The recent pandemic has been taxing, both emotionally and financially for a lot of Americans. It created the biggest spike in unemployment in America. At its height, over 15 percent of Americans were left jobless. Over 58 million people applied for unemployment assistance since the pandemic began. However, these checks were often delayed. And they could only do so much.
For a lot of people, there’s no choice but to downsize. This means selling off their home and other belongings and live in a much smaller and affordable residence. It also means downgrading to a lifestyle they can easily afford.
Whether you’re selling your home to downsize or you’re selling your extra home for extra cash, you need to make the necessary preparations. This way, you can increase your chances of getting a better deal from your buyers. Plus, you also need to let go of any emotional attachment you have for your home. Here’s how to get your property ready for a sale.
Find a Trusted Real Estate Agent
Selling a home by yourself can get difficult, especially if you don’t have enough knowledge and experience in doing so. You need to find a good set of buyers, process mountains of paperwork, and more. Do yourself a favor and hire a real estate agent.
Ask your friends and family if they have any recommendations. If you’re looking for one on your own, look for one that’s knowledgeable about properties in your area and have years of experience in selling homes. Don’t be afraid to talk to multiple agents or even interviewing some of their clients before you make your choice.
Start by Depersonalizing
You’ll open your home to potential buyers or provide virtual tours of it soon. You want them to be able to imagine themselves living on your property. As such, it’s important to depersonalize it.
Put away anything related to you and your family, like photographs, artworks (yes, including the mandala flower painting you have in your room), and heirlooms. Pack up any furniture and appliances you plan on taking with you, too. If some of them are too difficult to pack right away, make sure they don’t look distracting.
Do Some Decluttering
Even after depersonalizing your home, you may still have a boatload of stuff in your home that buyers may notice. Those books on your shelves and boxes in your kitchen will definitely distract buyers from the best qualities of your house.
Remove the boxes in your attic and basement and move them to a storage facility. If you don’t need the stuff inside, donate them to your local charity or sell them in a garage sale. Think of decluttering and depersonalizing as a way to jumpstart your packing process.
Improve Your Curb Appeal
Curb appeal refers to how attractive your property when viewed from the sidewalk. Your buyers craft their first impression the moment they see your house from the garage or curb. Why not make it the best one every time?
- Landscaping – Give your lawn and backyard a makeover by pulling weeds out and giving the grass a uniform mow and trim. Remove any dead plants and replace them with new ones. There are a lot of affordable but beautiful plants out there like aloe vera, bamboo and lilies.
- Door Replacement – The door is the first thing guests and buyers will interact with when they approach your home. You need to present them with something that’s not only beautiful but also sturdy to show that your house is secure. If your door is starting to rot or rust, you need to replace it with a solid wood or steel one.
Repaint Your Walls
Everyone has different tastes when it comes to the color of their home’s interior walls. You may love bright yellow, but it may be too loud for some buyers. Repaint it to a neutral color like light green, cream, pewter neutral and dark beige. It’s rare for buyers to hate these shades, as they work well with just about any furniture or appliance color.
There’s No Such Thing as Too Clean
Make sure your house is spotless before you let any guests in for visits or virtual tours. There may be certain smells in your home that may put off your buyers, like musk from mold or faint smells of sewage. Have an inspector investigate these for you. They’ll provide recommendations on how to get rid of them, like fixing your plumbing or getting rid of possible mold in your inner walls. Work on them immediately to ensure your home is completely safe and clean.
Whether you’re selling your home because you need to or you just want extra income during this pandemic, you need to make a variety of preparations. Although finding a good real estate agent and repainting your walls may take a lot of effort, they’re essential to increasing your chances of getting a favorable sale.
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