You want to sell your home for thebest price. Start by enlisting a real estate agent and making a list ofneeded projects, to maximize the potential of your home.
Use this list to determine what to do before listing your home for sale:
1. Enlist a Real Estate Agent
An agent experienced with the market in your neighborhood is the mostqualified person to determine how potential buyers will perceive yourhouse.
2. Evaluate Your Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is critical because many prospective buyers will only driveby your home. Ideally, you want every person who stops and looks at thehouse from the curb to be sufficiently enamored that they want to comein to see more.
Curb appeal is made up of three primary components:
- Front entrance
- Landscaping
- The rest of the front of the house
Front Entrance
The front door, porch and any surrounding windows and structures formthe focal point for your home. A freshly painted door and polished doorhardware can make it more attractive. Easy-to-read house numbers, afreshly painted mailbox and functioning porch lights are alsoimportant. The doorbell should work reliably. Sometimes a drab entrancecan be dressed up with a couple of potted plants.
Landscaping
Another major component of curb appeal is landscaping. This includesthe lawn, plants and such structures as retaining walls, walkways andsteps. The trees and shrubs need to be well trimmed. Garden beds shouldbe well defined and freshly mulched.
And, keep in mind that many homes have overgrown shrubs that hide the house and make it look smaller.
Also, consider powerwashing the concrete surfaces to make them appear new again.
Home's Exterior
Look at the rest of the front of your house. Is the siding clean? Isthe paint in good shape? Are the windows clean and clear of spiderwebs? Are the gutters clean and hung securely?
3. Update the Interior
Kitchens and Bathrooms
Kitchens and bathrooms can present problems. The question is whetherrenovating a kitchen or bath (or adding a bath) will ultimately pay foritself. If a kitchen is not updated, but is on par with the otherhouses on the market, no major changes need to be made.
Often a fresh coat of paint, a new countertop and a new floor aresufficient to bring a kitchen up to speed without great expense. Thesame is generally true of bathrooms.
Reduce Clutter
The next major issue to consider when getting your house ready for saleis often the least expensive and the most troublesome: getting rid ofclutter. This is where the advice of an honest outsider, or better yet,a professional organizer, is important. If you are unable to take onthe clutter problem immediately, the best thing to do is to put thingsinto storage until you're ready to sort through them or move.
Walls, Floors and Countertops
Regardless of the surface, if you are going to refurbish it, chooseneutral colors. With paint, that nearly always means off-white. Withfloors, stick to lighter colors. In most cases, if you haven't donemuch painting recently, it makes sense to repaint the entire interior.
If carpets are in good shape, a professional cleaning will usuallysuffice. If they are old or stained, you are better off eitherreplacing them, or removing them and refinishing the floor underneath.
In the bathroom and kitchen, replacing an older vinyl floor can easilybrighten things up. Use quality materials and avoid patterns and colorsthat are busy. Also note any tile or caulking problems.
Fixtures and Outlets
To check electrical fixtures, go through each room and try eachelectrical outlet by plugging in a portable lamp. Test every lightswitch, replacing bulbs when necessary. Test the faucets in the kitchenand baths. Note any that are leaking or otherwise in need of servicing.
4. Prioritize Your List of Home Improvement Projects
You have now identified everything that you will need to do to prepareyour home for sale. Look at your overall list and decide on the thingsyou want to handle yourself. Nearly all do-it-yourself projects takelonger than you think, so be realistic about what you can accomplish onyour own.
Determine the projects you are unable to do yourself. Group theprojects by category. Many times service professionals prefer toreceive larger projects, and you will save money by having everythingrepaired and updated simultaneously.
5. Remember to Use Patience
Complete your list of repairs before listing your home on the market.Your house will be more desirable to potential buyers and command ahigher selling price. Avoid putting yourself in the position of showingthe house before it's ready.
