The Do’s and Don’t’s of Making Your Home Ready for Sale

Think you know what it takes to sell your home? The Jills share their top 5 “do’s and don’ts” for getting your home in tip-top shape for the market.

Preparing your home for sale takes some effort. By following these tips your home will be ready to hit the market.

Do: freshen up your home so that it shows in the best light possible. A fresh coat of paint, some landscaping and pressure cleaning goes a long way. You want to wow people from the second they lay eyes on the home so curb appeal is crucial. Be consistent from the outside in and make sure every room makes a great impression.

Don’t: overspend on major renovations that may overvalue your property. Be aware of comps and know your limits. You don’t want to spend a significant amount of time and money becoming the biggest fish in a small pond when that fish will still be worth about the same as it was before.

Do: Make your home as inviting as possible- leave a coffee table book open to a random page and a candle burning to give off a relaxed and intimate feel. Flowers are always a plus but make sure they look alive and well.

Don’t: leave out personal items or clutter in your home. Buyers need to imagine themselves living in the home and they can’t do that when all they see is your family and your life. Clearing out and cleaning up will allow them to see how beautiful the home is and will give them the opportunity to envision themselves living there.

Do: listen to advice. You hired your agent for a reason. Let him or her guide you as to when it makes sense to improve and when it  doesn’t. When it does, seek help from a decorator and/or architect. Find the best professional and let them do what they do best.