Selling Your House - 6 Easy Preparation Steps - Sell For More Money

6 Steps to prepare for selling your house

Selling your house is a big decision and one that requires some effort from your part. While it can be a great thing for your wallet, selling a house is hard unless you take care of a few things first. Here's what to pay attention before putting your property on the market.

6 Steps to prepare for selling your house selling your house

Collect your paperwork

This is definitely one of the most important things to do before selling a house. All your important paperwork needs to be in one place! It might seem annoying to sort through piles of documents, but it's very relevant.

Modern homes are full of things like utility bills, plumbing and electrical systems, numerous appliances and HVAC systems all of which need to be taken care of monthly or yearly. Letting people know about maintenance schedules, utility bill records and all other things related to the house will not only show that the house is fully functional, but it will make starting a life there much easier.

Check all the little things

Little things make a big difference when selling your house
Little things make a big difference when selling your house

Take a day off to look around your home and note down all the little quirks your home has that are easily fixed yet pretty annoying, especially for someone who doesn't know the way your house ticks. Things like broken lights, tricky flushing system in the toilet or doors that need to be slammed in order to close all need to be fixed.

Also, pay attention to some smaller aesthetic issues. Is your mailbox all rusty? Buy a new one to boost your curb appeal. Is your kitchen lighting severely outdated? Invest in modern hanging pendants. Try to look at your home with a pair of fresh eyes and think like a buyer: “If I'm the one moving in, what would I want to fix?”

Remove your personal items

You might not want to erase your existence from your home but just think about the way customers feel when they come to check out your property. If they come to a house that's full of your family photos, kids' toys, food and other personal belongings, they won't be able to picture themselves living there. Inspecting a house is awkward enough in itself and you don't need to make it more awkward by making buyers feel like they're snooping or interrupting someone else's life.

You should have trusted pros on the line like people from A Smooth Move Removals who can come move your personal stuff to your new address or to a storage unit. Buyers love to work with a clean slate, so if you clean out your space as much as you can and stage it properly, they will be more likely to buy. Keep the number of your removalist because you'll also need them after the sale has been made and you need to clear out your house completely.

Make it sparkle

Clean homes sell faster
Cleaning first makes selling your house easier and faster

No one expects a sterile environment when moving into a used home, but cleaning should be one of the top priorities for you. It's easy and very inexpensive! No matter if you plan to do it yourself or want to hire someone, it's just something that needs to be done—no one wants to move into a gross house full of your pet's hair, baby spit or grease stains.

Bo Kauffmann Real Estate Agent Winnipeg

So before you decide to list your home, deep clean everything from your carpets and furniture to your windows, floors, basement, bathrooms and kitchen. If you don't have time or expertise to clean the space yourself, hire pros that will do a better job anyway.

Staging helps selling your house faster

Staging often helps attract people and keep them hooked. So, make sure to stage both your interior and exterior, especially your front yard which is the first thing people see when they pull up. Ensure your interior is aesthetically pleasing and your grass is cut and garden maintained. And put those gnomes and kid's toys away!

Take plenty of great photos

6 Steps to prepare for selling your house selling your house
Well staged homes sell faster as well

Once you remove clutter and clean everything up, make sure to grab your camera and take some photos for your listing. Most people love to see as many photos as possible before they check out the property in real life, so give them good photos that will make your space look fresh, clean and attractive.

If you don't have the eye for photography, you can ask your REALTOR whether they can snap a few good photos (they always know some secrets) or hire a professional. People are visual creatures and the better your photos look, the more people will come to your open house.

If you handle all those aforementioned things, your property will look better than ever and attract just the right crowd of buyers. Expect to receive plenty of hefty offers!

F.A.Q. about selling your home

Is selling your home considered income, or does selling your home count as income?

In Canada, selling your primary residence for a profit is not considered income, in most cases.  Unless the seller used the home for tax deductions (as a partial rental property, for example) they do not have to pay income tax on the profits.  That is because in Canada, mortgage payments are not tax deductible in the first place.  (You are advised to check with you accountant for information and rules of your local area.)

What is a good time of year to sell my home?

This really depends on local market conditions, but in many, spring-time is a very favourable time to put your home on the market.  That is because after a long winter, home buyers are anxious for a change and start looking for a new home in earnest.

When selling your home, who pays the closing costs?

In Winnipeg (Canada) closing costs such as land titles transfer taxes are paid by the buyer.  The home seller is responsible for their own legal fees, paying property taxes up to the actual possession date, and their own insurance and banking costs, again up to possession date.



6 Steps to prepare for selling your house selling your houseAbout the Publisher

Bo Kauffmann is a residential real estate agent with over 18 yrs experience in helping buyers and sellers achieve their goals.  Inducted into the REMAX Hall of Fame in 2010 and receiving the REMAX Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, Bo has sold over 500 houses and condos in the Greater Winnipeg market.  He is an accredited buyer representative (A.B.R.) and a Luxury Home Marketing Specialist.   Bo provides exceptional service to First-Time Home-Buyers, Seniors looking to downsize and Home Sellers of all ages.   He can be reached easily   By E-Mail or call/text him   Call/Text Here

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