If you’re considering selling your home anytime soon, there are a few things you should do to prepare it to sell for top dollar. Here are five things you should start with:
1. Get a stager. We always suggest hiring someone to come in and stage your home to ensure that it’s being shown in the best possible light. There is a lot of competition out there, so you’ll want your home to stand out from the rest. A stager will help you do this, and this will, in turn, get you top dollar.
2. Make some cosmetic changes. If the house needs some touch-ups, a coat of paint, or the carpets need to be shampooed, you’ll want to fix those issues quickly. A buyer tends to make snap judgement about a home based on first impressions.
3. Declutter and depersonalize the home. You’ll want to get rid of any clutter and things like family photos in order to neutralize the look of the interior. Ideally, you want your house to look like a model home.
4. Maintain your yard. Many times, sellers focus all of their attention on the interior of the home and will forget to look after the front and back yards. Cut your grass and make sure any gardens are looking manicured and well-maintained. When buyers drive by your home, they’ll judge the inside of your house by what it looks like on the outside.
5. Make any necessary repairs. If a buyer will notice it, fix it. This includes any issues with crooked shingles on your roof, as well as basement leakage or other noticeable problems. You’re trying to eliminate any excuses in the mind of the buyer as to why they should not buy your house or make a lower offer on the purchase price. You don’t want to lose $10,000 just because of a damaged roof!
