There is lots to do if you are going to sell your home and move somewhere else. The first step is to consider whether you are selling the home on your own or getting an agent, but once you have moved past that step, a lot of the following steps for both methods are pretty similar.
Assess Repair Needs
If you want to get the most value from your home when you sell it, then everything needs to be in good working order. Carefully check over all electrical systems, plumbing, air conditioning, the water heater, and any systems and appliances that will be left with the home. Check them over to see if they need any repairs. Also check the roof for any signs of leaking. You may need to repaint as well, fill in holes, and do other repairs that will make your home look more attractive and help you to get the highest possible market value.
Determine What You Will Leave Behind
You may not want to take all of your appliances with you, and if you are leaving behind the fridge, washing machine, microwave or other appliances, make sure they are in good condition so that they will add real value of your home. When you put the home up for sale, ensure that the real estate agent and any potential buyers know what will be left behind and what will be taken, if you haven’t moved out already.
Clean House
You want your home to be as attractive as possible for buyers, so it needs to be thoroughly cleaned. The better you clean it, the more appealing it will be, and you may not want to leave this kind of work to do yourself. It’s something that could be done by professionals to ensure that the house is really cleaned well and that nothing is left undone. This is probably the most important cleaning you will ever do in your home, so it needs to be perfect. If you don’t move out right after, then you should work to keep the home clean. Your home cleaning should involve not just wiping down, dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, and window washing, but you also want to deodorize, remove stains, sanitize, and get rid of pests. You’re not just cleaning for your own standards anymore but the potentially very high standards of interested buyers who want to make your house their home.
Create a Showing Schedule
You will need to be able to show your house off to interested buyers, and one way you can do that is by keeping a perpetually open house. This means someone will have to stay at home to show the house off to anyone who wants to stop in.
You could also set up specific times for showings, which can work around your schedule, but then you limit how many people can come see the house.
Keep these things in mind as you prepare to sell your house so that you can maximize your home’s selling potential.
