15 Ways To Prep Your Home Before You Sell It

If you plan on selling your house because you’re moving to a different location or want to build a new home on that land for sale that you recently bought, here are some ways to help you prepare your home before you have it listed.

15 Things to Do Before Selling Your House

1. Detach from your home. 

Once you have made a final decision to sell your house, start severing your emotional ties to your house slowly. It may be difficult because of all the memories you’ve made in it, but remind yourself that it is just a building and that you can easily make new memories where you’re going. 

2. Give it a thorough cleaning. 

Nobody wants to pay a premium price for an unkempt house. Give it a good and thorough cleaning from top to bottom along with every nook and cranny. 

3. Declutter. 

Decluttering before selling is a great idea because it allows you to get rid of junk and not take it with you where you’re moving plus you can probably earn a few bucks from selling some of those things you no longer need. 

4. Give it a new paint job in neutral colors. 

One, not everyone digs bright or bold colors in a house. Second, neutral colors such as whites and tans allow potential buyers to focus on what the space has to offer. 

5. Keep the decors simple and neat. 

Decors are reflective of a homeowner’s personality and style. It is best to give your home a neutral and more classic vibe that most potential buyers find attractive. This way, they can visualize how they will decorate the space without getting distracted with your bear rug and art deco painting in your living room. 

6. Depersonalize it. 

Put away personal stuff such as photographs and awards on the day of viewing. Give the viewers an impersonal space to look at so they can also visualize how they will personalize the space. 

7. Let the light in. 

One way of preparing your property for viewing is to let as much natural light in as you can. This helps give your home a brighter appearance and somehow makes it feel a little more open and spacious. 

8. Liven it up with indoor plants.

A few well-placed plants around the house help bring your home to life. It’s also a strategic way of concealing imperfections or drawing attention to a spot you would like to highlight. 

9. Make sure all furniture is appropriate for the room sizes. 

Most viewers are looking at how certain furniture layout can affect the aesthetics and ergonomics. For this reason, make sure that you take out any bulky furniture that will make the space seem cramped.

10. Work on all repairs that you’ve put aside so many times. 

Take one weekend to work on all of those house repairs that you’ve put off such as replacing a leaky faucet or tightening loose doorknobs. Those who are looking to buy notice these things. 

11. Do some minor upgrades. 

A faux renovation is a great way to make an impression. Give your home simple updates and upgrades such as replacing kitchen cabinet handles or your bathroom fixtures. 

12. Make sure all of the rooms are used functionally. 

If you have several rooms around your house and you don’t get to regularly use all of them, clean them up and give each one a purpose other than using it as temporary storage for all your junk. Potential buyers like seeing how different rooms are utilized because it gives them ideas on how to put these rooms to good use if they buy your home. 

13. Give the bathrooms the spa treatment. 

Spruce up your bathroom and make it look like a spa or a bathroom in a first-class hotel. Clean it up and organize the shelves and cabinets. Fold your towels and other linen and get them organized on a shelf. Add some scented candles or potpourri and some succulents to make it look alive. 

14. Give it a pleasant smell. 

Pay attention to how your home smells like. Get rid of anything that causes unpleasant odor and fill it up with scents that are pleasing such as scented candles. You can even bake some cookies or bread on the day of viewing to give your property a more homey feel. 

15. Enhance its curb appeal. 

Take some time to also improve your home’s curb appeal by trimming the lawn and your hedges and giving your exteriors a good wash. This is, after all, what everyone sees first. 

We hope that you found the tips helpful. Do you have other things that you do to prepare your house before selling it? Chime in on the comments section.