Seller’s Checklist – Downsizing or Moving, You Need a Plan
Whether downsizing or looking to move, the prospect of selling your house is exciting, yet it can sometimes be overwhelming with the amount of things you need to do in advance. That being said, we thought we would simplify the task and give you a super easy and helpful guide to follow for some of the things you should do when planning to list your home on the market. Keep on reading to see our list of to-dos before listing!
Figure out what can be improved
An easy one, but often an overlooked task. Before listing your home, do your due diligence and walk through it, and think what can either be improved upon or fixed. Leaky faucet? Write that down. Furnace has been chugging along without an issue for the past 10 years? Write that down as well. By doing this “inventory” of your home, you can have a list of everything that you know can be improved upon in your home. If they are pretty simple to replace or rather inexpensive, you can take care of these blemishes yourself, which will further increase the value of your home. On the other hand, you can give this list to potential buyers, so there will be less of a shock-factor when they read the home inspector’s reports.
Debate what is and what is not to be sold
Your home is beautiful, no doubt, but some potential buyers may look at your home in the way that you have decorated it, and not at its base. While buyers understand that “living items” (such as furniture, curtains, general decor) will go with you, they may not know that you also want to take that pot rack bolted to the ceiling. It is a general assumption that anything that is bolted or fixed to the wall or ceiling goes to the buyer, so it you do want to take the chandelier or flat screen TV with you, be sure to tell your agent so it can be excluded in the contract, and it is clear to all potential buyers.
Clean
A simple task but oh-so important. Whether you like it or not, buyers will be poking around in every nook and cranny of your home. Sure, looking through some areas—like dresser drawers—are heavily frowned upon, but there is always a chance that someone will do it. You are much better off to have everything cleaned in your home, as a clean home is going to bring a potential buyer back for another look. Hiring a professional service to come in could cost you in the short-run, but the long-term gains in sale price will greatly overshadow it. If you are strapped on time, hiring a service to do this for you could be a wise and lucrative investment.
Selling your home is certainly not easy, and don’t get us wrong—it can be intimidating. However, when you have an experienced and trusted agent on your side, there is no need to fret. If you are thinking about selling your home, come on in today and see how our team of professionals can make the process easy and virtually stress-free!
