Getting Your Home Ready to Sell
Sometimes selling a home is a quick decision, but for many it’s an idea that festers for a bit until it becomes a reality. If possible, it’s best to give yourself at least a few months to get your home in tip top shape for a quick and easy sale. Here’s what I recommend to my clients who are getting ready to sell their home 👇
6+ Months from Listing
De-clutter
Even if you’ve only been in your home for a year, clutter is practically inevitable! And for those who have been in the same home for 5, 10, 15, 30+ years, decluttering can be a months long project that requires many helping hands. This process can become overwhelming for some, which is why I recommend strategizing and focusing on one section of your home at a time. There may be many items you’re wanting to keep that you should still store away in preparation for home for staging. Be prepared to have a lot to donate, sell, and even throw out; just do your best and take on a little at a time so that you don’t get overburdened and give up. If you’re feeling like the clutter is insurmountable, remember that every bit of work you do compounds until you’re finally done. It’s all worth it, trust me!
Assess your home’s qualities, good and bad
When you’re preparing to sell it’s important to take an objective look at your home’s negative and positive qualities and how to best highlight or address those characteristics. Are there little improvements, like new door knobs or cabinet fixtures, that can bring your home up to date? Is it time to finally fix those broken shades? What about your home could use a bit of work and how much work are you willing to do? You should also consider how much work is worth it, which is something you can discuss with your realtor who will know the best course of action based on your market and neighborhood.
Get quotes for bigger improvements
Costs have risen substantially in the past few years, so you may be underestimating the funds needed for labor, new appliances, and more. Start gathering quotes for the improvement projects you’d like to take on so you can get a better idea of what you can afford and how much time you need to get it done. Especially when preparing to sell I recommend working with a licensed contractor rather than going the DIY-route. Poorly executed DIY, especially so close to selling, has major potential consequences and can end up costing you more in the long term.
Start some smaller fixes
Not all handymen are created equally, and it might take a few small projects for you to find someone that you trust and love working with. Ask your realtor, but also be sure to reach out to friends, family, and neighbors to see who they use! Come up with a list of small projects you’ll need a handyman to do and start tackling them slowly.
Begin to de-personalize
Similar to de-cluttering, de-personalizing means less stuff in your home, but specifically stuff that’s particular to you and your style. You can wait until closer to listing to take down all the family photos, but start to think through what will need to go eventually and what should change stylistically. In my opinion ALL family photos should go so that potential buyers can envision their families in the space. And I would much rather a client keep some quirkiness instead of paint all their walls gray, but be mindful of what’s appealing to a larger swath of folks and what’s maybe not. If you’re not based in Tucson and are in need of staging advice, contact me for a video consultation.
Less Than 6 Months from Listing
Deep clean
A true deep clean is something you can start a few months out and continue to work on up until you list your home. When was the last time you cleaned the inside of your washing machine? Depending on your washer, you may even need to drain the line. Have you ever taken apart your dishwasher and cleaned it? What about clearing your sink drains? Or wiping down the hard to reach shelves in your cabinets? It’s important for your home to be dusted and mopped to appeal to new buyers during showings, but you should also make sure that it’s a clean, clear slate for the next owners once they move in.
Consider painting
A fresh coat of paint goes a long way towards making a home look and feel good! And after years of wear and tear, your walls might need it. If you’re able to take it on yourself, go for it, but I only recommend that if you’re able to do a good job and enjoy the process. Otherwise, it’s worth it to hire painters who can get it done quickly and correct, saving you the hours and hours of work painting requires so you can instead focus on the other elements of preparation.
Meet with a realtor
It’s never too early to meet with a realtor, but depending on the needs of your home, that far out isn’t necessary. If your home isn’t cluttered or in need of improvements, I think three months out from listing is the perfect time to meet with a realtor. Three months gives you enough time to assess and take on any recommendations they may have, as well as a chance to develop and implement a stellar marketing plan. If your home needs WORK with a capital W, consider contacting someone sooner.
Spruce up the exterior
Curb appeal is a major consideration for how quickly your home will sell. If a home looks well taken care of on the outside, the assumption is that it’s often the case for the inside too. The perception of “pride of ownership” makes buyers feel as though they are coming into a home that’s been well maintained and cared for and is a safe investment for them. It also means more people will give your home a chance. I’ve seen many potential buyers pull up to an open house, take one look, and drive off simple because the home didn’t meet their expectations on the outside. It might still be a seller’s market in much of the country, but with rates and prices so high, you still need to win over buyers!
Stage
Homes are personal, and selling a home can be a very emotional experience. I advise sellers to try and lean against these emotions and take a look at their home at face value. The goal should be making it appealing to someone else, and hopefully, quite a few people. To achieve this, it’s vital to remove all personal belongings (personal photos, religious iconography, and anything potentially polarizing) and focus on neutrals. Not neutral colors, but a neutral perspective. Spotlight what’s practical and appealing. Remove any excess furniture and keep the pieces that really show how the room can or should work. Pay attention to the things that can’t be changed about the home — its floor plan, natural lighting, and the flow from space to space — and how you can highlight the positives of those elements. Pretend you’re a buyer and think about what you would want out of the space, not just how you’ve been using it until then.
For more advice on staging check out my previous blog posts Why Staging Your Home Matters and 5 Home Staging Mistakes to Avoid.
You’re ready to list!
If you’ve made it through all of these steps and cleaned up one last time before photos, then congratulations, your home should be ready to list! Remember that even though you’ve done all this work, selling a home is a major process and depending on your market it could take some time to sell. Interview a few realtors to ensure you’re working with someone who has your back and is going to take the time and resources to properly market your property. If you're staying in the home while it’s being shown, be sure to keep things tidy so you can step away at the drop of a hat for potential buyers to come see it in person.
Thinking of selling your home in Tucson or greater Southern Arizona? I’d love to discuss how I can serve you — reach out to set up a call or in person meeting!
Julia Van Valkenburg, Realtor
OMNI Homes International
julia@buyselltucsonhomes.com
520-275-3514
