When you're selling your house, it is easy to think that buyers will view your home in the same positive light that you do. It is also easy to believe that most buyers will see past any cosmetic shortcomings and instead see the great potential of the home.
But the truth is that most buyers and their realtors analyze each home they tour very closely. For most people, buying a home is the largest investment they will make and they are careful to make sure it is a wise investment of their money and time. Chances are, that your home could use a little bit of a TLC before you put it on the market and start showings.
So what do you do?! Below is a guide as to what do you need to do to get your house into perfect shape and maintain it through the duration of showings and open houses. Don't worry, we will do these steps together - and most of them can be done cost free or very inexpensively, but the payoff will be huge!
Getting started
There are a few steps you'll want to take throughout your house in order to get it ready for deep cleaning and make it presentable for showing.
- Walk through each room and declutter like a crazy! Remove any items you no longer need or haven't used in a while. Decluttering each room will make it appear larger and makes it easier to keep everything clean while your house is on the market.
- Buyers should have clear pathways when touring your home. We may need to rearrange things to make it more inviting for buyers.
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Cross Your I's and Dot Your T's - Details Matter!
Now that your house is more or less arranged the way you want it, it's time to start paying attention to some of those details.
- Get your paintbrush ready! A fresh coat of paint is one of the most inexpensive things you can do to update a space immediately. Repair any holes first and then ask family and friends to lend a hand. If it is in your budget, hire a professional to do the job..
- Add greenery to your spaces. One or two plants per room is sufficient.
- Assess the lighting in your house. Let natural light in wherever possible! In places where natural ight is not an option, utilize a floor, table or ceiling lamp to brighten the space. Light helps any space appear larger.
- Assess the smell of your home. We live in our homes 24/7 and can become desensitized to how it smells. Ask someone who doesn't live with you to come over and assesses how good(or bad) your home smells! Remove any pet items that may create lingering odors.
- If you have carpet, consider renting a carpet cleaner from your local grocery store and giving the carpet a deep clean. This will help deodorize your house.
Once you've tackled these general tasks, it's time to get down and dirty in each room!
The kitchen
- Declutter the kitchen and deep clean any flat surfaces and the backsplash.
- Deep clean the cabinets using a degreaser and all purpose cleaner.
- Box up and store any dishes and small kitchen appliances that you don't need.
- Replace the burner pans on your stove.
- Remove all artwork, calendars and lists from your fridge.
The living room
- Declutter any flat surfaces such as coffee tables.
- Remove ashtrays and if you currently smoke in your house, consider smoking outside while your house is on the market.
- Contain kids toys as best as possible. You don't need to put them away completely(kids still should be able to be kids during this time) but explore ways to organize things. I will provide suggestions for this according to the specifics of your space.
The bedrooms
- Pull out your nicest bedding set for each room and put them on each bed! Don't have any showstoppers? Consider getting just an inexpensive bedspread to spruce things up.
- Declutter and deep clean all the surfaces in your room -- including night stands and dressers.
The Bathrooms
- Deep clean thoroughly! This includes the shower, shower walls, sinks, toilets and floors.
- Remove any smelly or musty laundry from hampers
- Declutter the countertops and utilize drawer space when possible.
- If there are windows in the bathrooms, let in as much natural light as possible without compromising your privacy.
Phew....I know that was a lot!
But there is good news! My clients never do this alone! When you make the choice to trust me as your listing agent, I provide a complimentary Deep Clean and Declutter session! We decide on a day and we roll up our sleeves and get to work implementing the steps above -together. You'd be surprised how much we can get done in one day. Remember, my number one priority is getting you top dollar for your home. I am willing to roll up my sleeves to help you get there!
