𝟏𝟎 Point "To Do List" Before You List Your Home
Thinking about moving? One quick tour of your happy home might curdle that dream before it gets out of the planning stages.
If your décor style is early desperation and you can't remember the original color of the carpeting, it's time to roll up your sleeves and communicate with someone about getting your home ready to sell.
10: Find Your Papers
Before you exhaust yourself trying to get the fingerprints off the walls, locate all the important papers you'll need to entice a potential buyer. The operating manuals for your appliances and HVAC system, notes about the paint colors you used on your walls and any applicable warranties are important to have on hand.
9: Get Estimates
What will it cost to replace the items in your home that's on its last legs -- like the furnace, roof or water heater. You may not be prepared to overhaul worn-out items now, but knowing how much it will cost could give you an edge in negotiations.
8: Straighten the Mailbox
You want potential buyers to drive by and think someone else's home (and not yours) is the eye sore. If you're planning on listing your home, you have to lure people inside. To do that, you've got to eliminate the telltale signs that the property isn't owned by a Stepford family.
7: Declutter
This is the time when you go through your belongings and discover that there isn't anything worth keeping. It's a sad but liberating moment. If most of your stuff is granny castoffs from the 1970s, decluttering your home will be easy. I like to use the thought of "I havent used it in the last 6 months, I dont actually need it."
6: De-Personalize
Have you ever looked in a friend's handbag? Didn't it just scream, "Invader! Get out! Get out!" Well, you don't want your house to do that. You want your house to be so welcoming yet neutral that anyone could imagine living there -- without you.
5: Clean
If it's been a decade since you washed the blinds, expect the process to be painful. Actually, dirt, dust and grime may not be the worst part of tidying up. The worst part is getting to the stuff you havent actually touched in a decade, to clean it.
4: Detail the Landscaping
Removing dead branches from trees, pulling weeds, painting fences and fixing driveway cracks will keep your home from giving the impression that it's gone native. Not all of this is necessary but it will help to complete a few items. You want curve appeal, not this needs time to heal.
3: Hide the Pets
If you own a pet that loves you unconditionally, protects you vigilantly, amuses you with its absurdities and never judges you for your failings -- hide it. Take them with you when you leave for showings.
2: Plan to Get Rid of the Kids for a While
Well, actually, this is a good one to indulge in from time to time even if you aren't selling your home. When you're thinking of placing a listing, underplaying the presence of young humans on the premises is a good idea.
1: Take a Deep Breath -- and Some Pictures
Yes, with some work and a little luck, you may be able to get out of that property and into the home of your dreams, or at least into a house where all the toilets work. Take some pictures before you do a major cleanup, though.
Thinking about moving soon? Contact me now and let's put your home on the market for top dollar!
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