Preparing Your Home to Sell | Richmond Realtor Ric

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Preparing Your Home for Sale

Preparing Today for a Faster, Stronger Sale Tomorrow

Getting Started

Buyers will feel more like they are shopping and less like they are intruding if you remove most of your personal items, photos, clutter, knickknacks, and mementos. A decluttering action plan keeps you on schedule to put your home on the market. Walk through your house looking at it objectively, with the potential buyer in mind. Your goal is to make your property appeal to the largest pool of potential buyers. This is also a great time to begin packing these items away for your move.

Next, repair or replace known defects that may cause a potential buyer to wonder, “What else is wrong?”

Deep clean carpets—chemical cleaning is normally better than steam. Clean, clean, clean. Cleanliness leads to sales. Straighten closets, clean inside kitchen and medicine cabinets, and dust and polish dishes in the china cabinet. Assume potential buyers will examine every nook and cranny of your home.

Add life and color: use potted plants, a bowl of fruit, natural lighting, or anything that brings the outside in to create a warm environment.

Paint is a low-cost investment with a high rate of return. Keep the color palette neutral and subdued. Paint wood paneling to create a more contemporary appearance.

Add as much natural light as possible to make your home inviting. Place a small reading lamp behind a chair in the corner to create a cozy feel. Mirrors give the illusion of more light because they reflect it—place a mirror opposite a window to instantly brighten a room. Remove dark or heavy draperies and replace them with window coverings that allow light to filter through.

Curb Appeal

Prune bushes, trees, and shrubs.
Keep the lawn fresh and groomed by mowing, edging, and adding seed as needed.
Weed and maintain flowerbeds and planters.
Check the mailbox for chipped paint or dents; replace if necessary.

Making your property look good on the outside creates first and lasting impressions, setting the tone before buyers enter your home.

Interior Details

Keep the interior clean and well maintained:

Clean lighting fixtures.
Touch up or refinish the front door.
Ensure the welcome mat is clean and in good condition.
Clean exterior metal, door handles, knockers, and locks.
Replace outdated door hardware for a uniform, updated look if necessary.
Make sure the doorbell and exterior lights work.
Put away toys, bikes, scooters, and other personal items.
Hang a seasonal wreath and place a tasteful welcome mat or throw rug at entryways.
In the kitchen, consider placing an open cookbook next to fresh herbs to show that the kitchen is the heart of your home.