops on each wool ball and tuck them throughout the spaces. Avoid using room sprays, incense, and perfumes. These can actually be a deterrent as it appears you may be masking a smell vs solving the problem. Heavy odors like this can also cause an allergic reaction to the buyer or agent that may be sensitive to certain additives and chemicals.