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When you are preparing your home for sale, there are three things I recommend that you do:

1. Paint. You don’t have to paint your entire home (unless you really need to), but I would recommend touching up spots that look faded. If you have a room that looks too dark, paint it a lighter color. Finally, make sure any foundational cracks are covered up. You want to remove as many question marks for buyers as possible.

2. Declutter. When you live in a home for a number of years, you will accumulate a lot of stuff. When people walk through your home, you want them to think about where they will put their furniture. You don’t want them stepping over boxes of stuff. Put those things in storage and open up some space in your home.

3. Hire a professional cleaner. Cleaning is great on a regular basis, but a professional will hit those nooks and crannies you haven’t touched in years. A professional cleaning will show buyers that you have worked to maintain your home.

Now, there are three things that you shouldn’t do before you list your home. These renovations won’t get you a good return on investment:

1. Replacing hardwood floors. You may choose a color that doesn’t work for buyers looking at the home. Instead, refinish the floors or (if the floors really need replacing) offer a credit to the buyer to replace the floors themselves. That way, they can pick something they like.

2. Updating appliances. Again, people may not like the color, make, or model that you select and you won’t get a return on investment. Instead, only replace the items that do not function properly. You can also offer a credit to the buyer if you need to.

3. Adding structural changes to the home. You may think that adding a bedroom would add value to your home, but it can actually take away some of the interior space of the home, making the home look smaller. Instead, you can virtually stage the home. Someone will take photos showing people what it would look like if you added a wall to make a third bedroom. You can also have some engineering plans drawn up for the buyer to see.

If you have any questions about getting your home ready for the market, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!