While this level of advanced planning isn't always possible, if you know you are going to sell your home within the next year, you should start thinking about what you need to do to prepare now.
While real estate market sales activity tends to be at it's lowest levels from November through March, with the exception of December this time period is when we make the most visits to clients looking to put their homes up for sale in the coming spring / summer season.
Homeowners will contact us to discuss what they need to start doing to prepare their home for market and to maximize the home's value and marketability, staging advice, and when they should be ready to list the home. This advanced planning allows homeowners sufficient time work on indoor projects—decluttering, packing things up for storage and just overall planning.
From experience, Realtors know that a “well-polished” house appeals to more buyers and will sell faster and for a higher price. Buyers simply feel more comfortable purchasing a home that’s been well-cared for assuming that if what they can see has been well maintained, what they can’t see has probably also been well maintained. In preparing your house for sale, consider:
No. 1: Determining how much you should spend. In preparing your home for the market, spend as little money as possible. Buyers will be impressed by a brand new deck, but they aren’t likely to give you enough extra money to pay for it. There is a big difference between making minor and inexpensive improvements and touch-ups to your house, such as putting new knobs on cabinets and a fresh coat of neutral paint in the living room, and doing extensive and costly renovations, like installing a new kitchen.
Your Realtor will be familiar with buyers’ expectations in your neighborhood and can advise you specifically on what improvements need to be made and which improvements are most effective and will provide the best return on investment.
No. 2. Consider a maintenance schedule. If the house has areas that show wear, get that work done before offering the home. If there are numerous repairs and issues that need to be tended to in the home, you may need to create a maintenance schedule to meet your spring deadline. While you may be able to attend to some of these repairs on your own, such as patching and touching up walls, replacing light bulbs, cleaning out gutters, etc, others may require the assistance of a professional. As your agent we can assist you by referring you to reputable contractors and service providers offering competitive rates.
No. 3: Declutter and deep clean. The winter season is the perfect time to work on preparing your home's interior and to decide what stays and what needs to go. Decluttering makes every room look larger and feel neater in person, as well as the photos your realtor will take of the home as part of their marketing efforts. If a house is cluttered, it not only distracts buyers, but it can also make it difficult for them to imagine themselves in it. Buyer buy more than just a home, they buy a lifestyle and by removing or storing things you don't need, you create a roomy, comfortable feeling that will be inviting to prospective buyers. For example, if the home offers a two-car garage, make room for two cars. For a lot of men, if the garage looks small because of the clutter, there's an issue. Remove seasonal clothes from the closets to make them appear larger and better organized.
And while you're decluttering, you're depersonalizing. You really need the buyer to be able to picture your house as their home and while a picture of your kids on the nightstand isn't a big deal, you don't want the family portrait gallery lining the hallway.
Cleaning makes your house easy for buyers to explore and gives the impression that it has been well cared for. Be sure every room smells as good as it looks, paying special attention to the kitchen and bathrooms. In particular having these rooms clean and sparkling can make a huge difference in the perception of whether a house is kept up or not. The carpets should be professionally steam cleaned if they're in good shape, however, if they are old and stained your realtor can assist in referring you to a wholesale carpet provider and the selection of a neutral color with broad appeal that will help freshen up your home. Some fresh paint and a one-time professional cleaning service can make your house look like new! And remember when the home goes active, you're no longer living in it; you are showing it.
No. 4: Evaluate your yard. Selling in the spring means your yard has to be in good shape. If you live in a warmer climate, you can get to work sprucing up your lawn in the winter, but those in Columbus, Ohio and other colder parts of the country will have to wait out the chill.
Depending on where you live, you may have to do more advance planning, but when you are putting your house on the market, you definitely have to focus on the yard. If the exterior of the home and it's landscaping are attractive and the home has good “curb appeal”, the primary list photo is going to attract significantly more attention, and buyers will be more inclined to want to see what’s on the inside! The importance of real estate listing photos has never been greater as over 90% of home buyers now utilize the internet as part of their home search efforts. Suggestion for preparing your home's exterior:
- Check the front entry, repaint the front door if needed, clean light fixtures, repaint any chipped or missing paint where required including mailbox and post
- Fertilize the lawn as soon as the snow melts and reseed any bare spots
- Trim bushes, hedges, and trees
- Power wash the exterior of the home, driveway if required (if an asphalt drive is present consider resealing)
- Repair and replace loose or damaged roof shingles
- Repair and repaint loose siding and caulking
- Weed lawn and mulch beds
- Plant flowers for color
- Lay fresh mulch
No. 5: Compare to other homes in your area. Check out other local real estate listings and homes for sale, to see for yourself how your home compares with others currently up for sale. This will also give you an opportunity to see what is popular in your area—hardwood floors, granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances as this will help you to understand buyer's expectations in your price point. This will also give you an opportunity to see what's for sale and what is common near your home before you start changing things in your house.”
If you want to be the seller who goes to market instead of the one who stays home? The difference might be a few of the things you do before you plant that "for sale" sign.
If you, or someone you know is considering Buying or Selling a Home in Columbus, Ohio please contact The Opland Group. We offer professional real estate advice and look forward to helping you achieve your real estate goals!
The Opland Group Specializes in Real Estate Sales, Luxury Home Sales, Short Sales in; Bexley Columbus Delaware Downtown Dublin Gahanna Grandview Heights Granville Grove City Groveport Hilliard Lewis Center New Albany Pickerington Polaris Powell Upper Arlington Westerville Worthington
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