What Should I Do Before I Sell My House?
Selling your home involves a lot of preparation before putting it on the market, especially when your goal is to get a top offer. It can feel like an overwhelming and stressful process, as well as potentially expensive. The good news is that although there are things that need to be done, much of it can be handled quite easily. Getting your house ready and knowing the things to do will help sell your home more quickly while also improving its resale value.
The following are some helpful tips for what to do before you sell your house.
Declutter
Decluttering is a good first step to take. Many people have overstuffed closets, things hidden under their beds, and piles on the counters. Ideally, you want to make your home look and feel as spacious as possible. Donate, give items away to family and friends, have a garage sale, or consider renting a storage unit for items you do not use every day.
Depersonalize
Buyers tend to want to envision themselves and their families living in the house. It helps for sellers to remove distractions and personal items, such as family photos, as well as bold artwork and furniture that are specific to their own taste.
Make Repairs
Now is the time to take care of any problems both inside and outside the house. Inside your home, look for issues such as missing tiles, water-stained ceilings, broken windows or doors, scratched floors, stains on carpet, and other signs of wear and tear. Outside the house, look for problems like cracks in the driveway, patio pavers, broken or missing shingles, roof damage, or loose railings on a deck.
Update Paint
Not only is it a good idea to put a fresh coat of paint on the interior walls of your house, use a neutral color so that buyers can picture what it would look like with the color of their choice.
Clean
When selling your house, it is important to keep things clean and tidy since potential buyers could schedule impromptu tours at any time. Vacuum, sweep, dust, wash windows, take out the trash, double-check the bathrooms, sinks, and even hampers. Remember, you will likely have professional photos taken of your home while its looking its best, so you want to keep it looking as close to the photos as possible.
Make Sure Your Home Smells Good
Scents can influence people more than they realize. Certain scents can be comforting and uplifting, while the wrong kind of smell may be a dealbreaker. Candles, wax-warmers, and even baking cookies can make your home feel more inviting.
If you have pets that leave stains or you to cook foods that leave lingering odors in the kitchen, be sure to do some extra deep cleaning in those areas. Also, you should consider cleaning furniture fabrics.
Open Blinds and Turn On Lights
Bringing in natural light by opening the blinds or curtains will make the rooms in your house appear larger. Also, have a light or lamp turned on in each room so that it feels welcoming in every area of your home. When leaving your house before a showing or open house, consider turning on your outside lights, even in the daytime. It can make your home feel inviting and bright.
Curb Appeal
First impressions are important, and you want any potential buyer to have a good one of your home. You also want to inspire people to come into an open house or schedule a tour if they pass by. Relatively simple and inexpensive fixes such as planting flowers or repainting your front door can make a big difference. If you have a larger budget, investing in professional landscaping during the warmer months can make your house look that much more appealing.
Have an Experienced Real Estate Lawyer
The process of selling a house is not only a major life event, it can be a complicated legal process that requires a lot of paperwork. There are numerous documents that a real estate lawyer will be able to help you navigate through to ensure that the complex process of selling your house goes as smoothly as possible.
Some of these documents include the following:
• Mortgage loan documentation.
• Mandatory disclosures.
• Deed to the house.
• Property tax information.
• Homeowners insurance records.
• Inspection reports.
• Original sales contract.
• Final purchase and sales agreement.
It is helpful to have an experienced lawyer by your side to handle any issues or disputes that may arise and take care of the necessary paperwork.
Annapolis Real Estate Lawyers at Oliveri & Larsen Will Take Care of Your Legal Real Estate Needs if You Are Selling Your House
If you are selling your house and require legal assistance, speak with one of our dedicated Annapolis real estate lawyers at Oliveri & Larsen. We will make sure everything goes smoothly. Call us at 410-295-3000 or contact us online for an initial consultation. Located in Annapolis, Maryland, we serve clients throughout Ocean City, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Baltimore City, Calvert County, Harford County, Howard County, Queen Anne’s County, St. Mary’s County, Worcester County, Kent County, and the upper and lower Eastern Shores of Maryland.