Once you’ve decided to sell your house, the advice from friends and family members on how to get the house ready to sell will no doubt start streaming in. Some will make financial sense, others will merely cost you money without adding much to the value of the property. If you want to sell your home for the best possible price without spending a small fortune, keep reading.
1. Start With a Pre-Listing Inspection
Don’t wait until your prospective buyer orders a home inspection. Take control of the situation by ordering a pre-listing inspection. This will help you focus on taking care of those things that could eventually derail a sale, such as a faulty roof or cracks in the foundation.
2. Fix Things That are Broken or Don’t Work
Your pre-listing inspection report will detail concerns and problems that should be fixed before you list the house. We’ve already mentioned structural problems such as cracks and roof leaks, but there might also be other issues that should be addressed if you want to get your house ready to sell quickly.
Make sure your HVAC system is working properly. Check the filters and if they look dirty, replace them. Hire a professional to fix any squeaky doors, broken appliances, running toilets, leaking faucets, or broken locks. If you’re handy, you’ll likely be able to make some of these repairs on your own.
3. Improve Your Home’s Curb Appeal
Improving your home’s curb appeal is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to get your house ready to sell. If the front door’s paint is peeling, apply a fresh coat. Make sure the lawn looks neat and well maintained. Add a couple of beautiful potted plants or shrubs along the walkway to make a good first impression.
4. Don’t Spend Money you Won’t be Able to Recover
Some well-meaning friends might tell you that a house with a deck or a swimming pool sells more easily. While those features may be popular with some buyers, statistics show that you are not likely to fully recover the money you spent on these improvements, let alone make a profit.
5. Clean and Declutter to get Your House Ready to Sell
If you’ve been living in a house for many years, chances are it’s brimming with things that might mean something to you, but to a prospective buyer, the place might simply look cluttered.
Declutter and thoroughly clean your home before a single potential buyer arrives to view it. A home that’s familiar to you may bring you fond memories, however, too many personal items and clutter will scare off buyers.
6. Bonus tip: A House with Lots of Light is a House Ready to Sell
Any experienced real estate agent will tell you that in a dark or gloomy home the spaces look smaller and turn off potential buyers. A brightly lit home is more attractive to homebuyers.
Consider replacing bulbs throughout your house with their brighter LED counterparts and replace any lights that aren’t working. While you’re at it, also replace outdated light fixtures with something more modern. This is an affordable project that will help to get your house ready to sell.
Oasis Home Inspections provides home inspection services to Brevard County in Florida and the surrounding areas. Contact us to request an appointment.