Preparing Your Home before you Sell: Checklist and Reminders

Jun. 20. 2011

The Sun is out and so are the buyers. And as hot as it is in Austin, Tx so is the real estate market-especially those ready to buy. With rates being as low as they are, it could be a good opportunity for you to sell your home. I have decided to write a short checklist of items you may want to gather and prepare before you list your home.

The Paperwork:

-May want to look into finding a copy of your survey

-If a part of an HOA or condominium community gather: Documents, regulations, rules, guidelines etc.

-Find past utility bills, to give your buyers an idea of what electricity costs in the Summer and Winter months (especially if your home is energy efficient)

-Information on any appliances or warranties on the home

-Offer bids for any work that needs to be done, or if work was done recently on HVAC etc. provide a copy of receipt

-Any proof of new roofs, leak repairs, foundation fixes etc. it is also important to make copies of all the documents or improvements and upkeep

-Financials, it is a good idea to also know what you owe on the home, and to look into what has sold recently in your area as well (a Realtor-like myself, can help you find this information)

-Tax statements are also important

-Your Realtor will also ask you to fill out a seller’s disclosure, this is good to have a copy in the home as well as available to other agents, as an attachment in the MLS (multiple listing service)

-I also believe it can be helpful (though buyer’s pay for inspection) to have home pre-inspected. This will likely sell the home faster if nothing major appears on the report that hasn’t been addressed

The Dirty Work:

After you have gathered documents and the “paperwork” it may be time to get some work done that you have been dreading or putting off. The bad paint job in the corner of the bedroom, the dirty/unorganized garage, the hole in the drywall from the kids, the lack of landscape or grass in the yard, carpet replacement or upgrade to appeal to a larger buyer demographic, etc. A good idea is to maybe have a fresh set of eyes come into your home and point out things that buyers will notice or make comments about. You may not necessarily have to paint over your daughter’s bright princess pink bedroom, but the toys scattered across the room and carpet stained with finger paints, may not be the best first impression either. I always recommend sellers to go into a model home in a new neighborhood, take notes, notice the placement of the furniture, how there aren’t a million family photos out, appliances on kitchen counters displayed, and things piled against the wall. This may also give you the opportunity to get rid of a lot of the items that you may not need in your next move. A garage sale is also another good way to get rid of items, let neighbors know you are moving (to bring potential buyers faster!) AND make some money for the appliance upgrades you may need or buyer’s closing costs.

Minimizing your home is super important. The less cluttered a home looks, the more appealing it is. Take down personal photos. Buyers do not need to know what you or your children look like, it takes the focus off the home as they start to guess what you are like as people, vs. how the home would best suit their lifestyle and needs. Trinkets and do-dads all can go! Put the dream catcher and 20 rooster figurines in the kitchen in a box labeled neatly in the garage. Clear the desk in the office, put things away in drawers, desks, shelves and racks. Bathrooms especially should looks as if no one uses it. Kitchen appliances should all be put in cabinets unless they are all matching and your kitchen is extremely spacious. Hopefully some of these tips help. Staged homes also sell faster than vacant or occupied cluttered homes. So if you must still be living in your home while it is on the market,there are certain ways to accentuate features of your living space. A home-stager or Realtor may be able to evaluate and help you maximize certain areas or spaces in your home.

As important as how your home looks the smell is important as well! As a dog owner, I am so used to my pet’s smell that I often don’t realize how potent it can be to non-dog owners. It is a good idea to keep your home very tidy of pet items and hair during showings etc. Litter boxes should go into an small, confined area as well as pet toys, dog bowls etc. Any pet damages to blinds, scratches and chew-marks on the wood may also want to be fixed. Carpets professionally cleaned, floors mopped and candles are all a nice touch. Personally, I was taught to always have cookies baking the oven during open houses, but that can’t always be the case when you are working during the day as your home is being shown. Just be mindful that what may smell good to you (for example I cannot stand some of the “food” scents from Yankee Candle) doesn’t always smell good to others, but I do recommend plug-ins in some of the rooms.

Pre-Showings and Showing Availability:

If you are sitting at home and an agent calls to show the house to buyers, leave the lights on, if a hot day, turn the air down a bit, with fans running, tidy up, make sure the dishes are in the dishwasher and counters are wiped down, put the pets away or take them with you. You want to make sure your home gets shown, but I sometimes find it funny when I call Sellers to show their home (with notice) and they say it is inconvenient for them. I understand if in the process of moving and boxes everywhere, a new born in the home, or kids are home all day during the Summer, but try and be specific with your agent about the time you would like your home to be shown. If you work 8-5 and no one is home, showing instructions should say “Seller prefers daytime showings, with notice after 5pm. Be as specific as possible, this will also help your schedule in knowing when you have time to unwind vs. having the home in tip-top showing shape.

As important as it is to have your home staged and clean, professional photos with wide-angled lenses also make a big difference. This will catch buyer’s eyes when they are looking at homes online (90% of buyers begin their search online). These photos below are also a good example of how well kept your home should be during showings.

Home photographed above is my listing in Central Austin, 302 Genard. Beautiful and well maintained 3/2 with the master in the back, huge yard for entertaining and deck, wood floors throughout, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, and lawn care is included. For Lease $2500/mo. Just North of The Triangle close to North Loop area.