Hello real estate lovers. Britt Huggins here, Burlington real estate agent. As most of you know, this sellers market that we became so accustomed to over the past couple of years has finally cooled down. This doesn’t mean that the buying and selling will stop, it will slow. People will always need a place to live, regardless of the market. If you are thinking about selling your house and would like a head start on prepping your home for your real estate agent, here are some tips!
The key to preparing your home for buyers is to create an environment that allows the potential buyers to picture themselves living in the home, in other words, depersonalize the house and clear out YOUR personal items.
- Pictures of your family should be taken down. Be sure to remove them from walls, mantels, fridges, side tables, etc. When buyers are viewing a home for sale, they want to picture their family’s pictures, not yours!
- Take down all Religious decorations. Whether you want to hear it or not, people are judgemental and signs of religion may sway a user to feel a certain way about the home. Just think of it as a business transaction!
- Remove clutter and keep pathways clear. If you need to rent a storage unit, do it, it will pay off. The more open space, the larger your home will feel. Do not leave packed boxes around the house, it will give them impression that you are in a hurry to move.
- Hide all pet supplies and remove pets from the home. The presence of an animal in the home could make or break a sale for some people. The smell of a dog or a litter box might turn a buyer in the other direction.
- Clear off all counter tops. Valuable space on your kitchen counter top should not be wasted on toaster ovens, slow cookers, spice racks, etc. Box it up and store it!
- Fresh towels in the washrooms, often white with a pop of colour. Also ensure that all counter tops in the bathrooms are cleared. Put away all toiletries, how can a buyer picture themselves living in your home while staring at your toothbrush?
- Open the windows and let some fresh air in the house. Don’t over do it with fake scents in the house as buyers may think you are trying to cover up a smell if it is too intense.
- Hide all sensitive details. Make sure to put away bank statements, bills, credit card statements, passwords, etc. You never know who is passing through your home.
- Hide all prescription drugs, jewelry, prized possessions, cash, etc. I am sure you get the idea. You don’t want people scoping the house to come back later. This happened to my Nana’s estate after she passed. Anything can happen which is why we suggest you take these precautions.
- Clean, clean, clean and then clean some more! While it is suggested that you get a professional cleaner, get a premature start on it. Deep clean, move couches and tables. Clean grout. Windows. Window sills. Bathrooms. Dust. If you can clean it, do it!
I think you get the message here, depersonalize, declutter, and clean. I hope you found these pointers useful. If you are serious about selling and would like a professional to come in and run through what needs to be done give me a call to chat more at 647-863-7234.
