Tips on Getting Your Home Ready to Sell

First and foremost, if you’re looking to sell your home soon, congratulations on your new endeavor! We’ve just made the decision to move down south to Santa Barbara and we’re so excited about our new adventure. The idea of moving is always fun in theory but I know that it can be a bit overwhelming when you begin to think of all the things you need to do. Just putting your home on the market takes prep work and a ton of time but once you have a plan you can begin to breathe easier. If you know me, you know that I’m always sharing my home so luckily the house was in pretty good shape when I began making a to-do list for placing it on the market. Even with my home being as organized as it was I still felt a bit overwhelmed at times with the entire process so I hope that some of the tips and tricks that I’ve learned along the way will help give you a sense of direction when pulling your home together. 

Declutter

Whether you are packing up your home yourself or hiring movers you don’t want to bring anything along to your new home unless you’re absolutely in love with it. This is a fresh start and a time for you to decorate your new space with a whole new outlook. Plus, it’s so much work to unpack tons of items that you’ve already been looking at for years! Time to channel your inner Marie Kondo and begin decluttering.

My trouble area was my closet. Thinking about getting it ready for buyers was a source of stress. I tackled this first and it was a much needed relief. I don’t suggest doing a full purge because that can be too big of chore. Instead put your staging glasses on and consider it a ‘tidy’. Start with the trouble area first… once you get the most daunting spaces out of the way I promise those nerves will become can-do energy! Just clearing spaces makes me so happy. Also, donating is a good thing. It’s a win win for everyone.

P.s. I read that it’s also a good idea to clear out some of the shelves in your closet to give the space a larger look and feel. It’s incredible the mind games that you learn along the way. I know that I always feel like things seem bigger when emptier. The buyer is no different. What are your thoughts on this? 

After I attack my closets I then do the same with my kitchen cabinets. People love to take a peek where the heart of the home is. Time to get rid of some of the mismatched dishes and mugs. You’ll thank me later. ;)

Give the Yard a Refresh

I always like to suggest pulling anything that looks messy in your yard and planting a few new flowers for the ultimate curb appeal. This time around I added some colorful petunias to line the walkway and steps and even more to my large backyard urn focal piece. It’s amazing the difference this provides to the overall look. Another tip – add fresh small black mulch to all your planter beds. It not only helps the colorful plants stand out more but it gives your yard that model home vibe that people crave. Serafin helped me with this by adding a yard of fresh mulch to my garden. Everything smells great and it also helps keep the weeds at bay. I love doing this each season no matter what simply because of how mulch helps make your yard look clean and beautiful.

Another tip – If you have any water fountains, a gas fire pit, built-in grill, or Jacuzzi, make sure they are usable and let your realtor know they are in great working condition in case buyers ask.

P.s. I spent one day refreshing my yard at most. There are a lot of other things that need to be done to prepare our homes so try to keep it simple and just look at your home as a buyer would in the short time they are there. What are the few small things that you can do to make a bigger impact?

Clean the Windows

We always have our windows cleaned after the rainy season each year and especially before we ever list our home. Beautiful photographs get interested buyers to your home. Super important when trying to sell. Our eyes can work around water spots on windows but photographs don’t lie. Sparkling windows give the appearance that your home is always kept super clean. Important to buyers. Being able to showcase your homes with bright natural light streaming through the windows is going to help make it stand out even more. Amazing that something so simple can make such a huge impact.

P.s. On showing day don’t forget to open all curtains and shades. Also make sure to dust your lights and turn them on. Are all your light bulbs working? If not, make sure to replace with nice bright bulbs. The bulbs that don’t need changing I clean off as well. Another thing – check the climate inside your home. You want your home to be bright, cheery and the perfect temperature for everyone’s comfort level! Think model home cool. :)

Hire a Handyman

Let’s face it, every home has a few quirks that we’ve learned to live with. For example, our patio doors were sticking a bit when I tried opening them. I asked a handyman to come take a look at the doors and they were fixed within minutes. To a potential buyer seeing these seemingly small issues can cause them to question how well your home has been taken care of. Taking the time to correct these things is well worth the effort as potential buyers don’t want to see issues before buying.

Remove Personal Items & Rethink rooms

If you’re preparing your home for the market I’m sure you’ve heard this by now but it’s well worth reiterating, make sure to place all personal items like family photos and other special items away before showing your home. It’s important for a buyer to picture themselves and their family creating new memories in the house. To fill the gap I like to include more flowers (fresh or faux) and other beautiful decor pieces to add more life to the space.

Do you have a multi functioning room in your home? We do! Our office, which also acts as an exercise room. For our weekend showings we made sure to place the bike in the garage to help open the space. The office feels so much larger as a result and the room has a designated purpose rather than looking like a catch-all space. The more open, bright and airy the home looks, the better!

Try to remember that when preparing your home for the market or even if you are simply trying to give your home that yearly upkeep – you don’t have to go crazy and take on a ton of work. Simply follow some of the tips I’ve shared here and your home will be sold and looking more pulled together than ever.
Do you have any more tips for all the home sellers and those looking to keep their homes a little more organized in 2021? Please share all in the comments below!

xo,
Kristy

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