3 Things To Do Before Listing Your House For Sale

When you are getting ready to sell your house, the lists of what to do can be daunting. Should you stage your home? Should you make repairs? Upgrade that carpet? The kitchen? Overhaul your front and back yard to impress prospective buyers? You probably don’t want to dump a bunch of money into a home you are looking to leave, but there are some things you should do before you list your home for sale in order to get the most you can for your house and in order to make the house selling process smooth, quick and easy. Here’s our list of the top 3 things to do before you list your home for sale!

Refresh those walls (and ceilings) with a new coat of paint

Painting all the walls of your home is one of those upgrades that won’t cost a lot but which can make a big impression on prospective buyers. Freshening up the walls of your home will make your home look cleaner, and lighter colored paint can make rooms appear larger and the overall layout look more streamlined. New paint is especially important in rooms where there is any visible wear on the walls, or in rooms which have unique or dark colored walls.

Declutter. Then declutter some more

Buyers want to envision themselves and their stuff in your home – so don’t crowd their vision with your personal items and stuff. Clutter makes homes look busy and crowded and can be a turn-off to buyers. Clutter and excessive furniture can also make homes appear smaller than they are. While renting a storage unit is a great idea, if that’s not something you can afford, move additional furniture and items into one single room – ideally an attic or a basement. You want to send the message to prospective buyers looking at your home that the house is large and spacious, and ready for their stuff!

Have you home professionally cleaned before you show it

This is one of the most important tips we can offer – and it’s one that realtors and mortgage professionals find is ignored the most! Prospective buyers don’t want to clean up your mess. Don’t give anyone viewing y our home any reason to be turned-off or distracted while viewing and touring your home. We highly recommend having a professional cleaner come in to perform a deep cleaning of your space. If that is outside your budget then you’ll need to dedicate several hours to thoroughly cleaning your home from top to bottom. Make sure you clean out-of-the-way areas and spaces like the inside of ovens, microwaves and drawers. A dirty home can send the message to some buyers that you don’t care about taking the best care of your house, which may make them wonder if you’ve skipped on any other home maintenance.


* Specific loan program availability and requirements may vary. Please get in touch with your mortgage advisor for more information.