Preparing your house for sale is a necessary task if you want to better your chances of an offer being presented. These steps not only can get you a quicker sell but maybe even a better offer. Here is a checklist of 7 things you should do before your house is shown to a potential buyer.
Get rid of clutter – Clutter makes a house look smaller, even if the buyer knows the square footage, it is the visual aspect they will react to. This means you may need to pack up a few things, maybe rent a storage unit. Remember, this includes closets. Everyone is concerned about storage space so keep closets clean and organized.
Make the beds – If you don’t usually make the bed in the morning before you leave for work, you will need to change your ways. Since your agent may want to bring prospective buyers to your house at any time it is best to just make a habit of keeping the beds made. An un-made bed may not be a deal breaker but it can leave a bad impression with some people.
Light – Use natural light as much as possible by leaving your curtains drawn to let in light. Although artificial light may be needed for the interior of the home, it can give off a gloomy feeling.
Clean the yard – Just like the interior, the exterior need to be keep up. Keep the grass cut, clean out any sheds or other exterior buildings as well.
Pet – Although you may have the sweetest dog in the world, plan ahead on how to handle keeping the dog or other pets confined while potential buyers are viewing the home. Some people have aversions to animals, especially inside the home so be aware you may run off a buyer if you let the pets roam free inside.
Smell – Be sure your home does not have any bad smells. Scented candles and other air fresheners can help avoid any problems in this area.
Leave the house – Let the agent do the showing around. The presence of the current owner can leave potential buyers apprehensive about giving the house a thorough looking over and being able to speak frankly about it. At the same time though, be accessible to the agent in case there are any questions which need to be answered.