Listing your home for sale isn’t like posting an ordinary item on an e-commerce store. Of course, there are a few similarities, but relying only on a few clicks of a button to make your home visible on real-estate sites isn’t going to position you for success. In fact, the home-selling process starts months before the actual sale happens.

So, what are the things that must be on your bucket list before any successful sale? Well, first, you’ll need to decide how you’re going to sell the home. Will you hire a real estate agent, a home buying company, or opt for For Sale By Owner (FSBO)? Your answer will determine how much you’ll need to invest in renovation and still make profits.

Home buying companies normally accept houses in as-is condition, but that’ll mean lower returns for the seller. However, the other options may require you to do some repairs and replacements before the house can be listed.

Regardless of the route you choose, there are several preparation tips that every home seller must consider. Keep reading our article for more information!

Once you’ve decided to sell your home, the first step you should take is to declutter every room. Do you have items that are no longer in use? These are some of the things that may hinder your preparation phase. Therefore, the earlier you get rid of them, the better. You don’t need to throw them away unless they are unusable in their current state.

Declutter and minimise

One way of decluttering your rooms is by donating some of the items to those who need them. For instance, you can give some of your old clothes to charity. Things like seats and electronics that are still in good condition can be sold to second-hand buyers. The money you generate from these sales will help you complete other preparation steps.

Inspect and repair

One reason for decluttering and minimising things in your room is to make it easier for inspection. Your next step once you’re done with the clearing process is to check for any required repairs.

Are there large-scale renovations necessary? Such issues may include roof repairs, floor-related problems, broken doors and windows, multifunctional lighting fixtures, and leakage in the plumbing system.

Inasmuch as every homeowner can complete this process, it’s always recommended that you invite a professional in each of the construction sections. For instance, your plumbing system requires thorough inspection using dedicated tools.

Lighting fixtures also need the same attention, which can only be done successfully by an experienced and qualified technician. Alternatively, you can hire a general contractor who’ll take care of everything and save you time and money. 

Once all the inspections have been done, the next step will be to calculate the total costs and start the renovation process. It’s essential, though, that you note the costs vis-a-vis the value of your house.

If the repairs exceed 1% of the home’s value or anything beyond your budget, you should be ready to make the necessary adjustments. You can find a professional to help you with all the calculations and determine the after-repair value (ARV). These estimates will give you an idea of how much you’re going to get for the house at the end of it all.

Touch up and repaint

Doing repairs is one thing, but ensuring that the walls, floors, and roofs remain as uniform as possible is another. You need to go room by room and assess the interior. Remember, this is one area that’ll determine whether a prospective homeowner will be interested in your property or not.

First, you might want to start with repainting the walls. Make sure you choose those colors that aren’t too specific or too bright. This will attract more interested buyers because such a color combination meets the general needs of many people.

Are there any dirty or smudged areas? Touch up these parts, including the baseboards, doors, window sills, and door frames. Remember, a fresh coat of paint can do wonders to the appearance of your home.

Work on the curb appeal

The curb appeal is one area that many people end up forgetting in their home-selling preparation phase. It doesn’t matter how much work you put into the repairs and redesigning of your home’s interior. The state of your curb appeal will always remain significant in the grand scheme of things.

So, what exactly entails curb appeal? Well, this is a phrase used to describe the attractiveness of a home from the sidewalk as seen by a potential buyer. A good curb appeal should have some beautiful flowers, a well-kept lawn, great front door designs, and garden or walkway lightings. Since these are the first things that get the prospective buyer’s attention, it’s imperative that you focus on making them as appealing to visitors as possible.

Clean every corner

Once all the repairs and repainting are done, your next step will be to clean everything from top to bottom. If your budget still allows, you can hire a professional cleaning company that will ensure that everything is taken care of, from scrubbing the grout to wiping your baseboards.

However, if you can’t afford to hire any more personnel and opt to do it yourself, make sure to do a thorough job. Clean all the appliances, cabinets, closets, and drawers because these are some of the small details that many buyers check during their inspection.

Conclusion

The aforementioned preparation tips will help you list your home on time and get the most out of the sale. Before you inspect for any necessary repairs, make sure you declutter all rooms and get rid of any unwanted items. Touch and repaint wherever needed to give the house a beautiful appearance.

Doing this will increase the value of your house and attract as many prospective buyers as possible. As you do all these, always be mindful of the costs to avoid spending a significant amount of money which will reduce your returns at the end of the day.

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