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Selling your home isn't always easy. In order to get the best value for your property it is critical to use your time and energy wisely in preparation. This way the sale will go smoothly and will hopefully satisfy your goals. Read on for some great tips to help get the interior and exterior of your house ready for the market and ultimately (hopefully) get it SOLD!

1) Make Sure the Landscaping Looks as Good as Possible 
Curb appeal is important.. don't underestimate the buyers first impression because it could initiate their positive or negative attitude about the rest of your home. There is no need to go over the top... just try to make sure everything looks neat and preferably 'alive'. Trim the bushes, mow the lawn, maybe even buy a few bags of mulch or straw to put in the flower beds for a small but prosperous transformation. These simple improvements can increase home value believe it or not!
 


2) Clutter FREE
This is a really helpful home selling tip because it is one of the most cost effective ones - make your home clutter free (as best you can). Maximizing the space you have to work with is key. The more clutter, the smaller the space feels and a little bit more awkward for buyers as well. This doesn't mean you necessarily have to go through every little thing and organize it, there are alternatives. You can put things away in closets or drawers just to clear out the space or even rent a small & cheap storage unit to simply hide things away for showings. Keep in mind that the majority of today's buyers love spaces that feel bright and open. Many people are not able to have a 'vision' of what the home could look like for them, so help them out by creating a vision for them (one without your clutter in it).

3) Fresh Paint?
It is amazing how a new paint job can COMPLETELY and I mean completely change a room. We highly recommend getting advice from an experienced Real Estate agent or interior designer on this one. Considering trends change every year, it is important to have your home fit the wants and needs of the masses considering buying it. Make sure the interiors do not look dreary and dark.. neutrals seem to be a safe play but don't be afraid to spice it up with a fresh contemporary color here and there. 



4) This is Where We Come In
This next step - hiring a great Real Estate agent - is an important one. Not only does working with a professional have a TON of benefits, it also takes so much stress off of you as a seller. Having an experienced agent, it is more likely to sell faster and even reap more money for your home than if you sold on your own. Before the selling even starts, a Real Estate agent can help you price your home correctly, give you advice and tips on the best and most cost effective ways to upgrade your home, and ultimately help lead you through each step of the selling process so you don't feel overwhelmed. 


5) Get a Sign Up In The Yard
As simple as this sounds, it is crucial to market your home everywhere OFF the online market as well. The basic task of putting a "For Sale" sign up in your yard or down the street on a busy road could be the helping hand in leading someone directly to your property. Real estate signage shouldn't be underestimated. Many homes have solely been sold just because of the "For Sale" sign over the years. Think about it... there are plenty of people out there that 'don't necessarily want to move right now but if that PERFECT house was for sale then maybe..' then they see your house & the "For Sale" sign out front - and it's their DREAM home!
Don't skip the basics.



6) Get Professional Photos Taken
Pictures are a very important piece to the selling puzzle - these can make or break your sale! Being the very first thing anyone sees regarding your sale, the photos will leave the buyer(s) with their first impression and from there the decision is made to see it in person. If the pictures look like horrible quality or don't give the home any justice at all whatsoever, the chances of people looking at the photos then thinking, "Wow, that's beautiful! I want to see the inside!", are super slim. If you don't have great picture taking skills or a good quality camera, hire a professional to take them - trust me, it's worth it. Here's an example why...
https://badmlsphotos.com



7) Consider Making a Video Tour
In addition to photos, it is a good idea to use some form of a video or slideshow tour. We have tried this for some of our listings for sale and even for rent and shows to be super successful. Again, when working with a Real Estate agent, you will also get years of experience and several trustworthy contacts allowing for the best recommendations and services - including videography and photography. Having a video tour of a listing can really help seal the deal after the buyer views the photos. 

8) Make Sure You're Marketing on All Channels
Another thing to keep in mind when hiring a real estate agent - make sure they know what resources are available in regards to online marketing. Some agents are a bit more old school and don't take on the fresh online marketing tools. A realtor with their own website is awesome, but it is tremendously beneficial if they have Instagram, Twitter & Facebook accounts as well to market on every platform. (YouTube is a plus!) Using all of these marketing sources for your property will give it way more exposure than just being on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service). Making your home stand out from the competition is key! 
 
examples from our marketing platforms ^ (Facebook//Instagram)

9) Good Lighting is Your Best Friend
What do you think looks more inviting: open blinds lighting up a room or closed blinds leaving it dark and dreary? Doesn't really take a genius to answer that one, but sometimes it is amazing the basic things that people forget when showing their home. Take advantage of every single bit of light you can to open up your home and make it bright as can be. Even buying LED lightbulbs can help brighten it up to the next level. A good recommendation for showings is to always make sure all blinds are open, curtains are drawn back and all lights are on. Presentation is super important even if it takes you that much more time for set up each time a person comes to look at the property. 

10) Consider Getting a Professional Cleaning
A dirty home can turn buyers away quicker than anything else most times. The easiest way to make sure this doesn't happen, is to hire a professional cleaning company. Again, Real Estate agents typically know of fabulous recommendations for this process. Kitchen and baths are very important spaces that need to be clean. Anywhere that people would see their hygiene being affected needs to be spotless. If you have carpets, make sure they are cleaned as well. Not only does it look great when carpets are cleaned with the fresh vacuum marks across the floor, but it smells lovely too. Getting your home cleaned will really help in the long run and save you money from a potential buyer backing out because the house seems dirty or uncared for.


11) Get Advice on What Needs to Be Repaired 
It is sometimes a soft subject discussing what renovations need to be done versus what doesn't really matter to a seller before putting their house on the market. What will you get your money back on? This is where your RE agent comes in... again. If your agent advises you on fixing some things like a hole in the fence, a leaky toilet, faulty wiring or stains on the walls & ceiling, you should probably do it! These are minor yet significant things that a buyer will use in their favor to try and negotiate a lower price for the home. Prevent this by being ready and prepared for the buyers home inspection! Get the small fixes done with the help and advice from a Real Estate agent.

12) Turn Bad Smells Into Good Ones
In many circumstances, a persons home can smell a certain way that they don't realize. This can be due to many reasons - such as cooking odors, pet odors or even trash odors if you leave things laying around for several days. Have someone you trust like a close friend or even your Realtor to come in and evaluate the smells to determine if you need to do more cleaning. Odors can really drive away a sale because buyers will seem to believe it is not possible to get rid of it. 


13) Make Your Kitchen Look Appealing
A sweet spot for many buyers is the kitchen. If they like two different houses pretty much the same but one has a more inviting and appealing kitchen with more updated appliances, more chances than not they will want to go with that listing. If your countertop is from the 70's or 80's you may want to get it replaced. I know, this sounds like $$ going down the drain, but there are actually several ways to update a kitchen and stay under budget while also making it look gorgeous. 
 


14) Organize
When people come to look at your home, expect them to look behind every single door - including closets & the garage. Help yourself and your sale out by organizing ahead of time. The better your space looks, the more able buyers are to imagine themselves in the home with all of their things. If your home looks disorganized and cluttered, the buyer will be so focussed on that, they will struggle to see themselves living there with all of their things. 

15) Get Your Pets a Sitter For Showings
As difficult as this may be for pet owners... some people just really don't like pets. However, they may want to make a fabulous offer on your home. Just to be safe, go ahead and schedule for your pets to be somewhere else for showings where they can be comfortable. Maybe go visit some friends or take them to a park. Even having the odors left behind in your home from your pets can be a real turn-off for some people. So keep this in mind!

Hope these tips help you prepare your home - now get on your way to selling! Good luck