Do I Still Need To Prep My House For Sale?

Do you still need to? Of course you do! Anytime you want to sell your home and earn the most possible from the sale, you absolutely need to prepare your home by putting your best foot forward and listening to your Realtor. He/She sells many more homes, on a regular basis, than you ever have. A Realtor shows homes to real buyers, not HDTV buyers....but those ones are pretty good too!

So what do you have to do? What steps should you take? Walk through your home with your Realtor, let them guide you. Below are some simple suggestions, but each home may have a separate obstacle that your Realtor will teach you how to overcome.

We don't want just one person that likes your home enough to write an offer, we want several...


1) Clutter ~ may seem like an easy one. But, you may not see the clutter that someone else does. That toaster you use once a week? Put it away. That knife block? Can you put in inside the cabinet instead? Have a couple things on the counters, but not so many that you can't see. Furniture too. You may have a couple of really cozy pieces that you can hardly walk around. Move something out. NO, don't worry that your garage will be filled. Buyers would rather see a nicely laid out home with a crowded garage than not be able to see the floors or counters.

2) Highlight the good ~ People like center islands in the kitchen. They like fireplaces in the family room. And, some really like built-ins in their home too. Again, show off the center island. Can it be another eating place? Set a 'table' on it with pretty plates and place mats. If not quite big enough, place a potted plant or vase with fresh flowers. Fireplace? Make sure it's not just looking like an ugly old square box. It will be the focal point when you are arranging furniture, is sure better be, so make it nice too. Paint a wall near by. Add some candlesticks of different heights. Maybe a piece of art that draws the eye. If it still has the dated bronze screen, spend the money and put a more modern one in it's place. The built-ins that all your family keepsakes are in? Make sure it isn't overwhelming with...you got it clutter..... and make sure the colors go with the rest of the home. There should always be a similar flow of color through the house. Does any painting need to be touched up?

3) Clean ~ and keep it clean! Plan to do a spring cleaning, including the windows and their sills, and plan on keeping up on that level of cleanliness. Nothing worse that a buyer looking at a bathroom with toothpaste stuck in the sink, or the morning bacon frying pan still on the stove. Remember, you'll have less clutter, so it will be much easier to keep it sparkling. Animal care needs to be top notch. Litter boxes need to be hidden and super clean. Dog piles in the back yard need to be non-existent.

4) Landscaping/Exterior ~ Keep your gardener, even if it's you, on his toes! Make sure no dead spots on lawn. Trim all bushes. Keep fresh little lovely flowers in the beds. Make sure all exterior is swept and washed down. Any obvious peeling paint should be repaired prior to putting your home on the market.

5) Model home decorator touches ~ We all know how beautiful those model homes are. And, I'm here to remind you that buyers swoon over that kind of appearance. Anything, and I mean anything, that you can do to make your home look and feel more model perfect? Do it! Color coordinated bath towels. Candles, music and lights ~ all an absolute must.

There will be items we, as Realtors, suggest that pertain to your individual home. I strongly recommend you accomplish them......father maybe knows best, but Realtors know better....when it comes to the sale of your home.