5 Things to Do Right Now to Get Your Home Ready for Market

Selling a home is a challenging feat. According to Zillow, homeowners usually take about six months to decide to list their home and even more time to prepare the property. With most homes selling within approximately 30 days of being listed, ensuring everything is ready before the signs go up will be essential. Check out a few things you can do right now that will help you prepare your home for listing for sale.

1. Rent a Storage Unit

Renting a short-term storage unit is an investment that is easy to make in the home-selling process. However, one thing that can deter interest from buyers is too much clutter. Therefore, it is a good idea to pack up what you don't use and get it out of the way before you have pictures taken of the property. A few things to consider placing in storage include:

• Collections of items

• Furniture pieces that simply take up space

• Articles from the garage that are not neatly tucked away

• Highly personalized decor pieces

• Keepsakes

• Holiday-related items

2. Depersonalize the Space

When a prospect looks at your real estate listing or visits the house for a showing, you want them to be able to visualize their life in the home. However, if you have a lot of personal belongings taking up visual real estate, this may impede the buyer's ability to do this. For example, if you have a lot of family photos on the walls, eclectic decor pieces on the furniture, or unusual window dressings, these may be tucked away until the home sells.

3. Spruce Up the Exterior

Buyers often decide whether they like a home within about 30 seconds of seeing it for the first time. This fact makes the curb appeal one of a property's most significant selling points, so sprucing up the house's exterior is essential. While you do not have to make substantial financial investments, what you can do to make a drastic difference is:

• Clean up any trash or clutter

• Make sure the lawn is mowed and trimmed

• Prune trees that are immediately visible from the road

• Make sure the driveway looks clean and clear

• Spruce up your entryway with a wreath or a fresh coat of paint on the door

4. Paint the Interior

Painting is one of the most cost-effective ways to give the interior of your home a more modern, updated feel. If you have the time and experience, consider investing in a few gallons of paint to give each room a fresh look. It is a good idea to stick with more neutral paint colors to keep the look as neutral and welcoming as possible—for example, light grays and shades of white are generally considered more neutral tones.

5. Research the Housing Market in Your Area

Take a few hours to research the housing market in your area. Look at things like:

• How much have homes sold for in your neighborhood in the past year?

• How quickly are homes selling in your city or location?

• What did the fastest-selling homes offer compared to those that lingered for sale for longer?

This insight can give you insight into things you may need to change or what kind of price would be fair.

Ready to Get Moving?

Once your home sells, we are here to help with everything from storage to heavy lifting. Contact us for a no-obligation moving quote to get started.