I am frequently asked how you can help sell your house.
It’s a great question and one every person who is thinking of selling a house should consider. Here are some things to think about as you get your house in order for sale…
Hire a home inspector to do a pre inspection
Fixing significant issues in advance, removes barriers in the transaction and you speed up the sale of your home! For example, if you are aware that there is Radon in your basement then you can fix this problem before a prospective buyer ever walks through the door.
If you cannot fix these issues before you try to sell your house, then you can discuss accommodating for them in your price and avoid the hassle and delay of renegotiation when the issue arises for your buyer.
Hire a professional landscaper, if that isn’t your forte
All the old adages about curb appeal and first impressions turn out to be true. When someone is looking to buy your house they are looking at everything and the first thing they see is your landscaping. If you are not a gardener or not that interested in maintaining the exterior of your home, then hire a professional landscaper to clean up the outside of your property so that it shines for prospective buyers, neighbors, and the drive by real estate enthusiasts.
De-clutter your space so your buyer can see the house
De-cluttering is the single most powerful real estate tool in the book. Removing your piles of personal papers, your child’s artwork, your video games, and whatever else has taken up residence on your counter tops, table tops, sofas, and chairs will open up the space in your home and will allow buyers to see the “bones” of the house. A clean and clear house also allows buyers to visualize themselves in the space which helps move them from prospective buyer to contracted buyer. So buy some storage bins and pack up the personal materials and collections for your next home!
You want to create a clean slate for your buyers to view the house you are selling. Open the curtains and let in the light.
Be prepared for showings
What do you need to do to make sure your house is going to shine for the showings?
- Again, remove the clutter wherever possible – this means books and papers on surfaces, refrigerator magnets, papers, and mail.
- Make the beds and hide the laundry – invest in some laundry bags or baskets that can store your laundry during the house showing period. Fold the blankets in the family room, hang the towels in the bathroom. It may seem obvious but these steps are often forgotten!
- Pay attention to smells – do not use Lysol or other chemically based deodorants since many people now have allergic and intense reactions to the chemicals. Rather than trying to cover up bad smells, see if you can remove the cause. Vacuum, empty the trash bins, and wash the linens. Then open the windows to let in the fresh air. Put vases of fresh flowers (daffodils and tulips are in season) in your kitchen and or bathrooms.
At Sarah Harrington Real Estate, my team and I work hard with our sellers to make sure that their properties shine online and in person. We hire a stager to help make sure the house is presented in the best possible light and we work with photographers to take great pictures of all of the houses. If you are thinking of selling your house, don’t wait. Go ahead and get your house on the market. It’s an active time and many buyers are out there looking for the perfect house – it might be yours!
If you are interested in seeing more tips on getting your house ready to sell, take a look at this blog post that we shared last fall.
If you would like to see some of our newest houses for sale in the Burlington, Vermont area, please take a look at our Featured Listings.
Thanks for stopping by!
Sarah