Prepare Your Property for Sale

TLDR: Curb appeal matters significantly, so anything you can do to declutter and tidy your property will pay off.

"Clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere!"

When you're getting ready to sell your home, you want it to show spectacularly. That means making it more attractive in every way possible: removing excess belongings, cleaning it, having it staged, having professional photos taken, sprucing up the landscaping, and possibly even conducting some repairs prior to opening your front door to the world. Something as simple as having poor quality photos can deter buyers from seeing your house in person, even if the photos aren't representative of how wonderful your home truly is.

Not every seller will need or want professionals to assist in the preparation of selling a home, but we wouldn't suggest these folks if they weren't usually a good return on your investment. Professionals can help showcase your property in the best way. Anything you can do to offer a pleasant experience when someone walks through will help attract buyers. The house should feel inviting, be spotless, and smell nice. However, keep in mind that the buyer's experience touring your property starts long before they walk in—it starts when they drive through the neighborhood and arrive in front of your house.

Storytime

“As an agent, I drove around buyers who took one look at a property’s front yard and didn’t even bother looking inside if they didn’t like what they saw. I can’t emphasize how much curb appeal matters!”

Tip

In real estate, first impressions matter, and curb appeal is not to be underestimated. If buyers are unimpressed with your home's exterior upon arriving at the property, some will go straight to the next property on their list, so make sure you do your best to clean up the outside. You don't have to spend thousands on landscaping–simply cutting the grass, trimming the hedges, pulling the weeds, and removing any trash or clutter will often suffice.

Start prepping well in advance. It can take a long time to clean out your house, schedule repairs, stage your property, and have it photographed. If you wait until the last minute, delays at any step along the way could postpone your listing date past the ideal listing season and result in lower offers.

When is the best time to sell?

For reasons that likely include nicer weather, the approaching conclusion of the school year, and military moving orders, spring is the most common time to move for buyers, sellers, and renters alike. While houses are certainly sold throughout other times of the year, this tends to be when buyers are on the—ahem—move to find a house. Listing your property in the March-June timeframe will often generate the most traffic, correlating to a higher offer.