11 Ways to Get Your Home Ready for the Market

If any of you are about to embark on getting the highest possible price for your home, here’s a few pointers on getting your home ready for the sale.

1. Allow yourself plenty of time, especially if you have been in your home for decades. You will need that time to sort through everything. It all takes longer than you think, especially when an item triggers a trip down memory lane.

2. Get expert advice. If you have a real estate agent that you plan to use, call them in early and get their advice on what you need to do. They should be able to give you a list of what needs to be done and fixed, and provide you with a list of contractors you could use to get the work done.

3. Don’t spend dollars on expensive renovations. You may be ready to say, renovate two bathrooms, but maybe instead have the bathtub repainted (who knew you could do this?) and purchase a new vanity and toilet. The bathroom can look new and modern, at a fraction of the price that a full renovation would have cost.

4. Get outside photos done in summer. Instead of having your photos done in the winter, which can make your house look gloomy, take them ahead of time so you can showcase your home at its best.

5. Go for beige. Have the walls repainted in the house. Now I would call it “blah beige” but I am assured that clean, neutral walls sell.

6. Let there be light. Make sure all your light bulbs are working so your rooms look bright and cheery.

7. Clean your grout. Who knew that this could be a deal-breaker for some people? I tell you it is also a back-breaker trying to clean it up.

8. When in doubt, out. Sort through each room, you probably have some pieces you would love to keep, but you also have to ask yourself — where will it go, and will I really, really use it?

9. Give away treasures. Finding a “good home” for some treasures. Some friends will gladly adopt some items and perhaps your adult children can put in their bids on certain pieces of furniture.

10. Decluttering is freeing. Rent a dumpster early on and just get rid of paper and files that are no longer relevant to your life. Also, arrange for some personal documents to be shredded.

11. Donate. Once you’ve determined that no one you know wants certain items, you can always donate them to charity.Make regular trips to the Salvation Army and give away collections of books to organizations whose clients would use them.

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To Your Wealth

Gord