Are you ready to sell? There is a lot you may want to do before you feel your home is ready to hit the market, but before you tackle that list, have an agent from Sawyer Realty help you evaluate what your home truly needs. You may not have to replace the carpet and paint the walls to sell, so why spend the energy and money? We can also provide tips and assistance for decluttering your home. You don’t need to wait until your ready to put your home on the market, you can start as early as six months or even a year before your home lists.
Personalized Checklist
- Home Inspection
- Maintenance
- Decluttering & Depersonalizing
- Deep Cleaning
- Curb Appeal
- Staging
Home Inspection
Consider having your home inspected before listing. In doing this, you will learn if there are any major repairs needed and can address those before the house goes on the market. When it comes to finding the right home inspector or help, Sawyer Realty can assist you.
Maintenance to Consider
- Have HVAC serviced
- Replace air filters
- Replace lightbulbs
- Fix leaky faucets or plumbing
- Assess the condition of your roof
- Assess the condition of your windows
- Identify where you can store extra items and boxes as you declutter
Declutter & Depersonalize
Clutter can cause a space to appear smaller than it is. The less clutter your home has in it when you list, the better it is going to show. To achieve a neat and orderly house, begin organizing and pre-packing items that are not regularly used. Storage is a priority for many buyers; therefore it’s necessary to show that your home offers the space desired.
Phase 1 – Say Goodbye
Start going through your home one room at a time, beginning at the front door and finishing with the attic and garage. Identify items you no longer need. Sort these items into three boxes: trash, donate and sell.
Phase 2 – Store for Later
Buyers want to see your home’s space and size. Store items that you can live without until you are in your new space to declutter and excentuate the size of your home.
- Removing excess furniture will make your home appear larger.
- Storing off-season clothes will make your closets appear bigger.
- Remove unused kitchen utensils and appliances, clear kitchen counters as much as possible.
- Store and organize children toys, books, and games
- Depersonalize by removing items like family photos, awards, and memorabilia
Deep Clean
It’s time to clean the hard-to-clean, time-consuming parts of your home. Polishing up these spaces will make your home shine during showings. You can either hire a cleaning crew or roll up your sleeves and get to it. Whichever you choose, ensure the below items are all thoroughly cleaned before listing.
Bathrooms
- Wipe the doors, walls, and ceilings
- Wash throw rugs
- Thoroughly clean toilets, sinks, showers and tubs
- Ensure grout and caulking is clean and mold-free (watch this tutorial – we’ve tried it and it works)
- Mop the floor
- Wipe lightbulbs and fixtures
Bedrooms
- Wipe doors, walls, and ceilings
- Dust all surfaces
- Clean window treatments
- Wash mirrors and insides of windows
- Shampoo or steam-clean carpets and rugs
Family Rooms
- Dust ceiling fans, bookcases, and shelves
- Wipe doors, walls, and ceilings
- Wipe lightbulbs
- Clean window treatments
- Clean and dust electronics
- Shampoo or steam clean carpets and rugs
Kitchen
- Clean the refrigerator and freezer
- Degrease cooking appliances
- Clean window treatments
- Wash all surfaces, cabinets, and utensils
- Sweep, vacuum, and mop floors
Curb Appeal
The exterior of your home is the first, and often lasting, impression when buyers drive by your home or view photos online. The home exterior is often the deciding factor if a buyer will even view your home as a possibility.
Things you can do to increase curb appeal
- Paint front door (if needed)
- Paint trim, porch, shutters (if needed)
- Clean windows
- Power wash exterior of the home, garage, and any exterior sheds or buildings
- Mulch flower beds and borders
- Clean gutters
- Paint or replace the mailbox if needed
- Plant flowers if seasonally appropriate
Staging
Once you have completed all the items on your personalized todo list, Sawyer Realty will evaluate your home again. At this point, we will help stage your home for photos and showings. This can include using items currently available in the home or bringing in items to present an ideal picture to potential buyers.
