Guide: Preparing your home to sell

Putting your property for sale in the Texas real estate market? The right preparations will make your listing worthy of the highest offers from the most discriminating buyers. Here are nine tried and tested steps that will make your house look, feel, and work like new before you advertise it to buyers:

Declutter and depersonalize

Homebuyers appreciate seeing clean, neutral spaces that they can imagine occupying and personalizing as their own. Turn your living spaces into a “blank canvas” by clearing away personal decorations, keepsakes, and other unnecessary items that have accumulated in your house over the years. This step is an excellent way to begin preparing for a home sale. Not only does it make your house look tidier in an instant, it also gets you started with packing your belongings for your upcoming move.

Deep clean the entire property

Selling your house will require you to clean it like you’ve never done so before. Your goal is to bring the entire house back to its most pristine, most good-as-new condition—or even better. While you can take on general house cleaning chores as a weekend project— especially if you have time to spare—some deep cleaning might require professional services. Getting pros to do your deep cleaning will spare you from having to do most of the tedious work, leaving you with more time and energy to attend to the other steps in this list.

Get essential repairs done

Pay close attention to every fixture in and around your home. Look for leaky faucets and pipes, creaking door or window hinges, flickering light bulbs, cracks in walls or tiles, and other clear signs of wear and tear. Make sure all of these are repaired or replaced before you list your property. Even the slightest flaw can make an otherwise interested buyer think twice about making an offer.

Update appliances and furniture

If your furniture or appliances are already too worn out, don’t hesitate to replace them with new ones. The positive impression you’ll make with brand new home fixtures will boost the value of your home and help you recoup the money you invested. Remember that you don’t have to go overboard with top-of-the-line, high-end models if these are too expensive. Functional, high-quality pieces available at good value are enough if they complement the rest of the property.

Repaint the walls

A fresh coat of paint can instantly liven up a room. Remember to use neutral instead of bold colors though. Warm tones of beige, cream, or grey work best in the living room and other spaces designed for socializing. Cooler hues like blue or green are more ideal for bedrooms, where the space is meant more for relaxation.

Make everything look brighter

Light is a key ingredient in making a house appear more appealing to buyers, especially when they visit for a personal showing. Bright spaces appear larger and evoke a more pleasant vibe, contributing to a more positive home tour. If you are welcoming buyers during daytime, remember to open the curtains and allow as much natural light to enter your home. Update your light bulbs if necessary, and consider adding lamps to illuminate shadowy corners around your home. Installing mirrors around the house also helps light bounce around the house.

Clear out your storage areas

Impress your buyers with generous storage space. As part of your decluttering, clear out your closets so you can showcase the available space that the home’s next owner can use. Installing lights inside your cabinets is a good idea. In addition to making your storage spaces more presentable during the selling process, this is also a practical feature that your buyer will appreciate when they move in.

Spruce up your curb appeal

First impressions are important when you’re trying to impress someone. This is why you should pay as much attention to the exterior features of your property as you do to what’s inside. There are various ways to improve your curb appeal. Revive your lawn or buy fresh, flowering plants in time for buyers’ visits. Power wash your walls and roof. Repair cracks in the pavement. Decorate your entryway, or even install a brand new front door.

Have your property staged and photographed

When you’re done with the previous steps, get a professional home stager and photographer to capture the best angles of your house in photos and videos. These will make your listing more attention-grabbing, especially when you use online channels and social media posts. If you want more expert tips for selling your home, contact Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices (BHHS) Caliber Realty. Call 979.694.8844 or email your inquiries to sales(at)bhhscaliber(dotted)com.

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