When you’re selling your home, you want it off the market as quickly as possible. Well-staged homes sell more quickly; if you prepare your home correctly, you’ll be amazed by the speed at which someone schedules a walk-through.
Clean Your Exterior
First impressions are a big deal in real estate. Take the time to clean up your yard, prune your hedges, and give your windows an extra bit of shine. This is also a good time to clean out the gutters and replace old window screens.
The quickest way to get a fresh-looking home is to hire a pressure washing company. They can wash the dirt off the siding, clean out hard-to-reach soffits, and even take years of dirt off your concrete driveway. Don’t bother trying to use a pressure washer yourself; a professional company can complete the job for less money and with significantly less effort on your part.
Declutter and Depersonalize
If you want to sell real estate, you need to create an environment that clients can envision themselves living in. A home that is full of someone else’s stuff just doesn’t have the same appeal.
You probably aren’t ready to move out of your home right away. Instead, box up about half of your possessions. Put away extremely personal items, fun knick-knacks, and extra clothes that you won’t be wearing this season. Consider renting a storage unit for extra furniture items that might get in the way of a smooth walk-through.
Hire a Cleaning Company
You’re good at cleaning your home, but you’re probably not as good as the experts. If you want your house to look like it’s straight out of a real estate magazine, consider hiring a cleaning company to give it that professional touch.
Schedule a cleaning appointment after you’ve finished decluttering, and explain that you’re preparing the home for sale. The cleaners will attend to details that you wouldn’t notice on your own, and they might even have staging suggestions. If your home stays on the market for a while, ask the cleaning company to return on a monthly basis so that everything stays sparkling fresh.
Add Semi-Personal Touches
Once the house is clean and your personal belongings are out of the way, it’s time to add a little personality back into the environment. Potential buyers want a home that looks clean without appearing desolate.
Replace your family photos with scenery prints and other neutral forms of art. Place fresh flowers on the kitchen counter. Set your dining room table as if guests were coming over. In general, decorate the home while leaving plenty of visual space so that buyers can imagine their own belongings on your shelves.
