1.) Disassociate yourself from your home. For many home sellers this is easy to do but for others it is not. You need to look at your home like a product that you want to sell. Say goodbye to it and envision yourself handing over the keys to someone else.
2.) Organize and clean. Pare down clutter and pack up your least used items, such as large blenders and other kitchen tools, out-of-season clothes, toys, and exercise equipment. Store items off-site or in boxes neatly arranged in the garage or basement. Maybe even hire a professional cleaner to clean the house. You can get this done for under $300 and for as little as $75.
3.) Get replacement estimates. Do you have items that are worn our or will need to be replaced soon, such as your roof or carpeting? Get estimates on how much it would cost to replace them. The figures will be handy when negotiations begin.
4.) Find your warranties. Gather up the warranties, guarantees, and user manuals for the furnace, washer, dryer, dishwasher, refrigerator, stove, air conditioner, water softener, and anything else that may be staying with the home.
5.) Spruce up the curb appeal. Have a friend or family member stand outside your home. Ask them to critique your home as they approach the front door. What is their impression of the property? Do the lawn and bushes look neatly manicured? Is the address clearly visible? Are flowers or plants framing the entrance? Feedback from others may point out things you just don't notice. Especially if you do most of your entering from the garage.
6.) De-Personalize. Yes.....take those personal photos down off the wall and put them into a box. You want a potential buyer to be able to envision themselves living in this house. With your photos spread out all over the house it is hard for people to do that. Instead they tend to get distracted and wonder what the people living here are like.
7.) Remove favorite items. Window treatments, light fixtures and built in appliances all stay. It's in the "boiler plate" portion of the contract. So if you have an antique chandelier or perhaps a dishwasher that you can't live without. Remove them before listing and replace them with something else.
