I understand the importance of preparing a Huntington beach home for sale. It is vital one get this process correct, or they will suffer tremendous financial damage. That is why I take the process so seriously. There is a lot of work that goes into getting a house ready to be shown for the first time. My strategy begins in the first two weeks after I’m signed as the agent; I thoroughly prep the home for pictures as well as the first showing. The first showing acts as the unveiling of your home. If an agent does not get this right, they will incur serious monetary damages to the price of the home they are attempting to sell. The first showing of the home is by far the most important, as it will have the most buyers’ agents walk though then any other time. Needless to say, you must choose an agent who takes this process as seriously as I do. Here is a quick look at some of things you should do to prepare your home for sale:
Cleaning:
-Hire professional cleaners to clean home to perfection.
-Eliminate odors from pets or smoking.
-Clean carpets, polish wood floors or tile.
Interior Walls:
-Repaint to achieve a neutral, broadly accepted, contemporary color. I use a paint that works like magic.
-Take down any wall paper and paint walls.
-Fix any holes or damages to all walls.
-Eliminate themed rooms that limit usability. Like I talked about in Getting The Most Money For Your Home buyers don’t usually see the potential/can’t look past what is currently in front of them. It is crucial you don’t stubble them by not changing a unique room back into a functional room for them.
Interior Hard Surfaces:
-Replace dated flooring: tile, carpets, or hardwood.
-Replace dated counters with light, bright surfaces, focusing efforts on key areas in which owners spend the most time.
Exterior Paint:
-If the homes exterior is chipping, blistering, or peeling then repaint.
-If the homes exterior is a color that is out of date or bold (pink, neon green, black, etc..) then paint to achieve a more neutral color. I have a variety of colors I recommend depending on the style of home and location.
-If the home is a stucco exterior then power wash the outside to eliminate the dirt build up over the years.
Landscaping:
-Trim or thin large trees on bigger and mature lots
-Upgrade your landscaping and plant flowers to add spot of color. This adds curb appeal.
-Reseed the lawn to achieve a: full, green, grass area.
-Add dimensions to flat lots with berms, plants, and rocks. Each home is different I’ll recommend plants that will fit that style of home accordingly. You need a good eye to help with the landscaping or you will choose the wrong plants for the style of home you have.
Clutter Removal:
-This process will be hard if you are a sentimental person (as I am) that’s why you need a professional with an unbiassed eye, that you can trust, to help you in this area.
-Rent a dumpster to get rid of all the newly found unwanted items. You will be surprised of how much unwanted things are stored in your house.
-Rent a storage unit for belongings you want to keep but clutter the home.
-Clear out old, unused, outdated belongings.
-Dismantle walls of photos, leaving only a few good-quality framed pictures as decoration.
-Remove most small appliances from countertops, leaving only ones you use on a daily basis.
-Remove items from bathroom vanities.
-Remove closet items and put in storage. This really helps the buying process. It will help buyers imagine their stuff in the closets rather then yours.
Home Defects:
-Repair any and all defects with the home or be prepared to provide compensation to buyers.
Garage:
-Move storage and out-of-season items to the storage facility.
-Hang bikes and other equipment from walls or ceiling.
-Try to open up as much space as possible. The garage is a huge selling point to men so make sure he envisions his stuff in the space and not yours.