Things To Do Before Putting Your House on the Market

Choose the right agent

Choosing the right real estate agent is absolutely imperative to you selling quickly and for the most money.

Your realtor will be the one helping you determine market value, a proper listing strategy, marketing your home, and negotiating offers so you’ll need to find somewhere with experience, knowledge of the market, sales skills & marketing experience.

Most buyers are starting their search online, so make sure that you hire a realtor that is tech-savvy and knows how to reach out to buyers in a multitude of ways.

If you’re looking to sell your home, check out our seller’s page for tips: Sell For More 

Determine the right pricing strategy

Deciding how you want to price your home based on your timeline and goals is something you’ll need to work out with your real estate agent. Depending on the market that you’re in, and how your home compares to other recent sales and properties currently on the market the pricing strategy will be very different.

It’s important to work closely with your realtor to understand true market value and the state of your market to ensure you don’t leave money on the table. Choosing a pricing strategy is an art, and pricing extremely low to gain traction is not always the best strategy and can result in you leaving money on the table.

Related article: Home Pricing Strategies 101 

Depersonalize your space

You’ll want to depersonalize your space by taking down personal photos. The less a buyer knows about you, the less assumptions they can make regarding why you are moving and what your motivations are. 

Furthermore – the more personal stuff in your house, the less potential buyers can imagine themselves living there!

Fix the small stuff

Most people put off the small things like adjusting the door so it latches properly, or tightening the stair rail that’s been loose for years. However, if you’re putting your house on the market you’ll want to make sure the little things are fixed and everything is in proper working order.

Completing these fix ups will imply a home has been well taken care of and maintained, and will give the buyer less to scrutinize while making them more comfortable with their investment.

Light it up!

Lighting can make such a huge difference in a home, and proper lighting will make your house shine (no pun intended!) out in the photos. Replace light fixtures that are not functioning, outdated, or don’t fit the intended fresh and clean look.

If you find that the bulbs that you currently have in are a yellow-tinge then you’ll want to replace them with white bulbs. If there are any bulbs that are missing from the fixtures, you’ll also want to make sure that all the lights are working before the photographer comes through.

Pro tip: Make sure that the realtor you choose hires a professional real estate photographer to photograph your home. There is nothing more off-putting than cell phone pictures taken by realtors showing up on the MLS – and remember, most buyers are starting their search online!

Start Packing & Consider a Storage Locker

Less is more when preparing your home for sale. It is very easy to acquire a lot of stuff over time, and often times we shove things in the closet, under the bed, or anywhere else we can find space. If you’re planning on putting your house on the market, have too much stuff but too little space then you may want to consider renting a storage locker.

Cramped and cluttered rooms or closets turn buyers off and make your house look smaller & less functional. Therefore, it’s a good idea to start your packing in advance which will also help you get a head start on your future move.

Stage Each Room for its Purpose

If you’ve been using the bedroom as a storage locker or the dining room doesn’t have a dining table then you may want to consider staging. You’ll want the buyer to envision each room to its full potential, so make sure that every room will make sense in terms of it’s purpose and function when a buyer walks through the door.

Furthermore, if your home could use a bit of a spruce up because all the furniture screams the 1960’s then a professional stager coming in and bringing their own furniture and décor could be a great option for you! It’ll bring a modern touch to your home, and can do wonders for places with little to no renovations that want to look newer without the big bill of a full renovation. 

Make Arrangements for Pets

I love my dog – but not everyone else loves her the way I do. Buyers may have had a bag experience with dogs or cats in the past, and you want to make sure every person walking through your door feels comfortable and at ease in your home.

If you have pets, you’ll want to arrange for them to be out of the house at least for open houses. Showings can come at unexpected times, so if you think that your pet doesn’t do well with new people in the home then you may want to consider alternative accommodation for them while you have your home on the market.

Make it Sparkle – Get to Cleaning!

Before putting your house on the market, it’s important that you do a serious clean of your home and make it sparkle! You want to make sure it looks spotless. The kitchen, bathrooms, and floors are most important – but don’t forget to keep the bedrooms tidy and organized too!

Once you’ve finished cleaning, make sure to perform a “smell test” to see if there’s any spots you need to pay extra attention to. Also – you’ll need to keep in clean for all of the showings and open houses, so start to make a habit of putting all your clothes in the laundry hamper (opposed to on the floor), doing the dishes each morning, making the bed as soon as you’re up, and tidying it up before you leave each day.

Make a good first impression – consider your curb appeal

You only have one chance to make a first impression, so you’ll want to make sure it’s a good one! Make your front door visible and accessible to buyers, and that your home welcomes them from the second they pull up in the driveway.

Take a step back from your house and look at it as if you were a buyer pulling up to the curb for the first time. If you were in their shoes, would you be interested in purchasing your home? If your home needs a power wash, weeding, could use a bit of landscaping or just some general TLC then do your best to get on it before listing your home.

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Are you thinking about selling or buying a property? Call us today or text us at 604-319-0200. Or email us at [email protected] to start a conversation!