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PREPARING YOUR HOME FOR THE MARKET 

This blog is the second in my series on what to do to prepare your home for sale to attract better offers.

No. 2 -  Declutter and Clean - suggestions Courtesy of 405 House of Style@ashley.lacks 

1. Start by decluttering. Get rid of everything that doesn’t serve you in your daily life. It’s a great time to get a jumpstart on packing! Less is definitely more when it comes to getting your house ready to show! Do a clean sweep of counters, windowsills, tables, and all other visible areas, and then tackle behind closed doors: closets, drawers, and cupboards—since virtually nothing is off-limits for curious buyers. If the house is overflowing with stuff, buyers might worry that the house won’t have ample space for their own belongings. They won't sign up to pay a mortgage if they think they'll also have to rent a storage space. Take your excess stuff and donate it, or pack it up to be stored off-site. Not only will clearing clutter help your house look more appealing to buyers, it will also help you once you've accepted an offer and it's time to move into a new home. Moving out will be easier if some of your stuff is already packed. 
2. Clean slate: Literally! Before you can worry about where to place furniture and which wall hanging should go where, each room in your home must be spotless. Do a thorough cleaning right down to the nitpicky details like wiping down light switch covers, cabinet faces and baseboards. Deep clean and deodorize carpets, tiles, hardwoods and window coverings. Don’t forget to clean your windows, gutters, skylights and doors. 

PREPARING YOUR HOME FOR THE MARKET 

This blog is the first in my series on what to do to prepare your home for sale to attract better offers.

No. 1  - Identify Repairs and Maintenance Items

Don’t ignore minor issues like a door that sticks or a toilet that runs.  It is easy to live with these minor things but buyers see these items as problems that may lower the value of your home.  If you have too many visible repairs buyers may wonder what is wrong with the house that they cannot see.  

Go through each room and identify repairs that need to be made.  

All appliances should be in working order and cabinet doors should open and close properly.  Make sure you don’t have any minor plumbing issues such as faucets that leak or slow drains.  

Make sure your heating and air systems are functioning properly, have them serviced if you don’t already do routinely.  Check your water heater for issues as well as any electrical items.  

Don't forget the outside of your home as well, check for peeling paint, missing weather-strippig, or issues with your windows.  Make sure patios and decks are in good conditions and make fencing repairs if needed. Landscaping should be trimmed away from the house and make sure there are no areas where water pools up against your foundation.  

Some repairs are easy, do it yourself projects while others may require a professional.  If you have more serious repairs have the job done by a professional to ensure the repairs are done correctly  

Series 2 will focus on Cleaning and Decluttering