How to Get Your Home Ready to Sell

May 12, 2021

I LOVE when Sellers ask me, “What can I do to make my house look better to buyers?” This lets me know the owners really care about making their property enticing to lookers. Most buyers are finding properties they want to see on the internet first, so pictures really are worth a thousand words!

Here are just a few simple and free things you can do now to sell your property quicker and maximize the financial potential. These may seem harsh, but be honest with yourself and I promise, it will feel freeing to pare down!

1. Declutter – We can easily become “clutter-blind” to the things around us. Are there papers and magazines stacked in various places? Send them to a recycling center. Go through every room in your house with a donation bag and a trash bag, and dispose of those things appropriately. Ask yourself, “Do I really want to move all this clutter with me?”
2. Pare down furniture – Does every room have a “flow” to it or space to move around? If not, maybe donate those extra pieces of furniture that aren’t necessary. Those two sectionals in your living room are great for your family gatherings, but not everyone else’s. Make sure there is ample space to move around.
3. Depersonalize – Your doll or sports memorabilia collection is special to you, but again, not to everyone else. Since you are moving anyway, why not go ahead and box up those meaningful things and store them until you get to your new place? Also, pare down those family pictures. Yes, they are precious to you, but you want buyers to be able to see their family in your home, not yours.
4. Clear surfaces – This goes for all surfaces: kitchen and bath counters and tables, for example. Store all kitchen counter appliances elsewhere than your countertops. You want buyers to see that there is space to cook in the kitchen. The kitchen will feel small if the counters aren’t “open.” Don’t forget about bathroom counters, too. Clear them of all personal items. At most, one or two decorative pieces are all that should be on them.
5. Unstuff closets – Linen closets, coat closets, and bedroom closets need to show that there is ample storage. Thin out those coats and clothes so that the closets appear roomy. Linen closets can easily get overwhelmed with towels, sheets, and blankets. Which ones can be donated or need to be disposed of?

I am just as guilty of becoming clutter blind to what I see every day in my own space. Just remember: put on your “buyer glasses” and go through each room asking yourself, “What needs to be put away or thrown away?” If it seems overwhelming, start slow – maybe an hour a day – until each room feels fresh and airy. You will feel better and buyers will be impressed with all the space!

About the Author: As a Real Estate Broker, Paige Hume primarily focuses on residential and senior real estate in Jacksonville and the surrounding area, with a specialty in rural homes. A DIY project lover who has an eye for design, Paige brings a unique perspective as she guides home buyers and sellers throughout the home ownership journey.

Paige holds the nationally-recognized Seniors Real Estate Specialist® designation from the Senior Real Estate Specialist Council of the National Association of Realtors®. More than 15,000 real estate professionals in North America have earned the SRES® designation; locally, Paige is the only Realtor® in Morgan County to hold this designation.

Working with seniors to meet their housing needs requires an expert understanding of their lifestyle and financial needs, and the SRES® designation means that a Realtor® has that understanding. Whether they are buying, selling relocating or refinancing, seniors can be confident that a Realtor® designated SRES® will be able to help them every step of the way.