If you’re a homeowner and are looking to put your house on the market, the best way to present your home to a prospective buyer is to step back and try to look at it from their perspective. While your family may have many memories in the house, a new family will see it as their new home with many memories to make. Having your home in its best condition is a truly great way to attract a new homeowner. Here, we will look at some great ways that should be essential to your home checklist in getting ready to sell your home.
Making Your House “New”
Your home is full of memories, but your potential buyer will want to make their own. Presenting the structure as clean, presentable, and as close to being a new house will go a long way in welcoming a potential family. While there are 4 easy ways to keep your house in tip top shape, each element stresses the importance of performing a deep clean and full maintenance inspection of the house prior to showing it to possible buyers. Putting yourself in their place will help you flag the areas that may need the most focus. Remember, the buyer will have their own “new home checklist” and the first place they look maybe the bathrooms and garage, checking any appliances that could yield electrical or plumbing issues. The first thing you’ll want to do is look for noticeable clutter, followed by a deep clean of every room. You may even want to consider hiring a professional cleaner crew to conduct the chores along with you, making sure that the air vents, fireplace, and chimney, basement, or attic spaces, as well as the rugs and carpets, are properly cleaned and free of any mold or stains. A thorough power wash of the exterior of your home is a good idea, as well as giving your house a mock “inspection.” By pretending you’re the potential buyer and seeing the interior with a fresh set of eyes, if any home maintenance is needed, you’ll spot it with ample time to bring in a contractor for last-minute fixes. Finally, if you’ve had any problems with your furnace, thermostat, or HVAC system, have a technician visit for any serious issues that could affect inspection or stall a potential sale.
Planning an Open House
Believe it or not, you can have a great time working with your family in planning a fun open house. As stipulated in the 6 ways to transform an old house into a home, an open house is pretty much an essential element in presenting your house as a comfortable, safe atmosphere.
Once the full clean-up and maintenance are completed, you can use the staged home as a creative blank slate, setting the tone for prospective buyers to see the structure as a new house with the potential for years of new memories and experiences. If you’re showing the home during the warmer months, making sure that the air conditioner is fully functioning isn’t just a selling point; it’s a necessity. On the flip side, if your open house is planned for the wintertime, the furnace and heater must be up and running to give the house a cozy, home-like feel. In fact, if your budget allows, installing some new appliances such as a smart thermostat, a modern dishwasher, a re-do of the kitchen cabinets, or some cost-efficient revamped accessories may be sound investments.
On the day of your open house, ask your whole family to get involved. They may have a good time showing individual rooms off, such as each family member introducing their own bedrooms, or taking on fun tasks such as preparing refreshments. In the long run, the effort of one family welcoming a new family can be the ultimate ice-breaker and make all your visitors feel at ease. Seeing everyone’s excitement could give you the peace of mind that your old home is now in good hands.
