There are many reasons you might want to sell your home quickly: relocations, financial hardships or even medical issues. It really doesn’t matter what the reason is for you, but understand that buyers may try to jump on your motivated seller status if you don’t position your property right. Here are the best preparations to selling your house quickly in Marin, Napa, Sonoma, & Solano Counties.
How to Prepare to Sell My House Quick In Marin, Napa, Sonoma, & Solano Counties
Smart List Pricing
If you are indeed trying to liquidate this property quickly, don’t get greedy with the fair market value and what you think you should get for the home. Work with a solid real estate agent who understands how to price homes in the current market and how to list a home just under that threshold to get maximum attention from potential buyers.
Remember that buyers are doing a lot of the search themselves with online real estate search sites. Making sure your home is the best value for the size, condition and location will help you create a buzz and sell your house quickly.
Clear It Out
Homes filled with a lifetime of knick-knacks, family photos and hobbies not touched in years are not homes that sell quickly. They are cluttered and clutter doesn’t make a home feel open and inviting. Rent a storage unit for a couple of months and store anything and everything you don’t need in the unit. Don’t hesitate to donate and throw out whatever no longer serves you.
When decluttering your home, clear all walkways and hallways. Only have a couple of neutral decorative items on shelves and counters. Clean bathroom counters and medicine cabinets. Toss out old magazines from the coffee table and go through closets to get rid of those suits that haven’t fit in 10 years.
Remove bulky or extra furniture and extensive pictures and art on the walls. Think of this as streamlining your home for anyone to quickly navigate through it.
Clean Top to Bottom
Once you clear out the clutter, you will find an overwhelming amount of dust bunnies, grime, and just plain ick! Take the time to clean the house. This goes beyond what you do in the 10 minutes before your friends come over for a cup of coffee.
Scrub bathroom and kitchens spotless. Toilets, bathtubs, and showers should be clean and free of any stains, residue or build up. Vacuum, sweep and mop all tile and hardwood floors. Vacuum and clean carpet, professionally to remove any stains and give it as new of a look as possible. If walls are dirty, take a diluted bleach solution and wipe them down. Make sure all windows and screens are clear with drapes pulled back allowing all the natural light to fill the room.
When you are done on the inside, do the same on the outside. Clear the landscaping from any overgrown trees, bushes, and weeds. Maintain the grass and plants throwing down fresh mulch where needed and fertilize everything. Remove items laying around porches, patios, and yards. Potential buyers aren’t interested in your kid’s dump truck scene, sorry.
Get the Best Photos
Scan through real estate websites and take a glimpse of what homes catch your eye. You’ll see a plethora of photos of homes where the bathroom counter looks like a pharmacy, the kitchen looks like a grease fire is about to happen and the yard looks like Big Foot is hiding out. Would you race to see that home?
Probably not. But even homes that are decluttered and clean can still get a greater buzz when the photos are high quality. Real estate photographers will capture a home from the angles that make it look bigger, brighter and with the flow of life that we all want.
If you are looking to sell your house fast, make sure it is presentable to all potential buyers.