10 Easy Steps To Prepare Your Home For Sale

If you are getting ready to list your house, don’t become victim to just slapping your home on the market. Make a plan and take these steps to get the outside ready in addition to the interior. Many people focus on items on the inside (refer to my previous article about staging on my website blog at MeganB.com), but don’t forget about the exterior!  Keep in mind that as our inventory of homes for sale is still very low, many buyers are scaling the streets looking for signs and/or driving by a home as soon  as it hits the market.  Remember that first impressions count…a lot! You don’t have to break the bank, but a small investment will go along way in generating the offer you are looking for. Here are 10 easy steps to guide you to a maintained look from the curbside all the way to the backyard fence:

 

1. PAINT THE FRONT DOOR: Here in San Diego, we are subject to a lot of sunshine…which deteriorates the exterior finishes rather quickly.  Freshen up the front door with a clean coat of paint. If your house has a neutral hue, don’t be afraid to use a contrasting pop of color to draw the eye to the home. Besides the yard, this is the potential buyer’s first contact with your house.
2. FRESH BARK WILL BECOME YOUR BEST FRIEND: Snip away weeds, clean up overgrown plants, and lay fresh bark in flower/plant beds and around the trim areas of the yards.  Mulch/bark is the least expensive and most impactful way to give your yard a facelift.
3. LIGHT UP YOUR PORCH: Remember that many people will drive by your home after they get off work, which could be in the dark. Make sure your light bulbs all work and showcase the house from the street. Keeping your home well lit also helps with safety while the world knows your home is on the market and access may be easier.
4. MAKE OVER THE MAILBOX: Many of us live with old, ragged mailboxes that we inherited with the home when we bought it. Now, you don’t have to go crazy here with design choices. Basic mailboxes are not terribly expensive to replace if you want to mount one on the wall, but some other options are to put a nice wicker basket at your front porch with a sign that says “mail” on it, or a fresh coat of paint on the existing mailbox.
5. ADD NEW CHIC HOUSE NUMBERS: This simple touch does wonders for the look..and also helps people find your home more easily! Remember to keep it neutral and in keeping with the architectural theme of your  home.
6. GREET THEM WITH FLOWERS: Pops of color in the garden beds and/or in potted plants really warm up a space and make it feel more inviting. Make sure it is something that is in season so that you can keep it alive!
7. LAY  OUT A NEW WELCOME MAT: A brand new, inexpensive door mat will do wonders and keep the visitor’s shoes a little cleaner before entering your home.
8. CLEAN COBWEBS: These darned things reappear overnight! Before a showing and open houses, take a broom and sweep away cobwebs from plants, pots, outdoor furniture, light fixtures, ,etc.  It really makes a huge difference!
9. REMOVE PERSONAL ITEMS FROM YOUR YARD: You know to put away your family photos and knickknacks from  the inside…you want to do the the same outside.  Now is the time to pack up the personalized stepping stones and art projects, pet toys, children’s toys, etc.
10. TIE IT ALL TOGETHER: One really effective way to make your home look more high-end on a shoestring budget is to make sure little things match…from seat cushions (you can get really inexpensive ones at Ikea or Tuesday Morning), pots for plants, and accessories.  Remove items that are beyond the end of their lifespan…remember that you want your visitors to imagine their lives here…that includes envisioning beautiful outdoor entertaining and relaxing!

I hope this is helpful information for you! I often will consult with my clients in helping them prepare their homes for sale, which results in a superior marketing position for them.  If you should need recommendations, please don’t hesitate to contact me!