Pre-Listing Tips: Things to Do Before Listing Your House for Sale | Real Estate
Are you thinking of putting your house up for sale this year? You can take charge of the pre-listing preparation with these three simple steps. Dedicate a few weekends to complete the work -things to do before listing your house, and you’ll be ready to impress prospective buyers and close the deal.
Step 1: Clean and declutter
It may sound obvious, but the importance of cleaning and decluttering cannot be overstated. Here are some ideas to make this process nearly painless.
Before starting the cleaning process, it’s important to declutter your house. This is an ideal opportunity to get rid of unwanted items by donating them to charity or local “buy nothing” groups. You can also dispose of large metal items by reaching out to your local recycling company or municipality for free pickup or drop-off options.
Deep-cleaning your house is the most time-consuming step, but it’s worth the effort. You can involve your family members to make the process faster. Treat it like a thorough spring cleaning, with special attention to kitchens, bathrooms, and windows. This will significantly enhance the appearance of your home.
Closets, cabinets, and drawers should also be organized. Potential buyers often check these areas to assess the storage space, so it’s important to keep them clutter-free.
Step 2: Make small repairs
Take care of these problems before you take listing photos or get ready to do showings, either through in-person or video tours. These are all fixes that you can do yourself.
Ensure that any leaking faucets and running toilets are fixed. Replace any worn-out caulking around tubs, showers, and sinks. Freshen up or repair grout wherever necessary. Fix any damaged walls and repaint them in a neutral, generally pleasing color that complements your home. Replace any cracked or broken windows and damaged window screens. Don’t forget to replace any burned-out lightbulbs.
Step 3: Go for curb appeal
You want potential buyers to be charmed by the outside of your house so they look forward to seeing the inside. Extend your pumped-up spring cleaning to the outside of your house too.
To keep your home looking neat and well-maintained, it’s important to take care of the outdoor areas. This can be achieved by trimming bushes, shrubs, and trees so that they don’t touch the roof or siding. Additionally, repairing broken downspouts and gutters is crucial to prevent any water damage. Sprucing up your yard with new mulch, river rock, or pea gravel can give your landscaping an instant facelift. Concrete areas like driveways and walkways should be cleaned and repaired to get rid of any oil or grease stains and weed growth. Adding pots of annuals can bring a pop of color to your outdoor space, and a new welcome mat and visible house numbers can enhance your home’s curb appeal.
With just a moderate amount of effort, you can make your house beautiful and welcoming, both inside and out.
