Ready to Sell? Maybe Not
Listing your house should not be a spur of the moment decision. Maybe your friends have been telling you that you need to be more spontaneous, but this is not the time to turn over a new leaf. Here are a few signs that you are not quite as ready to sell your home as you think you are.
Your home looks like a toy factory.
If you have kids then you are probably used to toys taking over every room in the home. Unfortunately, a potential buyer without children may not understand what all the clutter is about. Some large plastic bins will at least allow you to hide everything.
You can tell June Cleaver doesn’t live there.
There are not many people who make a point to scrub the shower door tracks, ceiling fans and mini blinds on a regular basis, but if you are going to list your home it needs to be ready to show at all times.
Your home has major signs of pets living there.
Not everyone feels the way you do about pets, so if the backyard looks like the dog has been trying to help dig holes to bury more than just bones or Miss Whiskers has shredded the screen in her favorite window, these things need to be addressed.
You avoid showing people your kitchen.
You don’t need a gourmet kitchen, but you should have one that is at least updated. Most of your competition probably has renovated their kitchen, so at least paint the cabinets and swap the lighting fixtures and hardware for pieces that are a little more current.
Your home is the opposite of minimalistic.
The minimalist look is very popular right now. No one expects you to be onboard with the latest trend, but they also don’t want to have to look past the clutter to get a feel for the home.
You can’t fit another hanger in the closet.
Closet space is one thing buyers generally look for. For many home buyers, it is a top priority. If you haven’t purged your wardrobe in years and you have clothes from all four seasons smashed in there this needs to change. You want to give the impression that you have more space than you need.
The front of your property doesn’t photograph well.
If you haven’t invested any time in your landscaping lately, and you have never rented a power washer to spray off your home, these pictures are probably telling the truth. Stop blaming the camera and make curb appeal a priority.
Your bold style is showcased throughout the home.
Not everyone is going to be comfortable in a kitchen with bright red cabinets and a living room with a black wall. A neutral color palette will appeal to a wider variety of buyers.
Your first two weeks on the market will dictate your home sale process. If you are not really ready, you lose out on the buzz that comes along with being a new listing. Make sure you are ready to make the most of this initial excitement before you make it official.