Getting Your Home Ready to Sell

You’ve made the decision to list your home, but what comes next? We talked with Mirtha Barzaga, one of Davidson Realty’s top real estate agents and a multi-year Top Sales, Top Producing and Top Listing Agent of the Year, to get her top tips on easy, but impactful steps you can take to make your home show to its potential.

Minimize the Clutter

While you may love little treasures, family photos and mementos scattered around the house, it won’t help sell your home. Clutter makes the home look busy, and personal items make the home feel like someone else’s. Go through the entire home and remove excess furniture, personal items and knick-knacks. Clear countertops, shelves and tabletops of any superfluous items. The goal is to make the rooms look larger and depersonalize the home so that potential owners can see themselves living in it.

Cleanliness Matters

All the upgrades and maintenance in the world won’t matter if the home is dirty. Deep clean everything, from the floors and baseboards to the ceiling fans and light fixtures, and everything in between. Pay special attention to the kitchen, eating spaces and bathrooms. If you can, this is a great time to hire a professional cleaner. A clean home suggests a well-maintained home.

Freshen up the Paint

A fresh paint job is one of the highest-return investments when it comes to successfully listing and selling your home. Touch up any scuffs and holes, and freshen up any faded or dull rooms. It is worth considering repainting bold-colored walls in bright, neutral tones. This creates a blank canvas for new homeowners’ imagination.

The Outside is Just as Important

First impressions matter, and a potential owner will see the exterior of your home first. Boost your home’s curb appeal by mowing and edging the lawn, trimming and shaping trees; and pressure washing sidewalks, the driveway and outdoor spaces. Garden beds and planters should be weeded, given a fresh layer of mulch and considered for upgrades with bright seasonal flowers.

Let There Be Light

Realtors want the home to be bright and well-lit. Go through the home and replace any burned-out lightbulbs. Pro tip: Make sure the lights have the same tone. Don’t have bright white and soft white in the same room. Open blinds and curtains to let in as much natural light as possible.

Pay Attention to the Details

Don’t let minor repairs turn off potential buyers. Fix little nuisances like dripping faucets, loose door handles, broken blinds, cracked switch plates and squeaky doors and cabinets. A handyperson repair service can be helpful to use.

Let Them See Your Storage

Closets and storage spaces are huge selling points. Make sure they are organized and tidy. Remove seasonal clothes, decorations and personal items to make closets and storage spaces as large as possible.

Say Bye to Odors

Strong or bad smells can be a real turnoff. But don’t cover up odors with strong, perfumed air fresheners, sprays, diffusers or candles. Neutralize pet, cooking or smoking odors. Have carpets, furniture and other cloth items that hold onto smells steam-cleaned. Fresh, clean air is the best way to clear the house of odors.

Add Simple Details

Now that your home is clean and clear of extraneous items, add in simple finishing touches that make the house feel like a welcoming home. There’s nothing quite like fluffy, fresh towels neatly organized in the bathroom, a bowl of fresh fruit or bright flowers in the kitchen, and nicely made beds with matching linens and fluffed-up pillows.

Now that your current home is ready to sell, let us help you find a new one. Buyers can browse our available inventory at davidsonrealtyinc.com or contact one of our professional agents at 904-940-5000.

You’ve made the decision to list your home, but what comes next? We talked with Mirtha Barzaga, one of Davidson Realty’s top real estate agents and a multi-year Top Sales, Top Producing and Top Listing Agent of the Year, to get her top tips on easy, but impactful steps you can take to make your home show to its potential.

Minimize the Clutter

While you may love little treasures, family photos and mementos scattered around the house, it won’t help sell your home. Clutter makes the home look busy, and personal items make the home feel like someone else’s. Go through the entire home and remove excess furniture, personal items and knick-knacks. Clear countertops, shelves and tabletops of any superfluous items. The goal is to make the rooms look larger and depersonalize the home so that potential owners can see themselves living in it.

Cleanliness Matters

All the upgrades and maintenance in the world won’t matter if the home is dirty. Deep clean everything, from the floors and baseboards to the ceiling fans and light fixtures, and everything in between. Pay special attention to the kitchen, eating spaces and bathrooms. If you can, this is a great time to hire a professional cleaner. A clean home suggests a well-maintained home.

Freshen up the Paint

A fresh paint job is one of the highest-return investments when it comes to successfully listing and selling your home. Touch up any scuffs and holes, and freshen up any faded or dull rooms. It is worth considering repainting bold-colored walls in bright, neutral tones. This creates a blank canvas for new homeowners’ imagination.

The Outside is Just as Important

First impressions matter, and a potential owner will see the exterior of your home first. Boost your home’s curb appeal by mowing and edging the lawn, trimming and shaping trees; and pressure washing sidewalks, the driveway and outdoor spaces. Garden beds and planters should be weeded, given a fresh layer of mulch and considered for upgrades with bright seasonal flowers.

Let There Be Light

Realtors want the home to be bright and well-lit. Go through the home and replace any burned-out lightbulbs. Pro tip: Make sure the lights have the same tone. Don’t have bright white and soft white in the same room. Open blinds and curtains to let in as much natural light as possible.

Pay Attention to the Details

Don’t let minor repairs turn off potential buyers. Fix little nuisances like dripping faucets, loose door handles, broken blinds, cracked switch plates and squeaky doors and cabinets. A handyperson repair service can be helpful to use.

Let Them See Your Storage

Closets and storage spaces are huge selling points. Make sure they are organized and tidy. Remove seasonal clothes, decorations and personal items to make closets and storage spaces as large as possible.

Say Bye to Odors

Strong or bad smells can be a real turnoff. But don’t cover up odors with strong, perfumed air fresheners, sprays, diffusers or candles. Neutralize pet, cooking or smoking odors. Have carpets, furniture and other cloth items that hold onto smells steam-cleaned. Fresh, clean air is the best way to clear the house of odors.

Add Simple Details

Now that your home is clean and clear of extraneous items, add in simple finishing touches that make the house feel like a welcoming home. There’s nothing quite like fluffy, fresh towels neatly organized in the bathroom, a bowl of fresh fruit or bright flowers in the kitchen, and nicely made beds with matching linens and fluffed-up pillows.

Now that your current home is ready to sell, let us help you find a new one. Buyers can browse our available inventory at davidsonrealtyinc.com or contact one of our professional agents at 904-940-5000.