6 Steps to Get Your Home Ready to Sale

Add These To-Dos to Your Home Pre-sale Checklist

Before booking your market evaluation appointment to discuss listing strategy, here are a few things you can do to prepare for a speedy sale.

Handle Repairs - Take care of easily fixed repairs that may be potential red flags for buyers. Common quick fixes include repairing drywall, repainting walls, leaking toilets/sinks and oiling hinges.

Declutter - Take this opportunity to get rid of those seldom used items that are cluttering up your home. Remember, it costs to move them, so now is the time to let them go! Donate to local charity or have a garage sale. Selling items on line is easy as well and you make a few bucks for it. 

Start Packing - Store out-of-season clothing, sports gear and small appliances you know you won't need before the move. Too much stuff crammed into cupboards and closets will make your home seem small. If you can, put boxes in storage. If you can't do an outside storage company, stack boxes in orderly fashion so that it looks organized in the garage or basement.

Downsize Furniture - Consider removing extra or large pieces of furniture that make your home look smaller. You may want to stage specific rooms to highlight potential uses for the space.

Depersonalize - Tuck away family photos, collectibles and any other personal items. It's important to make your home a "blank canvas" for potential buyers to imagine themselves in. 

Check Curb Appeal - Take a good look at the front of the home. Plant colorful annuals along sidewalks and in containers, and remove any debris or clutter from around your home. Many buyers will preview a home from the outside before deciding whether or not to schedule a showing. Any pealing paint on trim or broken screens? Repaint your front door and door trim to look fresh. If your mail box is in your yard, repaint or replace if it looks old or rusty.

Estimated Home Value - Get an estimated Home Value Report to see how your home compares to your neighbors.

Contact Heidi Hoffman 303-949-9770 and the Hoffman Home Team to get a specialized marketing plan to sell your home.

Get Your Home Ready for the Spring Home Selling Season

Get your home ready for the spring selling season. Spring is here and many homeowners are considering putting their home on the market. What will make their homes stand out from others in the neighborhood? Here are a few tips on simple items that can be done to increase the appeal of the home for future buyers.
Curb Appeal The first thing a buyer sees is the front of the home. An ill-kept yard can create a negative opinion of a home. Take care of the front yard early by fertilizing with a weed prevention mix. Make sure to trim back trees and re shape bushes so the front of the home can be seen.
Here are some other suggestions include:
 - Pressure wash the driveway, front walk, outside of the home and patio. Repair/mud jack cracked concrete especially if the concrete has heaved or moved.
 - Add colorful flowers near the front door
 - Clean the windows inside and out
 - If you have mulch, re fluff it and add some new mulch to get a boost to the color.
 - Clean and re paint the front door. Buyers often linger in front of the door and it's the first impression of the home.
 - Clean the roof and gutters.
Interior Touches
Make the interior of the home seem light and airy by doing some simple touches throughout the home. Clean the drapes, linens and blinds. Open the windows during an open house and turn on lights. Make it bright. Polish floors and clean all carpets. Add light colors throughout the home with towels, throws and pillows.
Clutter
Take a look at your furniture and closets. Eliminate some of the clutter in a home to give the impression of extra space. Take a look at your closets and reduce the amount of items in it. Put extra items in storage or donate unneeded items. Having only a few items in a closet makes it appear much larger. In the kitchen, reduce the counter space clutter by putting unused appliances away. Clean off the refrigerator. Also organize your garage and basement. If you do have to use your basement for storage, make sure that the items are organized and in boxes. Organized items make a space look bigger than just having items all over the place. Remember less is more.
Upgrades
Doing a few upgrades around the home before putting it out on the market could add extra dollars and generate more interest in the home. Kitchen and baths are the areas to look at. Upgrading appliances in the kitchen such as the refrigerator or stove can add extra appeal to a kitchen. Matching appliances are more appealing. Take a look at your faucets, if they are more than 10 years old, you might want to update them. Repairing and restoring finishes throughout the home or purchasing higher quality finishes can make a big difference as well. Adding new door handles to kitchen cabinets is another inexpensive option to update a kitchen.
Pre-Inspection Repairs
Getting a pre inspection done by a licensed home inspector can give you an idea of what the buyer will find. Any deferred maintenance needs to be addressed. Some of the common repairs that I see are broken window seals, leaking toilets or sinks, outdated electrical wiring, peeling paint. Make sure to service your air conditioner, water heater and furnace. Have these items cleaned and certified. If the tech requires a repair, fix it now because it will come up again in the buyer's inspection.
Backyard Updates
Just as your front yard makes a big impression to potential buyers as they drive by your home, the back yard is also an important area that many consider an additional entertaining space. Get rid of any piles of wood. Weed any rock bed areas. If you have a garden, tidy it up by removing weeds. Remove extra clutter in the backyard and replace any outdated or damaged toys & furniture. Also, make sure to paint your deck if needed and repair any cracked concrete. You can stage the backyard to show the entertaining capabilities of it by having yard furniture placed about.
Do Your Research The single most important factor in selling a home is price. When pricing your home for potential buyers, it is important to do your research. The Hoffman Home Team will provide a detailed real estate market report to show what the most current homes have sold. You want to know the pricing of other homes and/or recent sales in your neighborhood. Find out the recent features or upgrades that are being showcased in these homes to see how your home compares. You need to know what is going on in your specific neighborhood.

Additional articles for Real Estate Insider Tips can be viewed here.

Contact Heidi Hoffman and the Hoffman Home Team if you  are considering selling your home. The Hoffman Home Team will sell your home based on what your needs are. Contact Us Today 303-949-9770