If you’ve decided to sell your house with the help of a realtor, here is an essential checklist to make sure your house shows well! – Checklist for Selling With a Realtor
When selling through a realtor there is no overstating how important it is to help a home shopper decide that your house is move-in ready, will look great to their friends, is spacious, and easy to live in. Those qualities bring in offers sooner and make buyers more willing to pay a good price.
Here’s a quick checklist of to-do’s to help your house show its best:
- Clean up all junk and remove trash and clutter. Random stuff gives the impression the house isn’t well-maintained or clean. Of course, clearing it can be especially difficult if you no longer see the clutter that has been there for months or years. But what is “clutter” to you is “trash” to a home shopper.
- Make rooms open and inviting. Remove furniture down to just a few pieces per room. Rooms over-stuffed with furniture appear smaller, not adequate for the home-buyer’s own furniture. A home shopper should be able to walk through without having to navigate around one table and footstool after another.
- Fresh paint is cheap and goes a long way. Wall paint creates an immediate impression that influences everything else the home-shopper sees. It should not appear dingy and old. And, the painting will also relieve many smells ingrained in the old paint.
- A deep professional cleaning goes farther than you think. It may look ‘ok’ to you, and who will notice a few specks of lint and dust? There is no knowing that a home-shopper is hyper-sensitive to cleanliness, or thinking about a family member’s allergies. Cleaning removes smells, as well.
- Get rid of all smells that are not pleasant. If you have pets, you do have smells. You may need a neighbor or the realtor to tell you about smells if you’ve become accustomed to them. Do research on smell-removal techniques and even get professional help to clear away old, lingering smells from pets, cooking, crafts, stored items, and especially smoking.
- “Staging” rooms with furniture and just the right touch of décor is a great strategy for appealing to home shoppers. Look through lifestyle magazines and watch HGTV for ideas. Don’t overdo it, though, and definitely let your realtor and even a professional stager guide you!
Home-buyers don’t just evaluate the financials and school districts! Often the final decision is an emotional one, choosing the house that appealed to them the most. Make your house attractive by reducing the negatives and enhancing the positives, and you’ll attract better offers, and sooner!
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Question or Prompt for Response – open-ended, relevant
What appeals to you the most when you visit someone’s home – décor; cleanliness; space; or something else?
Call to Action
Do you have real estate (house, lot, or land) you’d like to sell fast? Fill out our Sell Fast Form and get a cash offer within one hour of us viewing the property. https://pdxrenovations.com/sell-house-quick/we-buy-homes-bring-us-a-deal/
