Prepping Your Listing

While most buyers would love to have a turnkey home, that isn’t always realistic for every home being put on the market. Buyers will focus on what needs work while the sellers will focus on what is great about the property. Your job as the agent is to bridge the gap and make sure the seller has the best sale-prep advice to maximize their home’s positives and minimize the negatives.

Home owners often have a very specific to do list in mind when it’s time to sell so it’s important to be there to guide them as to what will make the biggest impact to buyers. The more you can encourage the sellers to eliminate items that need work in the home, the more opportunity the items that are positive in the home will have a chance to shine.

 

Kitchen and Bathrooms

Full renovations may not be possible or necessary but some simple updating goes a long way. Most buyers expect for these rooms to be up to date already and anything less will appear in the negative category.

Some items to consider updating or renovating include:

• Stove and refrigerator - These should be in good working condition and look good. Anything outdated or visibly damaged will immediately look to the buyer as if it needs to be replaced.
• Kitchen faucet – A new faucet can make a big impact if it is new, shiny, and doesn’t have to cost a lot.
• Tile floors – If tiles are dirty, get them professionally cleaned and regrouted. If tiles are cracked or broken, replace with a basic shape and color.
• Bathroom faucet – Like the kitchen, new hardware makes a big impact.
• Shower curtain – Suggest the home owner either put up a neutral-style curtain or remove it entirely to make room look open and tidy.

 

Flooring

• Carpets – Should always be professionally cleaned before selling a home. If they are stained or worn, then they should be replaced.
• Wood flooring – The same rule applies for all variations of wood flooring; if it is damaged, it needs to be repaired or replaced.

Always pick a neutral color for flooring. Top quality is not key. It just has to look in good condition.

 

Outdoors

• Fences – Replace any missing or damaged pieces. Better to look recently repaired with mismatched colors than broken.
• Shrubs – Keep shrubbery trimmed and neat. Pull up any errant weeds and lay a thick layer of mulch to cover any uneven or bare beds to create a finished look.
• Paint – Ensure there are no cracks or peeling paint on the exterior. Cracks are often signs of bigger underlying issues.

 

A home that is well taken care of makes a great first impression. The goal is to have buyers see the property when it is at its best. Have the home owners address anything that needs attention and might distract from property’s positives. Once the eyesores are addressed, the property has a chance to shine.