Everything you need to know to get your house ready for the market or stage it (Part 2)

- General Resources (Part 2)

Preparing your home to sell is not just about de-cluttering, purging and organizing your belongings, it is also about presenting your space with its “best foot forward!” In order to help you, our clients, we want to provide a quick list of resources/people of importance that homeowners should consider when getting ready to sell.

When you decide to sell it is important to find a good realtor. Seek out somebody who knows your area well and somebody that you can trust. If you do not know of somebody specifically, interview a few realtors to find one that works for you!

Once you have established your realtor, do a walk through of your home to determine what work needs to be done. Often your realtor can give you the inside scoop on what potential buyers are immediately looking for and what will freshen your space to make it more appealing. Because time is of the essence, bringing in some trades to do the work quickly and efficiently will speed up the process and take some pressure off of you.

If general repairs are needed, make a list of everything that needs to be taken care of in order to help prioritize. Make sure all light fixtures are working, walls are touched up and painted (if scratches or holes are prevalent) and kitchen and bath cabinets are aligned and functioning properly. If you live in an older home be sure that all knobs are on doors and cabinets. Also take a look at carpets and assess whether they should be cleaned or even replaced. If your list is long and time is short we suggest calling a handyman that is capable of doing various jobs around the house. If specific trades people are needed, such as painters, plumbers or electricians, bring them in after your general repairs have been completed. Once this is done we recommend bringing in a cleaner to do major clean that you will only need to maintain throughout the selling process.

Lastly, but not least important, pay attention to the exterior of your house and front yard! First impressions last forever and initially, potential buyers are met with your homes façade. Consider a fresh coat of paint or power washing as well as bringing in a gardener to weed out old and wilting plants and add fresh, colourful floral that instantly welcomes visitors!