Once the decision is made to put the house on the market most home sellers want it to sell as quickly as possible. There are several steps they can take to encourage buyers.

Getting The House Ready

A house that shows at its best is more likely to sell than one that is not. There are a lot of things the buyer can do to make it more appealing without having to spend a lot of money.

De-Clutter

The first step before taking any of the rest for the home sale preparation is to get rid of all the clutter. It is also a great way to prepare for the move. It means getting rid of all those items that mostly are of a personal nature but tend to make the house look overcrowded. This can refer to something like large collections of family photos, collectibles, and even excess furniture. Once all of these items are either packed away or discarded it is much easier to go on with the next step.

Thorough Cleaning

clean house

It won’t be as difficult to do a thorough cleaning once all the clutter has been removed. This type of cleaning is more extensive than the regular weekly cleaning. It can be comparable to that seasonal deep cleaning that is done once or twice a year.

Pay attention to those deep corners and crevices where cobwebs like to accumulate. Blinds and curtains will need deep cleaning. If possible carpets should be shampooed as well as furniture that has material. These are items that like to harbour stale odours. Especially if there are pets in the house.

Basements, attics and garages need special attention when it comes to the deep cleaning process.

Minor Interior Repairs

While the de-cluttering and cleaning process is being carried out it’s the prime time to look for any minor repairs that may need doing. Such as loose receptacles or dents and scuffs on the walls. It is easy to give a room a fresh coat of paint that will really brighten it up. Making sure that neutral colours are used.

Rearranging the Furniture

It may help to rearrange the furniture so it shows the best features of the rooms it is being used in. Getting rid of heavy furniture may be a good idea if it overpowering a room.

The Outdoors

The outdoors is just as important as the indoors. It is what makes the first impression and as everyone knows first impressions are lasting ones. If the outdoors is unappealing this will remain in the minds of the potential buyer even when they see positive things on the inside.

The Exterior of the Building

At the very least a good power washing will go a long way in creating a fresh look for the building. Then cleaning the windows is another positive move. It allows more natural light to shine through to the interior and clean windows indicate that the home has been well kept.

The Bushes and Trees

It doesn’t take much to prune the bushes and trees so they are esthetically attractive. At the same time, the gardens should be weeded, along with the weeds that are cropping up in the crevices of the walkways. The walkways should be swept and any minor repairs are done.

The lawns should be well-manicured. If there are children’s toys they should all be collected and put in one area.

Outdoor Lighting

outdoor lights

Any bulbs that need changing should be done prior to any showings. Not all showings take place in the daylight. Having good lighting for the nighttime viewers will create a good impression.

Being Realistic

Those who are going to put their home on their market usually have a lot of personal attachments to it. They also want the best price that they can possibly get for it. This means that they have to be realistic. One way to do this is by looking at what houses in the neighbourhood that are similar are selling for.

The Right Professionals

Anyone can attempt to sell their home privately but they don’t always get the results that they want. For those who want to sell their house fast and get the best price possible they find that going with a qualified and experienced real estate professional to be the best route to go. There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a realtor that is the right fit for you.

  • You want to choose one that is experienced in your neighbourhood. It isn’t just the home that potential buyers are interested in. They will have wants and needs when it comes to the neighbourhood. For example, they may want to know what the school system is like. Or what type of public transportation is available. Or for some, they may be concerned about health care in the area. An agent that is well versed in these will be able to point out all the positive aspects of the neighbourhood and used these as selling features.
  • Your agent should have an interest in what your expectations are and be able to give you good advice as to what may or may not feasible.
  • The agent should be able to provide you with any tips on what you can do to help your home sell faster.

Co-Operating With Your Agent

You also need to be willing to co-operate with your agent. Their suggestions are important. If your agent is going to make suggestions it will most likely be on the price you are likely to get for your home. However, they should be able to show you comparable homes that have sold in your area.

They may also make suggestions as to what repairs the home needs in order to enhance the selling opportunities.

Summary

There are a lot of small steps that can be taken to help a property that is on the market to sell fast. When all these steps are taken together it can really scale up the chances of a successful property sale.

Continue Reading