Realtor Meg McQuillan recommends the top three things to prep your home for sale
Whether a buyer’s or seller’s market, you never want to leave significant money on the table from failing to prepare your home for sale. The difference some effort makes on your behalf will not only translate to the highest possible selling price but also the speediest transaction possible. Short of any major renovations, here is where to focus:
Declutter: When buyers see a clean, crisp and clutter-free home, they can envision moving right in and making it their own. It also provides a perception that the home has been well-maintained. Separate your excess items into three categories: save (buy several large storage bins in advance), donate and trash. Remove photos, personal items, papers and more from walls, bulletin boards, the tops of furnishings (dressers, desks and all horizontal surfaces) inside all cabinets and closets and, possibly the greatest cluttering spaces of all, the attic and garage.
Refresh: If needed, transform your home from dated to current with an easy refresh! Remove out-of-date items such as heavy floral curtains, dark furnishings and accessories. A local home stager or decorator can handle this for you, buying or renting current accessories and placing them throughout your home for an instant and appealing refresh. Don’t forget the bathrooms! Fresh new, unused white towels go a long way.
Spruce up the curb appeal: What is one of the first things buyers do when a new home hits the market? They drive by it. The first impression, whether online or in-person, is extremely important as it sets the tone for the entire home’s perceived condition and causes buyers to either make a showing appointment or not. If you have the means, hire a professional landscaper to tend to the property for weeding, mulching, cutting back overgrown greenery and planting flowering pots by the front and side doors. Top it off with a new welcome mat at the door and you’ve set the stage to welcome buyers in.
The best way to start this process is to call your local realtor and ask them to walk through your home. Your Realtor can provide you with a prioritized to-do list, share names of stagers and decorators, donation facilities and landscapers as well as provide a comprehensive price opinion on your home based on the current market. 917-4394433 cell, meg.mcquillan@sothebys.realty