In today’s housing market, your home needs to be in tip-top shape in order to even get noticed.  There is a surplus of homes on the market, so buyers have more than enough options to choose from, and will easily overlook a home that is not in prime condition. 

There are many things that have to be done to a house before it is ready to be sold, so if you are looking to sell your house anytime in the near future, be sure to give yourself plenty of time to get it ready to be noticed!

An article from Realestatearticle.com by Rick Campbell, “Getting a home ready to sell,” discusses both the big and small things one has to do to get a home ready to be sold.

“Buyers pay a premium for a home that is in top-notch, move-in condition, so once you decided to sell, make sure the home is ready to be sold. First, you have to figure out what needs to be done to your home. A thorough property inspection up front will help to identify problem areas. Having the property inspection done and all the corrections taken care of before you get offers also shows the buyers that you are conscientious homeowners. This will relieve some of their anxiety about buying a home.”

The first thing you should do when preparing your house for sale, especially if you are limited on time, is to spruce up the outside.  Since this is what will attract buyers in the first place, you should focus a lot of your efforts on attracting initial attention, especially considering the current state of our market.

“Paint: Few things will enhance the salability of your house quite as much as painting the outside. Before painting, scrape or water-blast any blistered or peeling paint; repair gutters and down spouts; and replace wood showing dry rot. Pay special attention to wood, trim, gutters, and wrought iron.”

Other things to consider include paying special attention to the front entry way to make it look as welcoming as possible.  Also, make sure your lawn or garden is free from clutter and freshly landscaped.

Next, we move on to the inside, and this can be an especially daunting task, regardless of the size of your house.

“One of the best and least expensive ways to improve the ‘showability’ of your home is to open up as much space as possible. Openness stimulates positive feelings in buyers. Overstuffed rooms or closets give the impression of being smaller than they really are. You can't change the size of what you have, but you can try to present it in a pleasing way.”

Also don’t forget to focus on the mechanics, such as lighting, plumbing and heating and air conditioning systems. 

It may easy to forget about these things since you use them everyday, but be sure your look at them with a fresh pair of eyes.

“Badly chipped or irreversibly stained sinks and tubs should be re-enameled, patched, or replaced. Leaky or noisy toilets should be fixed, as well as any dripping faucets.”

Completing these tasks should make selling your home a lot easier and painless in this overcrowded market.