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Is your home ready for buyers?

To generate multiple offers in today’s hot real estate market, homeowners will find it a best practice to prepare their home so that it appeals to as many people as possible. Even a unique house can be tailored in a way to generate interest for the mass public.

If your realtor were to ask you today: “Is your home ready for buyers?” would you be able to answer, “Yes”? Would you even know what to do to get your property ready to sell?

Below you’ll find a simple, non-exhaustive, list of tasks to do before the listing day.

Have you tackled renovations, upgrades and painting?

Should I paint or renovate my house? That is usually the first question sellers ask their realtor. The answer is: it depends. Sellers must evaluate the return on investment.

That being said, one thing remains for sure. Buyers are looking for consistency. For example, if every room but the bathroom has been modernized, it would be a good idea to renovate that particular room before putting up the for-sale sign. The same thing goes for painting. If the house includes one accent wall in a colour that stands out from the other ones, you may want to think about uniformizing the palette throughout the home. Neutral colours appeal to a larger audience.

Have you given your home a deep clean?

A house in pristine condition will appeal more to potential buyers. Wipe down surfaces, including baseboards and trims, eliminate nasty odours by cleaning the rugs, scrub the bathrooms, clean the windows (inside and outside), etc.

A spotless house is more appealing and makes for a perfect first impression.

Is your house decluttered?

With a clutter-free home, buyers can appreciate the rooms to their fullest. Their focus is set on the house’s features rather than knickknacks displayed all around. Cluttered areas make the home look like it has less space than it truly does. Tidying up is an easy and low-cost option.

Are your closets and storage areas organized?

Overflowing = overwhelming. With overstocked closets and storage areas, buyers cannot imagine how much space is available for “their stuff”. In the end, it may send them a message that the house is too small for their needs.

Does everything work properly?

Is anything leaking, squeaking, cracked or broken? Think about the locks, faucets, toilets, doors, lightbulbs, appliances. Are they all in working order? Homebuyers need to see that your house has been well taken care. They can easily be turned off by the work they would have to do to fix the house to their standards.

Are your rooms staged?

Homebuyers aren’t just looking for a structure to live in, they are looking for a home, a place where they will fulfill their dreams. So, you have to make sure the staging sells a lifestyle and that it creates an emotional purchase for the buyers. Buyers need to feel like this is their home.

A successful strategy is to arrange the rooms to highlight their best features, to define the purpose of each one of them and to make the home visually stimulating for buyers.

Does your home have curb appeal?

What’s the first thing homebuyers see when they arrive at a house? The outside of the home. You’ve probably heard the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Even though it’s how it should be, in practice it’s not reality. Paying as much attention to the outside of your home than the inside will be advantageous for your sale.

Buyers need to feel welcome, warm and safe when they approach your house. Sprucing up the landscape with colourful flowers, repairing or adding light fixtures, fixing up the fence, organizing kids’ outdoor toys in bins are all inexpensive upgrades that can have a big impact on the impression buyers have on your home.

And finally, is your house show ready?

During the listing period, your house needs to be “show ready” at all times, especially in today’s fast-paced market. Always make the beds in the morning, clean the dishes right after a meal and immediately clear the clutter. It may seem tiring, but it will help get your house sold.

We hope this article has provided you with some extra guidance on your selling journey.