The Ultimate Checklist To Complete Before Listing Your Home
Linda Lombardini
"Linda is the consummate professional when it comes to dealing with real estate in the Ann Arbor area...
"Linda is the consummate professional when it comes to dealing with real estate in the Ann Arbor area...
Hire a great real estate agent.
Selling your home without a real estate agent is almost always a recipe for disaster. It's important to interview agents that can list your home at the right price, maximize your home's exposure to potential buyers, are experts about your community, and have strong negotiating skills.
Also, we would be thrilled to be interviewed if you need any help!
Make a great first impression when a buyer pulls up.
You never get a second chance to make a good first impression, and that counts for your home too! Buyers might be less likely to check out the rest of a house if the outside is unappealing—even if the interior is stunning.
If you’re looking to sell your house, a few inexpensive changes to your home’s exterior could help make the process smoother. From being able to sell faster to add greater value to the asking price.
Clutter will leave buyers with a bad taste.
Cleaning is an important part of that process! From ceiling fans to baseboards there is so much to clean when you’re moving out.
To help out further, we wrote a blog about cleaning tips before selling your home. Read the 9 tips here.
People don't want to see all of your family photos...
...just some of them! The photo of your dog that is sitting on the mantle is cute, leave it there! The family photo of your last vacation? Leave it there! Just don't leave too many...your goal should be to create a welcoming home with enough of a blank canvas for the buyer to create their own ideas.
Remember, neutral is better.
You may have loved that mural you painted as an accent wall when you first moved in, but you can easily lose a buyer as soon as they see it. Play it safe by painting your walls with light neutral colors. It can allow the buyer to envision what colors they may change the walls too.
Make all your handles nice and snug.
This is a small fix, but you would be amazed how impactful it is to tighten your handles on cabinets and doors. Outside of that, look for small fixes like changing light bulbs or removing scuffs on any objects around the house.
Plants bring life into the home.
Adding some house plants will create a welcoming feeling for buyers. Place them in inviting areas of your home such as the kitchen and living room.
Smell test your home.
Even the slightest sense of an odor will have buyers wanting to leave your home as fast as possible. Seriously, this can be a huge deal breaker on whether or not you get an offer. If you want to make sure all is smelling well, invite over a third-party guest to give you a little smell test.
Hide anything valuable to you.
Make sure you hide anything that is of value to you or your family. This can include jewelry, coins, firearms or art. It's best to lock it up or take it off-site. Better safe then sorry!
Staging makes all the difference.
If your house looks like it is right out the 80's, it's probably best that you find a professional staging company to spruce things up. Retro is cool though - ask us what to do.