Selling a house can be chaotic. Finding a realtor who will do the job well is key, but giving the agent a pristine home to show is just as important for a successful sale. In light of that, there are certain projects that realtors will recommend homeowners complete ahead of showing their houses to the public, and here are 9 of them.
1. Declutter
Were you really invested in the Marie Kondo craze a few years ago when the Netflix show came out? There’s probably a reason for that. The average American household contains around 300,000 items, and 25% of Americans admit to having a “clutter” problem.
This has caused a war of “minimalism” versus “maximalism” on social media, with most people taking a stance, one way or the other. But decluttering your house doesn’t need to be that intense. Going through your items and getting rid of things that you haven’t used in the last year is just as good, and can get your house in better condition to sell to the right buyer when it hits the market.
2. Deep Clean
This goes hand in hand with decluttering. While you’re going through your things, why not kill two birds with one stone and give your house a thorough cleaning as well? And we’re not just talking a cursory vacuum and dusting.
No, deep cleaning means getting in all those nooks and crevices, and pulling out the couch to sweep behind it for the first time in six months. It’s one of the easiest and best ways to make your house shine for prospective buyers, and let’s be honest. Even if you’re not planning on selling your house, most of us could probably stand to do a good deep clean of our home.
3. Drywall Repair
Now, before you go to Home Depot and buy out the store, let’s preface that realtors suggest minor repairs for this step. They’re not suggesting you clear out the room and tear down the drywall from scratch if you have a thirty-year-old house.
This suggestion involves repairing holes and cracks in the drywall with putty that can be bought from the store, or hiring a professional who will do it for you, for a small fee. The appearance of perfection in your walls is one of the small things that creates confidence in prospective buyers, and is an important part of preparing your house for sale.
4. Clean wall-to-wall carpets.
Deep cleaning and shampooing carpets ahead of a showing is important to maintain the cleanliness and overall fresh appearance of a home. A whopping 71% of real estate agents recommend this step ahead of selling the home, and it’s one of the easy ones, too.
If you don’t want to clean your carpets yourself, a professional is more than happy to do it, and it’s generally a one-day job. But for those who are a little more hands on in their home maintenance, renting a carpet cleaner is inexpensive, and the only thing that you’ll be out at the end of the day is a little bit of elbow grease, in favor of sparkling clean carpets.
5. Touch Up Problem Walls
This goes beyond the drywall repair that we’ve already discussed. As most of us know, a hole in the drywall is only one potential problem that can arise when looking to freshen up your home. Chipping pain, dents, and scratches in the woodwork can also detract from the overall appearance of your home, and make prospective buyers more leery.
Fortunately, this is an easy enough project to take care of yourself. Professional painters can cost an arm and a leg for labor alone, so if you have the time and dedication, a bucket of paint and an afternoon can go a long way towards making sure your house is in top shape for showing.
6. Remove Personal Items
Now, we’re not talking about taking everything out of the house, wholesale. This step is simply to help buyers to be able to see the home as something that they, themselves, might want to live in.
So ahead of showing, realtors suggest removing any personal items, such as photographs, memorabilia, or religious items. Things of a personal nature, things that make the home feel like it’s yours. That’s all very well and good, but when you’re looking to sell your home to someone else, you want them to be able to see it as theirs.
7. Landscape the House
The curb appeal of a property is an important factor when it comes to buyer’s considering a home purchase. This can be anything from the facade of the house, down to whether the grass is properly manicured and edged along the sidewalk.
Because this is such an important feature, landscaping is highly recommended by realtors ahead of bringing prospective buyers to your home. You can certainly do this yourself with some elbow grease and a bill from the garden center, but professional landscaping can do far more to improve your chances of getting a good offer on the home. This might be one where you want to hire out the professionals.
8. Regrout the Shower
This is one of those subtle projects that most people don’t think of when considering ways to improve their home, but it can make a big impact. Old grout and caulk in your shower can go a long way to making your bathroom look dirty, even if it’s sparkling clean.
This project can also go a long way to preventing health issues related to mold or mildew, which can be such a problem in the bathroom. This is a beginner level project that can easily be done for the cost of materials. If that’s too intimidating, though, a profession will cost anywhere from $500-$900 for labor and materials.
9. Make it Welcoming
At the end of the day, when you’re trying to sell your home, you’re not just trying to sell a building. You’re trying to sell a feeling. The sensation of warmth, and welcome. Of walking home at the end of the day, and feeling comfortable to put your feet up on the coffee table and relax to watch the football game.
That is the feeling that you’re trying to sell when you’re showing your home, and little touches added to the house can make it that much easier. Things like potted plants, or neutral artwork that touches up the walls can take the atmosphere from a “house” to a “home,” and ensure that you get a good offer from the buyers right from the start.
