Expert Tips to Prepare Your Home for Sale

Getting your home ready for the market can feel like a daunting task, we're here with tips to help get you started.

Despite that we are still in a seller's market, improper preparation and pricing may cost sellers in the long run, leaving money on the table. Our design consultants share some of their tips to prepare your home to stand out above the rest, resulting in a faster sale and higher sales price.

Want to know your home's worth? Find out!

First Impressions

Your home’s curb appeal is its first impression, and it’s hard to win over a buyer with a bad first impression. Spruce up the front entry with a fresh coat of paint on the front door, add colorful potted plants, wash your windows, and clean up the yard. The home’s curb appeal lends itself to the kind of care the rest of the home is getting, so this one is a non-negotiable item for sellers looking to maximize their sale. 

Neutralize

While selling a home, it is important to remember that you want as many people as possible to envision themselves living in the house. One way to do this is to neutralize the home by removing personal items like photos, collectibles, awards, religious regalia, political items, and children/pet items.

Another way is to paint interior spaces a neutral color, like soft gray or beige. This presents a blank canvas for potential buyers to focus on the space itself, and visualize their furnishings in it

Set the Stage

In a recent survey, the National Association of Realtors found that staging has a significant impact on the home buying and selling process. Home improvement networks like HGTV have affected the way buyers look at homes, and their expectations. TV shows like Fixer Upper educate consumers on what to look for and the many possibilities of home renovations, but also set unrealistic expectations on a timeframe and how homes should look upon completion.

The survey noted that staged homes were found to produce 1-5% higher offers than comparable homes that weren’t staged. Rooms that are lived in the most should be staged, including living rooms and master bedrooms.

Build vignettes of how the home lives by placing key staging elements in a space, for example, a tray with a bottle of wine and glasses on a table next to a couple of patio chairs creates an inviting look into an evening wind down at home.

Smells Ring Bells

One of the strongest human senses is smell. Scientific studies have shown that smell induces strong reactions and triggers memory. Take note of your home’s smell, and invite friends to give feedback as well. A home with overly strong odors like cigarettes, scented plug-ins, or pets will turn some buyers away.

It is best to keep added scents minimal as well. Fresh-cut flowers add just enough fragrance to enhance a showing experience, without taking over. Avoid potent flowers like lilies as they may be overpowering.

Clean, clean, clean.

Much like if you were to host a party, you wouldn’t want to invite guests to a dirty home when showing to potential buyers. Take time to properly clean the home.

This ‘deep clean’ should include: removing dust from ceiling fans and vents, wiping baseboards, polishing metal surfaces, a thorough dusting of light fixtures, scrubbing bathroom tile and grout, and the interior of kitchen appliances.

Lysi Bishop Real Estate offers complimentary design consultation to seller clients

Our design experts walk through your home and provide a list of recommendations, including some or all of the above, to help you prepare your home for top dollar.

They assist in making selections for paint, fixtures, staging, and more if needed. Our Listing Managers facilitate the entire process of obtaining bids, scheduling appointments, meeting contractors, and managing projects on your behalf. This personalized service gives our sellers peace of mind knowing that their home is being prepared at the highest standard. 

Thinking about selling your home? Reach out to us to learn more about the current market, your home’s value, and how we can help you prepare your home to net a higher dollar and faster sale.

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