{"id":3434,"date":"2018-01-24T16:22:58","date_gmt":"2018-01-25T00:22:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=3434"},"modified":"2021-12-13T13:51:04","modified_gmt":"2021-12-13T21:51:04","slug":"preparing-your-home-for-sale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/preparing-your-home-for-sale\/","title":{"rendered":"The 4 Key Steps to Preparing Your Home for Sale, From the Outside In"},"content":{"rendered":"

Preparing your home for sale might feel like a huge undertaking, but it doesn\u2019t have to be. Sure, there\u2019s going to be some work involved. But by starting early and tackling sections of your house at a time, you can ensure that when your house finally does hit the market, buyers are both impressed and interested. Plus, according to the National Association of Realtors,<\/a> 62% of agents say that homes that are staged and spotless spend\u00a0less<\/em> time on the market.<\/p>\n

So what are the things you should do to get your home ready? In this article we\u2019ll cover exactly that, telling you what to fix, what to clean, and how you can ready your home step by step.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

Instead of trying to get it all done at once, a great strategy is to start from the outside and work your way in. Starting from the home\u2019s exterior guarantees that you catch everything a buyer will notice on their first visit, and it also allows you to tackle these items in the order they\u2019ll be seen. The best thing to do throughout this process is to focus on impressions: Think about what a buyer will see, touch, and smell. If it doesn\u2019t look good to you, it definitely won\u2019t look good to them.<\/p>\n

Ready to get started? Read on for our step-by-step guide to preparing your home for sale, and get one step closer to closing that deal.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BeLI9NCBMJO\/?taken-by=housebeautiful<\/a><\/p>\n

1. Spruce Up Your Home\u2019s Exterior<\/h2>\n

Curb appeal is incredibly important<\/a> in the success of a sale. In some cases, real estate agents have even reported clients making a 150% return on a landscaping investment<\/a> in the final sale price of the home.<\/p>\n

Everything from your walkway to the paint that might be chipping by the front door, these minor details can make or break your buyer\u2019s first impressions\u2014 which is what curb appeal is all about. To get your home ready, take a stroll up to your front door making notes of what it might need.<\/p>\n

Mowing the lawn and refreshing the landscaping is a must (pull those weeds!), but some less obvious ideas might include renting a power-washer to clean the exterior, fixing any damage that\u2019s visible from the front door, and making sure your home address number (if you have one) is visible.<\/p>\n

It also never hurts to give your front door a fresh coat of paint that invites buyers in. Top real estate agent Maribel Sotuyo<\/a> of Houston, Texas says, \u201cIf a home doesn\u2019t look visually appealing from outside, often [buyers] don\u2019t even want to step inside.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a buyer, curb appeal is more than just what the outside looks like. In the words of the HGTV experts,<\/a> \u201cA sloppy exterior will make buyers think you’ve slacked off on interior maintenance as well.\u201d Buyers tend to leap to conclusions based on minor details.<\/p>\n

Says Sotuyo, \u201cI spend a lot of time right next to the door getting the lock box open, and so [a buyer] is standing there looking around, and if they notice there are a few items that could easily be maintained and they\u2019re not, then they\u2019re going to assume maybe other things aren\u2019t maintained.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bottom line: Make the outside look awesome so you don\u2019t lose your buyer before they even get inside.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BeJuMIRDArk\/?taken-by=potterybarn<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Make The Entryway Feel Inviting<\/h2>\n

The entrance of your home is the next most important piece in getting it ready for sale. If the exterior works to convince buyers to take a closer look, then the entrance should really make them swoon!<\/p>\n

Entryways should feel warm, bright, and pull the buyer inside. Anything dark, gloomy, or overcrowded and you may just scare your buyer back out the door. One of the first and most important things you can do for your entryway is to remove excess furniture.<\/p>\n

