How To Prepare Your North Texas House for Sale

A plan of action for what needs done to your home before it is listed to make sure it sells quickly and for the most money.

As a seller, you want it all…..

….you want your home to sell quickly, for the most money, and with the least amount of headache as possible. This is within reach, but sellers don’t just “get lucky”. It takes the right plan and preparation to make buyer’s think “I have to have that home!”.

Let’s dive into some action steps you can take to set yourself up for the best selling experience possible.

Detach From Your Home

Home is a special place for all of us. Emotion overcomes us which can cause difficulties when making decisions when it comes to preparing your house for sale. As with many things, your mindset is EVERYTHING! So, the number one thing you can do to make sure you are preparing for a successful sale is to detach yourself from the home and start thinking through things as what the future buyer of your home would like to see. This isn’t easy, but try to imagine your future and all the memories you will make in your next home instead of what you are leaving behind in your current home.

Make Minor Repairs

It’s important to make the home as “move-in-ready” as possible. Think about it – would you like to move into a house knowing that you already have a list of repairs that need to be made right after you are done unpacking? I don’t think so! Replacing cracked tiles, patching up walls, putting in new light bulbs, fixing leaks, and addressing any other issues you know about will help make your home more appealing and generate more interest in your home.

Evaluate Improvements

Sometimes, you need to spend money to make money. Depending on the scenario, it could be a smart financial decision to make improvements to your home to generate a higher sale price. Things like kitchen and bathroom upgrades, adding an additional bedroom, and replacing carpets are all things that could be considered. Make sure to consult with your Realtor to understand if the return is worth it in your specific scenario!

Depersonalize Your Home

Think about all of the meaningful photos, decorations, and furniture you have around the house. While they are quite meaningful to you, they make it difficult for potential buyers to imagine what the house will look like with their personal items in it. Depersonalizing your home will make it easier for buyers to imagine how the house could look once they move in.

It is your job to present buyers with an impersonal, simple environment. To accomplish this, consider the following.

Take down and pack personal photographs
Pack up family heirlooms
Remove any “statement” decor and furniture that reflects your personality

When you can’t make the call on whether something should be removed. It sometimes helps to ask yourself the simple question “would I find this item in a hotel?”. If the answer is “yes”, then keep it out. If the answer is “no”, then pack it away.

Consider temporarily renting a storage garage so that you have a safe space to store all of your personal items and also takes up less storage space at your home.

Declutter the House

It is always surprising how much “stuff” we can accumulate over the years. While it’s okay to have all of this sitting out while living there, it’s not appealing for buyers as they are walking through the home.

So do you need everything? The answer is probably no. You want your house to look like a model home, so it’s time to get all of the clutter out of your house!

Kitchen and bathroom counters, bookshelves, closets, garages, and laundry rooms are typical culprits for clutter-filled areas. Start by going through these areas and create three piles.

Donate pile
Throw away pile
Pack pile

Doing this will help create an inviting, simple space for buyers as they walk through your home.

Organize Closets & Cabinets

People LOVE storage – especially in Texas. So you shouldn’t be surprised that many buyers will want to check out what storage your home has. Because of this, you’ll want to make sure that you organize all of your closets & cabinets and make them “show-ready”. In doing this, you will “wow” the buyer and not only show them that there is plenty of storage in the house, but that you take really good care of your things.

Clean the House

Your house should be so clean that it sparkles! Seriously – nobody wants to move into a dirty house so put your best foot forward and clean as much as you can. While the entire house should be cleaned, make sure to especially focus on these.

Wash windows inside and out
Recaulk tubs, showers and sinks
Polish all metal faucets and mirrors
Dust everywhere (don’t miss top of fans, underneath furniture, and base trim)
Get your carpets professionally cleaned
Scrub and wax floors
Clean shower glass
Keep toilets spotless
Clean all kitchen and bathroom grout
Clean kitchen appliances
Eliminate bad odors (and avoid cooking odorous foods)

Perfect the Curb Appeal

First impressions are important! When buyers step out of their car, you want them to fall in love right away! Consider taking the following steps to make sure the curb appeal is perfect.

Pressure wash siding and concrete
Paint the front door
Repair any rotten siding
Remove and replace dead shrubs and plants
Trim the trees
Address dead grass patches

Invite Your Realtor for a Tour

A Realtor can be an extremely valuable resource before you list your home. In fact, the earlier you can invite your Realtor to tour your home and help create a game plan, the better! Doing this allows your Realtor to provide a professional opinion and specific plan of action on all of the bullet points in this article – especially for what needs to be improved, decluttered, and depersonalized.

Are You Ready?

Are you overwhelmed? I get it – there is a lot that goes into properly preparing a home for sale. But think about the opportunity that exists on the other side of the transaction and all of the memories you will make in the next home. Taking these steps will make sure you are set up for a successful sale.