How to Prepare Your House for Sale Properly

March 11th, 2016

If you’re preparing to sell your house, you would want to get the best price possible. At Move Out Mates, we know that for that you have to make it look presentable and inviting. The first impression is the most important for any potential buyer, and here is how you should prepare your house for sale.

How to Prepare Your House for Sale

Answering this question will also answer how to put your house on the market. The most important thing you have to pay attention to is your product for sale. So, make sure it’s in good condition.

Guarantee for structure stability. This is broad wording, as stability can mean one to omany things. All in all, buyers would want to know the age of building(s), construction materials it’s made of, and generally, how durable it is. You can answer all their questions by presenting the property deed.
Make sure water supply is in working order. Water from the sink should be clear. Not brown, not cloudy, but crystal clear. No fixture should be leaking and warm water should be available. You might need to do a thorough inspection of your pipe system, especially if you haven’t done that in a few years, now.
Make sure that electrical grid and power supply work and are safe. Single free wires that go nowhere shouldn’t be hanging around. Everything that needs electricity should work when switched on, especially lighting. If you want your property to make a great first impression, look into having safe sockets only. New parents and couples who intend to buy a house to start a family will definitely remember you.
Check the heating system and other fixtures. It’s not a good idea to present a house where electronics and other devices are broken or damaged. While it’s not the deciding point for buyers, it can leave a bad impression and definitely won’t help you sell fast, note property experts HouseBuyers4u.
Do a property pest inspection upfront. It goes without saying that no one wants to buy a property infested with vermins, bugs, or other big or small wild animals and pests. You could inspect the house yourself, but it’s best to call a professional and present prospects with written proof by a pro. Guarantees of no pests can only be a plus for you.
Clean up the property thoroughly. It’s true potential that buyers don’t pay too much attention to how cleanlin your property is, as they usually buy with the intention of renovation or decorating it themselves. But, cleanliness can always sway those with good taste towards your goal. Here’s a detailed checklist to help you with this.
Take care of you back and front yard. Trim bushes, organise flowerbeds, weed, clean exterior, walking areas and patio. Do quick renovations if you have to. The exterior is what makes people enter to see what’s inside. Make it as presentable as it can get. Curious note, artificial grass attracts a lot of potential buyers.

The neighbourhood is another very important point buyers take into account. Sadly, you cannot do anything about it.

How to Clean Your House Fast

When asking someone, how to prepare your house for sale, despite being one of the last thing you have to do, people will usually tell you to just clean it up.

De-clutter your property. Count on minimalism. The fewer items you have in each room, the tidier it looks. Throw out rubbish along with anything you or others won’t need. Anything that has no place in your home, but might be of use to friends, family, or charities, is better off given. Of course, sell if in good condition.
Remove wallpapers. Even if they are in fine shape, people do not favour wallpapers. Well, maybe they do, but how do you know you will get those people as potential buyers? Property walls should be immaculate. Pure white is best, so the next house owners will have an empty canvas.
Follow the top to bottom approach. Start dusting and washing from the ceiling down. Then follow with alls and curtains, doors and windows, furniture and flooring. Gravity told us this is the best way.
Clean floors and carpets. For hard flooring, you’ll just need a broom and a mop, but carpets need special attention just as we do it with end of tenancy cleaning. Depending on their type, you might need to wash them differently. Some require specific care, others don’t. Make sure you do this a few days priorly, as in some cases they might need hours to dry completely.
Eliminate property odours. The best way to do this is by opening all windows and letting the air current through your house do the trick. If your carpets, drapes and upholstery have not absorbed any cigarette smoke, or food odours from before, this will be quite enough. But of course, you can always invest in an air freshener.

How to Inspect for Pests

Pests aren’t something you just don’t notice if you come back from work every day. If there are any, you should know. But, just in case, here is how you can do a fast pest inspection.

Inspect walls and floors for cracks and damage. Pests can find a lot of places to hide in your house and they’ll mostly love to make cosy between your walls or under your floor. Even the smallest cracks can serve for their doorway into your house, so be on the look out for that.
Check for plumbing leaks. Critters go where there is water and humidity, so make sure to check the bathroom. And, if there’s food on the floor, they will be in their own oasis – so do a really thorough inspection of the kitchen. Under the sink, behind the cupboard, in the cupboards and anywhere that’s dark, humid and possibly wet due to a leakage.
Make sure your windows don’t have broken seals. Another evidence for nasty critters getting into your home. Or if they haven’t yet, soon they might. So fix it quickly.
Check the garbage. Insects and rodents will first go for your garbage can, whether it is in your house or outside. It’s a good idea to put the one outside as far away from your house as possible. And the one inside can deter unwanted pests if you put lemon or onion peels in it.
See the pest. In the end, if you see one of them, you can be sure there’s more. So, it’s a good idea to call an exterminator.

Showing People Round Your House

Once you get potential buyers, you will have to show them around your house. You prepared it well, worked really hard to bring it to its glamour, but of course, you know it’s not the only house on the market. You have to shine even more.

Here is how to show your house for sale.

Be friendly. People want to talk to friendly people, regardless the situation, so flash a smile and focus your buyers on the most positive aspects. If the buyers aren’t local, tell them what amenities are nearby. Tell them about your life in here and be personal. People look for quality in a property, but the final decision is usually made by what they feel.
Remove personal belongings. There is nothing more distracting for a potential buyer than to see someone else’s family pictures in a property. This way they will have a harder time seeing themselves in it. So, make sure those are away.
Remove the pets. If you have any, you better remove the pets and leave them somewhere else at the time of the viewing. Not only would they distract, but they would bring some unwanted odours in there. The only exception is fish – fish are very soothing and create a pleasant atmosphere.

Knowing how to prepare your house for sale will help you a great deal with organising your time properly. Another time saving option, is to rely on professionals at least once in a while. You can hire professional movers, professional end of tenancy cleaners, professional inventory specialists, or any other that can make your day easier.