Must-Dos Before Listing Your House For Sale

The time has finally come for you to sell your home and move onto bigger, better things. You might think that, having made the difficult decision to sell, the rest of the process will be as straightforward and plain sailing as could be. In reality, deciding to sell up is the first of many choices you'll need to make. If you want your home to end up with the right buyer, you'll want to make it as enticing and buyer ready as possible. Not only will this shorten and streamline the sales process, but it will also mean you have fewer complications to deal with after it is sold.

Not sure where to begin? You can start by attending to the following must-dos before you list your house for sale.

• Get an estate agent
  Your first decision will be to find someone to help sell your home—preferably a licenced and reputable estate agent experienced in selling homes in your area. They'll help you determine what kind of buyer to look for and how to ensure your home appeals to them. They'll also be able to highlight major faults you need to repair—or disclose to the buyer—before sale. Your estate agent will use their knowledge of property sales trends to inform you so you can stage your home. For example, if you live in an area popular with young families, adding safety features like a pool gate or burglar guards might increase its appeal.

• Adopt an outsider's view
  When you spend years in a home, you become familiar with it and, over time, could gloss over its flaws and imperfections. Pretending to view your home as if you're seeing it for the very first time can help you detect possible issues worth addressing before selling. You should begin this process by viewing its curbside appeal, which will be what a potential buyer first sees when pulling up to your property. Take note of rooms you infrequently use but could capture potential buyers' interest. Prioritise giving these spaces the necessary sprucing up and focus they deserve before listing your house for sale.

• Make minor repairs 
  Once you've addressed major faults in your home and looked at it from an outsider's point of view, you should pay attention to any minor and inexpensive repairs or changes you can make to make your home more appealing and functional. This can include switching out failing light bulbs for brighter or warmer lighting, repairing or replacing chipped or damaged tiles or flooring, and more. You can also create a more cohesive look and feel for your home by updating and matching its cupboard handles, fixtures, taps, towel rods, curtain rods, and more. 

• Declutter your space
  You may have begun packing to move before your sale is finalised, which means your home may be filled with boxes and clutter. Keeping this out of the way or finding a place to store it would be best to keep your home as neat and spacious looking as possible. If you cannot do this all at once or will still be living in your home for the time being, you can focus on depersonalising your home first. This means leaving important elements like furniture and appliances in place while removing or packing away personal items like photo frames, artwork, or sports equipment. This will also enable potential buyers to envision themselves in your home more easily.   

• Freshen up visually
  Now that your home is pretty much in good condition and suitable for public viewing, you can focus on making it clean from top to bottom. It's a good idea to go beyond your usual cleaning process and deep clean, paying attention to elements like grimy silicone, grouting and hidden stains in high traffic areas like the bathroom and kitchen. Other areas worth paying attention to are light switches, ceilings, walls, flooring and furniture. 

• Stage your home
  Making your home appealing to potential buyers can mean making it visually appealing in a simple and universal way. This includes choosing neutral and cheerful decorative elements that work with your home's style and create a space where buyers can imagine themselves living. Professional stagers can assist you in this or you can take on this task yourself. Consider placing flowers in vases and lighting scented candles to enhance your home’s appeal without breaking your budget or spending hours on the task. 

• Host an open house
  Hosting an open house is a simple way to expose as many potential buyers as possible to your home at once, so you can hasten the sales process while addressing everyone's queries at the same time. When doing this, make sure they can find your home as easily as possible by having clear signage and even visual markers indicating your house is available for viewing. You can also make your home more appealing during the day by preparing snacks for visitors to enjoy while they examine your property. 
  
  If executed correctly, the must-dos listed above can make your home sale process go more smoothly and quickly. However, if you still need help the team at SA Home Loans can assist you with the process of financing a new home that meets your family's evolving needs. To get in touch with us today for advice call 0860 2 4 6 8 10 today.