Below is a list of things that real estate agents will tell you to do before putting your home on the market. Every home is different, and each needs a different amount of detailed preparation. Some of the things on the list below will require professional help to be done right. Check with your real estate agent as you go through the list to make sure you choose the right paint colors, flooring, and other things for your home.
Remove your decorations.
Many different people will look at your home when it is for sale. To get the most feedback, make the environment as neutral as possible. You can do this by getting rid of things that show who you are and what you like. If a buyer can walk through your house and figure out your religion, family size, job, and favorite alcoholic drink, you might have problems.
To sell your home, you should get rid of everything above. It will also help you move on emotionally from your home and get ready to move on. Start to think of your house as someone else's. During a home tour, buyers will want to know who lives there. You have done a good job.
The best way to hire a home inspector is to do so.
Get your home checked out by a home inspector before putting it on the market. As soon as you have a signed sales contract with a buyer, the first thing the buyer will do is hire a home inspector to look at your house. Why not do it first? An inspection in Albuquerque usually costs between $300 and $500, but it can be. In the grand scheme of things, that's nothing.
Getting an inspection is the number one thing that will make a deal fall through in this business. You can get rid of the whole problem by taking care of this right away. Sure, the repairs you make from the inspection report may cost you money, but that money is money that you will most likely spend anyway.
The inspection report will make buyers think twice if there are a lot of problems with the house they want to buy. Homebuyers are more willing to pay top dollar if they know there has been a previous inspection and all repairs have been made, so they are willing to pay more for a house.
To the thoughtful, clean everything.
Each person has a different level of "clean." People have different ideas about what is "clean." Make your home as clean as possible when you put it on the market.
Pretend you're selling your house to someone afraid of germs. If you can afford it, hire a professional cleaning crew to spend a whole day doing a really good job of cleaning your home. It's worth it. When a house is a little dirty, it can be hard for homebuyers to connect emotionally with it, even if they aren't clean people.
Remove all traces of pets and kids.
Make sure your home sale doesn't go down because of your pets. To sell your house quickly and for the most money, you'll need to make it look good to everyone who might be interested. The kids and the pets aren't for everyone. If your house smells like animals or has toys stuffed in every corner, you might not be able to sell it.
People who buy homes don't have the same sense of smell as you. You live there and get used to the smell. Make sure to get a second opinion from your real estate agent.
Many people are allergic to pets, and one of them could be your ideal customer. Try to make your home look good to them. It might give you more money at the end of the deal.
Some statistics say that having bad pet smells makes a home stay on the market much longer.
A home that kids have trashed can be just as bad. Before putting your house up for sale, make sure that your kids aren't around.
Replace old fixtures.
This simple thing to do can make a big difference in how your home looks. It's a good idea to get rid of old brass doorknobs and brass chandeliers because they don't look good. Your home looks old, and homebuyers think they'll have to do a lot of work before moving in.
Spend some time walking around your house and looking for things that show the date it was built. Replace as many old things as you can before putting your house on the market. Make sure to include important changes in your listing description.
Replace or clean carpets.
Should I change the carpet before I put my house on the market? Often, home sellers want to know what the real estate broker can do for them.
Carpets show more damage than almost any other part of your home, and they show it the best. If you have carpet in your house, it's likely to be a problem. People who hire a professional carpet cleaning company might be fine if the carpet isn't dirty and isn't very old. If you clean them and it doesn't work, you'll have to buy new ones.
Carpets are a good place to keep dirt and odors because they can hold them. Clean them up before you show them off. You should measure the square footage of your home and get an idea of how much it will cost to buy a new carpet. A new carpet can make a big difference when you try to sell your house.
Touch up or paint again.
The inside of your house should be painted again if it has been more than a year since you last did it. The last time you painted, you might have had some paint leftover. You can use it to fix things like nail holes, scrapes, and handprints on your walls.
Adding new paint over old paint is very simple and makes your home look brand new. If you don't have extra paint for touch-ups, you can try peeling off old paint or cutting a small piece of sheetrock (which you can repair later). Do this in a closet or behind a door.
People who want to buy a house with new paint can
If you have a lot of bright colors in your house, like purple, burgundy, lime green, and so on, you should paint them a more neutral color. I tell my clients that they should not have more than three neutral colors in their homes simultaneously. The more colors there are, the more likely someone will say they don't like what you did.
Exterior paint that needs to be restored should be worked on outside your home, not inside your house. These things are all part of this step: mailbox posts, fences, storage sheds, house siding, and trim work. The outside of your home needs to look good to get a good offer from a buyer.
You can rent a storage space.
As most people do, your closets are full if you live in a house, and your garage is crammed from top to bottom. People do this all the time, but it's not unusual for them. Problem: Some of the homes you'll be competing with are either empty or almost empty. This is a big problem for you. These homes will look great because the buyers can picture themselves moving in a lot faster.
If you want to get rid of all your clutter and stay in the game, you should rent a storage unit. Start putting things in the storage unit you won't need while your house is on the market. Pack the back of the room with things you won't need very often.
In the future, the more you put in storage, the less you'll need because your home will sell much faster. Those who buy homes that look like they're ready to move in like them a lot.
Freshen up your home’s landscaping.
Statistically, landscaping is the best way to get the most for your money when putting your home on the market. Curb appeal is something we've all heard about. In real estate, first impressions are very important.
With new mulch, you can quickly change the look of your garden in a matter of days. Spread a new layer of it all over your lawn and garden. This step is very cheap and takes very little time.
If you want to make a better first impression, plant some colorful flowers. This will make your new mulch stand out even more. Any plants or bushes that are too big should be cut back or cleaned up outside to make them look new again. This step is likely to have a big impact on your buyer's first impression and help them make a good decision to buy from you.
Get help from a real estate broker who has sold many homes.
Every home is unique and has different things that need to be fixed. Buyer's agents with a lot of experience look at many homes during the week. People who work for real estate agents walk through your house at a listing appointment with buyers' voices in their heads, saying things like, "I don't like this," "I don't like this," and so on. They can help you prepare your home for sale, which is very important.
We know what buyers want because they tell us all the time. Every market is different, and there are different ways to get your message out there. It's important to work with a real estate agent who has a lot of experience. This is important information, and there will always be sellers who don't want to hear it. Make sure to use their knowledge early in the process.
The last thoughts and then, get it listed.
People who sell things feel when they get a strong offer. Make sure you don't get scared by how much work there is. Prepare for your home's sale by making a list of things you think will help it sell. Your list is done one thing at a time, and before you know it.
When your house is ready to go on the market, it will most likely get an offer before your competition does. Many sellers will try to cut out some of the steps above to make more money. If you spend the time and money to fix these problems, your house should sell for the highest possible price.
You get what you put in when you sell your home, so the saying "you get what you put in" is true. Your efforts will be well worth it.
When you're all set, call the The Bigelow Group at 505-688-5363 or 505-681-1941 to get your property listed in the Albuquerque metro-area.
