Thinking of listing your home? What should you do to prepare?
Pre-listing best practices for getting the most amount of money the market will bear.
Alexandria, VA – Hi Alexandrians! We continue to experience our beautiful Spring weather, all the blooms and everything is green, and we feel reborn (sorry allergy sufferers).
Thinking of selling your home? Here is a suggested list of tried-and-true best practices which translate directly into better offers/highest financial benefit.
First some words of wisdom and experience from your friendly neighborhood Realtor:
Myth:
It is a sellers’ market (which is currently true), therefore, I don’t have to prep my house and can throw up a sign and still do great.
Reality:
Homes that get multiple offers and escalations are presented beautifully. Overpriced homes, even in the strongest seller’s market, will not receive offers. If you do not prepare your home for sale, you will likely not be rewarded financially. You are truly selling, not only a home, and a location, but a lifestyle.
Where do I start? I am overwhelmed!
Take your time and start six months before you plan to list your house:
- First step, hire a full-service realtor (think us!). One that will assist with every aspect of your home sale from beginning to end (still us). We have vetted subcontractors and vendors for anything and everything your home may need. We will project manage it all.
- Declutter! Start months before you think you will list your home so that it doesn’t overwhelm you. Buyers want to see the features of your home, the home itself, and not your belongings. This can be emotional because you are letting go of your home. Remember that when you move, everything in your home will need to be removed.
- Fix things that are broken and enjoy them working, so you don’t have to worry about discussions coming up at the time of sale. We all have deferred maintenance.
- Do updates that will have the biggest impact on resale and presentation. (Maybe you could even enjoy them prior to selling your home!)
- Paint the interior of your home.
- Refinish wood flooring or replace older flooring.
- Refresh bathrooms (new vanities, new lighting, and new faucets)
- Refresh kitchen as needed (new countertops, update lighting, update cabinet pulls, perhaps have cabinets professionally painted).
- Remove heavy and dated curtains and replace them with sheers or updated neutral window coverings.
- Take stock of the ages of your systems, appliances, roof, windows etc. This information will be useful at the time of sale.
We have an amazing stager and designer on our team who can assist with all design choices.
Closer to listing your home:
- Remove personal photos and any prized personal items. Circle back to “we are selling a lifestyle.” Buyers want to picture themselves and their belongings in the home, and depersonalizing it enables them to do so.
- Removethings you are taking with you, and you do not wish to convey with the sale. Have an heirloom chandelier? Remove it and replace it with another fixture. Selling a home is an emotional process for both sellers and buyers and minimizing issues or confusion with what stays and what goes is prudent.
- Refresh landscaping and plant flowers – curb appeal is key!
- Have windows cleaned inside and out – let the sunshine in!
- Have a deep cleaning of your house prior to listing it.
The Seward Group believes (we have empirical data) that staged homes get our sellers the most money. If you are no longer living in the house, we will have it professionally staged. If you remain in your home at the time of listing launch, we will use your own furniture and our stager will come and prep for professional architectural photos and videos and get your home photo ready as part of our listing process.
We empathize with how difficult leaving your beloved home can be. Our sellers that have the best results listen to our advice and are rewarded handsomely. We understand this is your home, and all decisions are ultimately yours, but we will always share our professional opinions.
The Seward Group would be honored to help you, a family member, or friend with any of your real estate needs.
Article written by Lyssa Seward, Team Lead of The Seward Group at TTR Sotheby’s International Realty. The Seward Group offers full-spectrum concierge real estate service at all price points. Email: [email protected], Visit www.seward-group.com, or Call (703) 298-0562. Team Members: Lyssa Seward, Anita Edwards, Elaine McCall, Melody Abella, Laura Catron and Gina Wimpey
