Preparing your house to go on the market can be an overwhelming task. There are lots of things to consider and it takes plenty of work, time, and money. However, having a checklist of things that you need to do can make the process go more smoothly and feel less overwhelming. With that in mind, here’s a step-by-step checklist to help you get your Birmingham home ready to sell.
1. Improve Curb Appeal
The first impression that potential buyers will have of your home is its curb appeal. This makes it a logical first step when you’re getting your home ready to sell. You can get some specific steps on curb appeal from Top Ways Sellers Can Improve Their Curb Appeal. Whatever improvements you decide to make, keep in mind that the exterior of your home is the first thing that buyers will see and it will have a big impact on the number of buyers that decide to look at your home. This means that it’s worth spending some time, energy, and money to improve your curb appeal as much as possible.
2. Paint the Walls Neutral Colors
You want buyers to be able to see themselves living in your home. One way to help them do this is with neutral colors. Neutral colors help to depersonalize your home and to make it more appealing to buyers with varying tastes. Generally, neutral colors won’t turn off any buyers, and for buyers that want to add some color, having neutral walls makes it easy for them to think about ways they’d add their own touch.
3. Make all Necessary Repairs
Before putting your home on the market, it’s important to complete any repairs that you’ve been putting off. Even if a repair is minor and seemingly insignificant, you want to go ahead and do it. Seeing lots of little things that need to be fixed can leave a bad impression for buyers and can make them feel like the home has not been well maintained. Some common repairs are getting rid of scuff marks, fixing loose door knobs, fixing any leaky faucets, repairing windows, and ensuring all fixtures are in good condition. Plus, not only will these repairs improve buyers’ perceptions of your home, but they’ll also make the inspection process go more smoothly.
4. Declutter and Depersonalize
Clutter in your home can make buyers uncomfortable and can lead to the impression that there’s not enough space or storage. To avoid this, go through living spaces and remove all clutter on counters, tables, and even windowsills. When decluttering, you’ll also want to make sure that you declutter places like closets and the pantry. This means that you need to get extra clutter out of your house and offsite as opposed to just moving it to closets or storage areas.
As part of your decluttering, it’s helpful to also depersonalize spaces. This involves getting rid of personal photos and personal items. Again, you want buyers to envision themselves living in your home, and this is much easier to do without personal items.
5. Deep Clean Everything
The final step before putting your home on the market is to deep clean everything. This makes your home look fresh and inviting and adds to the impression that it’s well-maintained. As part of your cleaning, it’s important to get rid of any odors, which are common in kitchens and areas where pets eat and sleep. A thorough deep clean should get rid of any bad smells, but it’s a good idea to have someone that doesn’t live in your home come and check it for smells, as many times homeowners become so used to odors that they don’t even notice them. Additionally, as part of your deep clean, it’s important to clean all windows – inside and out.
You obviously want to have your home spotless when pictures are taken. That said, it’s important that your home looks just as good for showings and open houses so that buyers won’t be let down when they see it in person. This means thoroughly cleaning it before putting it on the market and continuing to keep it spotless while it’s on the market.
Preparing your home for sale is no easy task. If you decide to put your home on the market, this checklist should make the process a little bit easier for you. However, if this list seems overwhelming, keep in mind that there are other ways to sell your home. Home Buyers Birmingham will buy your house as-is for cash. If you want to avoid the time, money, and effort needed to prep for home for sale, contact Home Buyers Birmingham to learn more about this stress-free way to sell your home.