Sotuyo advises her clients to be aware of small entrances and to be sure there\u2019s a clear pathway to other rooms. She encourages homeowners to put bulky or oversized furniture in storage (even if it\u2019s really nice stuff). Less is more, and overcrowding a room will do nothing except make it look smaller.<\/p>\n

After eliminating some furniture, take a look around at what else needs TLC<\/a>. Cobwebs hiding in corners and on top of ceiling fans should be promptly dusted, and curtains should be thrown open to let light in. As a general rule, your real estate agent will show the home with windows uncovered and lights on (for maximum light) so be sure you go through your home in the same way.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Bd6i4uxA2_1\/?taken-by=crateandbarrel<\/a><\/p>\n

3. Create Welcoming Spaces Throughout<\/h2>\n

After ensuring a grand entrance for your buyer, it\u2019s time to tackle the rest of the home. Every room should be tidy, clean, and neutral. That means no aggressively colored walls or artwork. Sure, you might like this one incredible painter who splashes red and yellow onto the canvas\u2014 but your buyer probably does not. Try to make your home appealing to everyone.<\/p>\n

Besides being clean, nothing in your home should appear overtly broken. This doesn\u2019t mean that everything has to be in working order, it just means it should have the appearance of working. Many buyers don\u2019t mind if a home needs some minor repair work\u2014 what they do mind is if it looks neglected.<\/p>\n

But that doesn\u2019t mean spending hours or even hundreds of dollars on repairs. A lot of quick fixes are available to the savvy seller, and things like updating worn kitchen or bathroom areas<\/a> with peel and stick tiles or epoxy coating can go a long way in enhancing the appearance of your home. Says Sotuyo, \u201cif done well [these projects] actually make a big difference, even if it\u2019s DIY.\u201d<\/p>\n

Similarly, investing in fresh linens can do wonders to liven up a space. Throw a new white duvet on an old comforter in a bedroom, or line up white hand towels in a bathroom. \u201cCleanliness is more than [a home] being visually appealing, it appeals to the buyer in a psychological way,\u201d says Sotuyo.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BeElNdTDG7S\/?taken-by=potterybarn<\/a><\/p>\n

4. Organize Your Storage<\/h2>\n

Don\u2019t spend so much time on the rooms in your home that you forget all about the closets. It isn\u2019t just curiosity that drives buyers to look behind closed doors, there\u2019s also a more practical reason. \u201cBuyers are opening closets to see what kind of space they\u2019ll have,\u201d explains Sotuyo who reminds her clients how vital this storage space can be\u2014 especially in parts of the country where homes don\u2019t have basements or significant attic space.<\/p>\n

Before you clean out your closets entirely, consider keeping some of your stuff and storing it in stacked boxes away from the door. This is actually better than leaving closets empty as it gives buyers an idea of the storage space they\u2019ll have.<\/p>\n

Some sellers even go as far as leaving nice shirts on hangers or stuffing brand-name shopping bags with tissue paper on shelves. Whatever you choose to do, just be sure closets aren\u2019t cluttered but organized. Same goes for the drawers. Expect things to be opened and organize accordingly.<\/p>\n

Final Steps in Preparing Your Home for Sale<\/h2>\n

Before you finish preparing your home for sale, do a final walkthrough. Try to take in your space as the buyer would. How does each room feel? Does anything stand out as ugly, broken, or dirty? Is there a clear pathway between each room? Prep your house with the buyer in mind and you\u2019re sure to impress them when it comes time to sell.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Preparing your home for sale is one of the most important parts of selling. It might feel like a big job, but it doesn’t have to be. Here’s how to do it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52,"featured_media":7932,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[320,233],"tags":[491,197],"class_list":["post-3434","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-add-value","category-preparing-to-sell","tag-basics","tag-preparing-to-sell"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe 4 Key Steps to Preparing Your Home for Sale, From the Outside In<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Preparing your home for sale is one of the most important parts of selling. It might feel like a big job, but it doesn't have to be. 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