How do I prep my house to sell?
Getting started
There’s no reason to give agents or, especially, potential buyers a negative first impression of your house. So before you place the property on the market and before you even consult your second-cousin who’s finishing up his real estate license, work on the big-picture issues for any home seller.
Inspections and disclosures
Many states require an independent inspector to report on the condition of a home before it can be sold. If you live in an area with this is not required, schedule an inspection anyway. Unless you are a builder or architect yourself, it’s impossible for you to provide full disclosure of the material condition of your property without this report. You will learn what issues require immediate repair and which should be addressed over the long term. Test a septic system with a percolation test. Remember that these reports are to be provided to potential buyers and are for your benefit as much as theirs because any undisclosed problems with your house could turn into a lawsuit down the road.
Role playing an Open House
Once you know what must be fixed before the house can be sold, we need to understand what should be fixed to maximize the property’s appeal. In short, it’s time for a little role-playing. Ask a savvy friend to take the role of a prospective buyer (or take the part yourself). The “buyer” should prep a clipboard for the sake of the visit. On paper, make three columns: the good, the bad, and the question mark.
How to play the role: Before you “visit” think like a real buyer. Research online the crime and weather patterns for your area. What questions would this lead you to as a buyer? For example, in an earthquake-prone area you should be able to speak to questions about past earthquakes, distance from the fault line, and so on. Next, imagine you’re a parent. Where would your kids go to school in this area? What are the private school options? Parks? Libraries?
And what questions would you ask about immediate neighbors? Have they been there long? Are they retirees or college kids or young families? Are there any obvious concerns such as chronic noise or poor air quality? If the property is a condo, what would you need to know about the homeowners’ association?
As buyer, drive through the neighborhood like you’ve never seen it before. What do you think of the neighborhood? Arriving at the property, what’s the first thing you notice? How does the property compare to its neighbors? From the moment you step on the property, write down everything you like or dislike about what you see? What questions do you have about what you see? Stop in every room -- paying particular attention to key spaces like the kitchen and major bedrooms. At this point, you may not have cleared out the clutter from your spaces so concentrate on the general space, the condition of amenities such as the shower and perhaps a fireplace, the proximity of neighbors, the condition of the yard and what you might be able to do with it after you live there.
For example, in a bathroom you might love the large bath but hate the slightly leaky sink and old tile. When you’re done with your tour, get at least one other friend to repeat the process if possible. In the end, you’ll have a list of great features to emphasize to prospective buyers, a list of problems to can consider repairing, and a list of questions you’ll need to be prepared to answer. You will also have a more objective perspective on the property you need to sell, which may make your understanding of your home’s value more realistic.
Red flags
Role playing the informed home shopper, you are on the lookout for any sort of deal-breaker. Some examples of the worst: mold in the attic or other dark spaces, plants growing in the gutters, roofs with missing sections or signs of buckling, rodent droppings anywhere, an apparent lack of ventilation in bathrooms, and flood stains on the ceiling.
An example of a lesser problem that might not be deal-breaker but may lead to serious haggling: an outdated furnace that will be expensive to be replaced. Other problems, like terrain that slopes down into the house rather than away from it may scare away buyers because it suggests a leaky basement, but there isn’t much you can do about that when showing the property.
Consider what questions a buyer might ask about the age of your home. If the property has been reworked extensively, some buyers may be nervous about the consistency of quality materials and craftsmanship throughout the structure. And when was the building constructed? Very old homes may get questions about lead pipes while anything built before the 1980s may draw questions about asbestos.
Repairs
If you’ve role-played an Open House inspection, you may have a substantial list of fix-it projects: a wobbly banister, dead light fixtures, missing fencepost, and so on. Likely, you’ll need some help. If you aren’t up doing all the carpentry and plumbing yourself, consider asking friend, your family, a real estate pro, or even the chamber of commerce to recommend a contractor who specializes in home sales. He’ll likely have further suggestions of inexpensive repairs, enhancements or additions you can make to increase the value (and especially the perceived value) of your property.
Fix the little things that will be noticed, like faulty wiring in the electrical outlets, and the big repairs that are required to allow the sale. On the other hand, because it’s not possible to second-guess the taste of your property’s next owner, it’s best to avoid pricey projects that are not strictly necessary. You want to make money on the sale of your home, so why spend $5,000 to install new green tile that may turn off potential buyers? Better to cover the cost of the repair by granting a credit in escrow for this amount. On the other hand, a merely cosmetic flaw that suggests a serious problem, such as major mold damage, is well worth addressing fully since it may turn off all potential buyers.
Safety first
It’s not obvious while you’re working so hard to sell your home, but the worst case scenario when potential buyers visit your property is not that they won’t make an offer. In this litigious world, your first concern should be that no property shoppers injure themselves in your home where you are liable. This is especially likely if you have been repairing the house in preparation for the sale: make sure there are no exposed electrical wires, loose handrails or deck planks, and no dangerous debris or slick surfaces that may cause someone to slip and fall. Dogs are best be confined where visitor have no access or off the property altogether.
Cleaning and Staging
As we’ve mentioned, “staging” professionals are available for maximizing your property’s appeal. The steps below can all be done on your own, though, and they range from the obvious necessity of tidying up to truly theatrical effects. Give yourself at the very least a few weekends to “stage” your property, and if you’re living in the property while selling it, keep in mind that you may have to repeat some of this process over time.
Kill the clutter
It goes without saying that you should remove clutter from every space in the house while you clean it. Also consider putting some of your furniture in storage while you sell, to make smaller spaces roomier. Consider keeping your best furniture in place, while the old comfy couch in the basement should probably get lost. Consider donating clothing, furniture, and appliances to a charity; your donation will probably be tax deductible.
Don’t forget to tidy the practical areas as well as the major spaces: laundry area, woodworking workbench, and home gym are examples of the places many sellers forget to organize. Kitchen counters should be spacious, not filled with appliances. Clean the stove and oven, of course, and fix leaky faucets and squeaky doors. No personal items should be visible in the bathrooms.
Lighting
Show your property in its best light. Literally. Is your property unnecessarily gloomy? Just a bit dim? Make major spaces and hallways bright and cheerful. And by installing brighter bulbs, you might identify long-overlooked corners of the house that need a good cleaning.
Accents and color
Painting interiors is one of the least expensive upgrades you can make to a house. In smaller spaces, keep in mind that lighter tints make spaces appear roomier and can cheer gloomier spaces such as basements. Very strong colors like fire-engine red will be off-putting to most. Replace bland, possibly stained shower curtains with new, vibrant ones. Consider adding a few richly colored throw pillows or rugs where appropriate.
Advanced staging
The key to staging seems to be a kind of magic trick: you’re trying to suggest to your audience of potential buyers that they already live in your house. Appeal to all the senses to do this: let visitors smell fresh-baked bread in the oven and coffee in mid-brew, hear a baseball game on the radio in the den, and stick a toe in the pool. Place an arrangement of fresh flowers in the dining or living room. Some owners replace the paperbacks on their prominent bookshelves with leather-bound hardback volumes.
The ultimate staging is perhaps those owners who, not living in their old home any more, rent one room to a tenant very cheaply who is expected to keep a very tidy house but keep it “lived in”; the hope is to avoid creating the “abandoned” impression of a home that has become unsellable.
Broker/Owner
Continental Realty Inc.
DRE# 01422589
925-548-5461
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