Preparing your house for sale can be a lengthy process but it is one that is certainly worth it. Potential buyers will be heavily influenced by the cleanliness, freshness and vibrancy of a home so putting in place these essential steps when preparing your house for sale will help you to not only sell, but receive a higher price.

Clean

This step makes the move easier as well but is essential to a successful sale. A clean home is a welcoming home and it really isn’t that difficult to keep everything clean and tidy. Decluttering should be your first step as this will make moving much easier. Start putting things that you rarely use into boxes and find places for storage throughout the property.

Once that is done, it is about conducting a proper clean. This means the windows, floors and bathrooms and wiping down all of the surfaces within your home to rid them of dust. Before every inspection it is recommended that you vacuum the floors as well.

Fix anything that is broken or worn

This is another factor that is going to sway people into buying. A home that is devoid of any issues is a home that people want to purchase. In preparing your house for sale, check the plumbing for any leaks, walls for damp or other water damage and check for any signs of animal infestation. This will reflect well on you and also increase the likelihood of successfully selling.

Eliminate odours

Air fresheners are great but can smell a little artificial. Whilst air freshener is better than a bad smell, try to opt for more natural odours when preparing the house for sale. Include flowers throughout the house and put diffusers in the bathrooms so that they smell welcoming.

Paint the walls (inside and out)

There is nothing more enticing than a freshly painted home. It emits a new vibrancy that makes the home appear newer than it really is. When preparing your house for sale employ a professional painter to re-paint the interior and exterior walls of the home. This may seem costly but it provides the home with a serious facelift in the lead up to selling the property.

Thoroughly clean the carpets

This doesn’t mean lots of vacuuming. Your carpet should be professionally clean before going on sale. This means shampooing it a few times to remove all of the dirt. If there are large and noticeable stains it may even be worth considering replacing the carpet when preparing the house for sale.

Finish any projects

If you are conducting any DIY projects in your home, the time to finish them is when you are preparing the house for sale. You want the house to look completed when people are walking through looking 

to buy. There was a reason that you started the project and that is because you thought that it would improve the look and/or function of the home and it is very likely that potential buyers will think the same.

Set a price

When preparing your house for sale you should have a solid understanding of the price that you want and the price that you are able to get. Through discussion with your real estate agent you should settle on a minimum price and know, roughly, the range that you can expect people to bid at. This is helpful in preparing your house for sale as it can indicate the amount of work you should put in to make it look welcoming. Additionally, having clear expectations allows you to be in control and not be as disappointed if it fails to sell.