The snow is melting, and with that, another cycle of the real estate “Selling Season” begins. If you’re considering listing your home this year, it’s definitely not too late to get started. Regardless of when you plan to list, there are a few things you can do right now to start getting ready, and it’s not as simple as sticking a sign in the yard and waiting for the calls to roll in.

Putting Your Best Foot Forward

You never know who will feel that special feeling people get when they find the house that is just right for them, but you can turn the odds in your favor if you and your home are both show ready long before you open up to potential buyers.

Before you sell your house, run through this checklist.

1. Talk to a Realtor
There’s a reason that 91 percent of home sellers used a real estate agent to sell their home in 2018: selling a home is a complicated process that demands an expert. In addition, there are serious financial risks involved with selling your home without an education in real estate law or knowing the nuances of the current market.

In addition to being your safety net, a Realtor can point out items that you might not realize are big turn-offs to buyers, like dated paint colors or lighting fixtures, so you can get started on the cosmetic stuff to make your home show at its best.

2. Consider a home inspection
Wait. Isn’t a home inspection just for buying a house? No! You can have a home inspector out any time you want. Having a full blown home inspection before you put your house on the market gives you a chance to correct items that will likely come up for your future buyer when they have their home inspector out. Don’t want to spend the money on an inspector? That’s ok too! A good Realtor will walk through your home with you and point out any potential issues that may come up during a buyer inspection. Get ahead of issues and you’ll sell that house faster.

3. Declutter
If you have to sell your home in order to buy the next, you’re going to be living in a showroom for the next few months. Take anything you don’t really need and put it in a storage unit. Get it away from your house because pushing clutter around doesn’t really help anything. Declutter as much as you can bear to — it’ll make your house look bigger and more appealing to prospective buyers. Not sure what to get rid of? We can help you decide. A good place to start is with our pre-photoshoot checklist.

4. Up Your Curb Appeal
As your Realtor I will drive home the importance of curb appeal (e.g., how enticing your house is from the street / the curb). The better the curb appeal, the more likely potential buyers will come inside and look around. The interesting thing about curb appeal is how certain elements of your house affect the whole picture. Case in point, Zillow’s 2018 Paint Color Analysis found that a black or charcoal colored front door can bring in as much as $6,271 extra!

5. Spruce up the landscaping
Along with dressing the front of your house up a bit, make sure that your landscaping is up to par. Prune any unruly plants, replace perennials that may have patchy growth, refresh your mulch, give the lawn a mow. Now that your landscape is radiating amazing curb appeal, keep it that way until your home closes. If you need to hire a landscaper, consider it an investment.

6. Get copies of your utility bills
People will ask what kind of utility costs are associated with your home. Does it just burn through the natural gas? Does the electricity use seem excessive? This is another place where you can get ahead of potential buyers by putting this information together and giving it to your Realtor on the day you sign your listing agreement.

7. Deep clean like you’ve never cleaned before
And hey, maybe you haven’t, we’re not here to judge. Even though painting is a quick fix to renewing your home’s interior, deep cleaning is less expensive and can result in a better overall effect. For example, if you clean your windows, inside and out until they’re super clean, you’ll immediately notice how much more natural light penetrates the room.

Is There Time For All of That?

If you find yourself crunched for time, don’t make up for it by skipping important things before listing. Instead, reach out to me to help you find the people who can get your home in top shape to get top dollar. Whether you need a cleaner, a landscaper, an organization expert, home inspector, or professional stager, we’ve got you covered with a list of recommended, trusted service providers who can help, let these experts free up some of your time as you get ready to sell.

I’m ready to get started, now what?

Now, you have a couple options;

1. Fill out this super short form to find out how much your home is worth

2. Call or text Santiago at 616.337.0564

3. Email Santiago at Santiago@kw.com

4. Contact Santiago via this quick form

5. Check out our Home Selling Concierge Services