Break out the mop and the paintbrush. It’s time to give your home a mini-makeover. I watched the new HGTV Show last night, Buying & Selling, with my two favourite Property Brothers, Jonathan and Drew Scott. I loved how honest they were with the homeowners about cleaning, de-cluttering and staging their home for sale.  Here is the episode if you want some excellent advice before you list your home! Also, here are all the little things you can do to attract the big offers.

See your home through a buyer’s eyes

Now’s the time to address your home’s little imperfections: the hole in the screen door, the chipped paint on the baseboards, and the mess in the basement. Print out a copy of our Is Your Home Ready? A Checklist and take a thorough tour of your home.

Get rid of clutter

Your house will feel a lot bigger and more inviting when you clear out those closets, remove bulky, unused furniture and rearrange the remaining pieces to make the best use of space. If you haven’t used something in the past year, toss it, donate it to charity or sell it.

Clean everything

Cleaning is the single most cost effective way to make your home more attractive to buyers. Floors, windows, walls, doors, baseboards – everything! Give extra care and attention to the bathrooms and kitchen. And once it’s all clean, keep it clean! You never know when your ideal buyer will visit.

Repair as much as you can, within reason

Some repairs are absolutely vital, like a leaky roof or basement and unsafe electrical problems. Otherwise, fix all the little things like leaky faucets, doors that squeak, and small cracks in the ceiling.

Depersonalize your home

You want buyers to walk through your house and feel like it’s their home, not yours! Things like a cluttered wall of family portraits or your trophy collection are guaranteed to prevent buyers from emotionally placing themselves in your home. Remove everything that’s too much about you.

Never underestimate the power of paint

Strong colours on the walls or wild wallpaper make it hard for buyers to imagine their furniture in your house. Consider repainting your home in bright, neutral colours that will enhance a room’s size and look more inviting. Next to cleaning your home, paint is the most cost-effective way to increase your home’s appeal.

Add some beautifying touches

You don’t need to spend a fortune to make a big difference. Replace tattered old curtains with some fresh draperies. Mirrors on the wall help rooms feel more spacious. New houseplants add undeniable appeal. And on the outside of your home trim the trees, weed the garden and consider planting a few new flowers to make a great first impression.

Weighing the cost of improvements vs. the potential return

Don’t get so carried away with prepping your home that you forget why you’re doing this – to get more money! You need to consider two things before making any improvements.

  1. Will this make my home more desirable to buyers?
  2. Will this increase the value of my home more than it costs me to do it?

Now I know that you have to live in the house while it’s on the market and not all of us (and I’m included in this group) live in a show ready home.  Kids, pets and parties all conspire to compromise the “showability” of your home.  However, if you keep things relatively picked up, it will hopefully be a quick job to make the place show ready when your REALTOR® calls to book a showing.

As a licensed REALTOR®, I am able to offer useful tips and advice when it comes to prepping homes. ~ Ingrid Jarisz