If you’re planning to sell your home, you need to be well-prepared before putting it on the market. The more prepared you are, the smoother things can run, and the faster you can make a sale. Admittedly, it can be overwhelming because selling a home can involve a lot of work but the payoff is more money in your pocket.. To guide you through the process, here’s a suggested checklist for getting your house ready to sell:
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Declutter
Decluttering isn’t only for spring cleaning. If you want to pack up and move out, you need to Marie Kondo your way through all your belongings. Does that trunk full of old clothes or your great-aunt’s china cabinet really spark joy? If you already have a potential home to move into (or a vision of what it’s going to be like) think about how the stuff you currently own matches the vibe you’re going for in your new home. Decluttering will not only make moving out less stressful but it will also make home staging easier. Haul your excess belongings to a storage unit to make your home more spacious for showings.
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Let go and depersonalize
Whether or not you have attachment issues, this step can be difficult – especially if you’ve lived in the house for quite some time. However, it’s important for your personal effects (framed family photos, souvenirs, and other personal mementos) to be out of sight so that they do not distract potential buyers. If your shelves and closets are bursting at the seams with books and clothes, pare them down until just a few items remain. When buyers tour your home, they should be able to visualize themselves, and not you, living in it. Avoid having your house look like the before images of a makeover show. Instead, aim for showroom perfection.
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Organize
When you declutter and pack your belongings, don’t just throw them into unlabeled boxes! There’s an old (and possibly true) saying that all unlabeled boxes end up in the attic or basement, never to be seen or opened again. Your future self will thank you if you properly sort and label your things. Place them in three piles: donate, throw, and keep. To make moving out and moving in easier, label all the”keep” boxes with color-coded tape or markers and itemize what’s in each box.
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Remove your favorites
If you have a piece of furniture or a fixture that you want to take with you, don’t show it at all – in your online listing or in real life during an open house. These items might be a selling point for a buyer, and if they find out that they don’t come with the house, they might haggle you down or back out of the sale completely (highly unlikely, but not impossible!).
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Hire an expert
Preparing your home for sale involves a lot of other steps such as deep cleaning, getting inspections, doing repairs, and staging. If you want to ensure that you’ve got all your bases covered, it’s best to hire a top Realtor to guide you through the process.
Our agents at Steve Bremis Realty Group have decades of experience, having been in the business since 1955. We have amassed over $1 billion in total sales and have been honored with numerous customer service awards over the years. We pride ourselves in being the most knowledgeable real estate consultants and Realtors in Somerville, MA and beyond, and are committed to giving each client only the best services.
If you’re looking to sell your property in Somerville, Medford, Cambridge, Arlington, or Boston, get in touch with us today at 617.828.1070 or send us an email. We are proud to own and operate our own staging company for the past 11 years. Feel free to call us for free staging consultation or decluttering estimates.