10 Best Home Selling Tips for a Fast Sale

Selling your home can often feel overwhelming and daunting. One of the many perks of using a top-notch Realtor is they provide the support and resources you need to have a smooth and enjoyable process. Below are some of the basic home selling tips our team shares with sellers to help guide them on their journey! Since every home is different and each will have its own unique “to do” list. Additionally, make sure to consult a Real Estate professional for direction on what your home needs to get ready! 

Get Guidance: Start with a Professional Staging Consultation! 

Before you begin, have a stager evaluate the home and provide a comprehensive list of what you need to do in each room to get your home market ready. This can help narrow down the priority items and help you focus room by room on making progress. Also, use these home selling tips for a fast sale!

1. Freshen Landscape

A potential buyer will first see the front of your home! A freshly cut lawn and a well manicured landscape set the tone. Consequently, this shows that you care about your home and take pride in maintaining it. It also helps to have great photos to help catch the attention of buyers as they are scrolling through properties.

2. Light and Bright Entrance

First impressions are everything! The moment a potential buyer walks through your front door they will either have immediate feelings of “Oh wow, I love this” or immediate feelings of “Eh, I’m not really feeling this”. The entrance to the home should feel light and bright, free of clutter, and not have any funky smells. 

3. De-personalize 

Having your home full of family photos and religious symbols makes you feel good when you’re in your home; however, this can be a major turn-off for buyers. When buyers are consumed with pictures of your family or religious symbols, it can make it difficult for them to envision themselves in the home. It is important to realize, purchasing a home is a very emotionally charged decision- if a buyer doesn’t feel connected to the space, chances are, they won’t submit an offer. 

4. De-clutter

Potential buyers are evaluating if your current home could work as their future home. If the counters are covered and personal items are left around, it will be difficult for them to see past the mess. We want buyers to feel “at home” when walking through your home, not distracted by what’s on your counters.

5. Clean Closets

Don’t shove things into closets! Every closet in the home should be neatly organized to specifically showcase that there is plenty of storage space. If closets are jam-packed it gives the perception that there isn’t enough room in the house. 

6. Paint

It’s amazing how a fresh coat of paint can transform a home! Especially if you have bright or unique colors in your home, it’s best to re-paint to a neutral color. Neutral colors will allow potential buyers to focus on the house itself instead of being distracted by a variety of colors throughout. If your walls have scuffs, grime, or damage, a fresh coat of paint will help the home appear better maintained. 

7. Change Light Bulbs

Take time to go through each room and ensure all the bulbs in your overhead lighting and lamps are working. Afterwards, change any bulbs as needed. Not only does this help during the open house and private showings to have the home properly lit, but it also helps the photographer get great photos!

8. Replace Filters 

Water filters should be changed to make sure there isn’t a change filter light showing on the refrigerator. Additionally, the HVAC filter should be replaced and the return should be cleaned as well. This will help with odors and dust in the home as well as showcase good maintenance!

9. Make Repairs

The reality is, as homeowners, we are busy! There are often small repairs that need to be made but aren’t a priority, so they get shoved to the bottom of our to-do list. Now is the time to work through these items to make sure your home is in tip-top shape! Ask your real estate agent for their preferred handyman or contractor if you need help getting some of these items handled,.

10. Start Packing

Once you’ve decided to list your home for sale, it’s time to start packing! If it’s not something you will use in the next 30-60 days (and it’s not needed for staging), pack it! If you aren’t able to nicely store the boxes in your garage or storage space in your home, a storage unit may be best.

Regardless of if we are in a buyer’s or seller’s market, having your home in great condition before going on the market is always a must! Putting the work in on the front end and following these home selling tips will help increase the chances that your home will sell quickly and for more money. Just like you put your best foot forward for a job interview, putting your best foot forward when your home goes on the market is equally as important. Potential buyers are essentially interviewing your home to see if they want to “hire” you!