How to Prepare Your House for Sale: 6 Tips

People are often disappointed that they have a great property, and yet they can’t seem to get it to sell. One of the problems is typically that the seller is too close to the property to see it the way that a potential buyer sees it.

Don’t ask the buyer to use their imagination to see the potential.

Just show them the potential.

Sometimes you can do this for free. Sometimes, it costs a little money. But all these tips should help you sell your home more quickly and may increase the selling price, if not the property value itself.

Declutter

When potential buyers come into your home, it’s easy for them to be overwhelmed by your belongings. Of course, a potential buyer needs to use their imagination to envision themselves occupying the space with their own personal items, but preparing your house for sale means helping your visitors do this.

Most homes for sale could do with major decluttering. When you are living in your home, it doesn’t need to look like a showroom. But to sell faster and for more money, it can really help.

Remove as much as possible to make your spaces minimal, but warm. The goal is to make a transition into your property seem easy and to fire their imaginations without friction.

Note that decluttering extends to your cupboards and closets. You want your visitors to look inside. When they do, they should see storage space, not your clothes, boxes, or black bags. This might mean storing your stuff at a friend’s, in a garage, or in a storage unit. It’s worth it.

The bonus of decluttering is that you prepare your house for sale at the same time as preparing to move. You will either decide to get rid of items you don’t need or you will pack them up ready to move into your new lodgings.

The fact that you are less stressed about moving might also have a positive effect on your visitors who can sense when something feels good or something feels off. Desperation to sell is not a good look. Calm confidence that you will sell, however, will help you get your home sale to the next stage.

Redecorate

A simple redecoration project can give new life to an old space. It can make it seem lighter and bigger and show that the previous owners have cared for the property. Redecorating your house before sale also takes the pressure off potential buyers.

Avoid garish colors or anything too unusual. Classic, muted, and minimal are normally good keywords for this kind of decoration. Again, the visitors need to see potential.

By redecorating, you signal that this job has already been done. They can redo it if they wish, and they probably will, but you have turned it into an opportunity rather than an obligation.

Clean

Keeping your house clean might seem like a no-brainer, but it can be tempting to think it doesn’t matter as much as it does.

It can be demoralizing to have to clean the place every time someone comes to visit. However, it is worth the effort. Keeping the place impeccably clean will create an excellent impression, which is super important when you are selling a house.

Just as people get strong impressions from others from their handshakes, a warm welcome and a clean house can have the same effect.

It is not worth losing out on a sale because you didn’t clean up last night’s dinner or dispose of the garbage. Ensure that people identify your property with positive vibes and cleanliness, which will inspire them with the idea that they will do the same when they buy it.

Make repairs

Perform repairs before you show people your home for sale, especially if they are visible. It doesn’t matter if the repairs are minor. In fact, prioritize those minor repairs that (almost) anyone could do—that sticky door handle that’s difficult to turn; the creaking step; the water dripping from the bathroom faucet.

Even if you think the new owner will probably replace everything, taking care of all these minor problems removes hesitation and doubt from the potential purchaser, making the process smoother.

If you haven’t taken care of DIY jobs because you suck at DIY, don’t worry. Professionals can help you out in a fraction of the time that it would take you to fix things yourself and they needn’t cost the earth either.

Try to find them by word of mouth as a recommendation from someone is always reassuring. Failing that, you can find someone online on sites like Craigslist or Leadar.

Eliminate odors

Making sure your home smells fresh is a subtle touch, but it can make a big difference. The smell is actually the first thing we notice once we enter a property.

How we react to smells is powerful and primitive. They can remind us of positive memories, or they can make us feel afraid. Or they can be just downright unpleasant, such as mold smells or the odor of a room that hasn’t been used in a while.

Evict distracting odors by airing the house before your visitors arrive. You will also want to dispose of any garbage you have lying around. You might not be able to smell last night’s dinner, but your visitors probably can.

If you have pets, their areas will need cleaning and deodorizing. People often get used to how their animals smell. It is a big ask for visitors, though, especially if they are not pet lovers. Honestly, some people aren’t.

Add the value

Adding value involves spending time, money, and effort on improving your home. You could start with some attractive houseplants and a vase or two of fresh flowers. Of course, these things don’t change the structure of your home, but bringing nature indoors makes a fantastic impression.

At the other end of the scale, you might consider turning that loft into a usable room, building a shed, or refurbishing the bathroom and/or kitchen. This kind of work tends to increase the value of a home as well as its saleability.

Again, if this is more work than you can take on yourself, you can find professionals online who can help you. Just remember to verify that they are the real deal before sharing your property address.

To conclude

The best thing about these tips is that they are practical things that you can achieve yourself. Or speed up the results with the help of a professional. In any case, you can start today.

Go for the low-hanging fruit and follow these tips according to your priorities to make the most of what you have and make that sale fast.