Guest written by Shirley Martin of TidyLifeToday.com
​​​​​​​In many ways, selling a home is much different than it was just a year ago. Amid the pandemic, more buyers are opting to tour homes remotely rather than attend physical open houses and showings. And even closings and other steps in the transactional process are being completed remotely at a greater frequency—all of which help to ensure the safety of all parties involved.
Some things haven’t changed.
When it comes down to it, selling a home still requires a lot of the same things from the seller. You still have to get your home ready by cleaning, making repairs, and making improvements. Also, it’s still important to hire a trusted real estate agent and market your home online. And the whole process can be even more challenging than normal when you have kids and/or are working from home, so organize and plan well, right from the start.
Repair, clear out, and clean.
Selling a home starts with making any major repairs necessary. As Open Door explains, such repairs will include anything that devalues or compromises the function of the home. For example, if your roof has seen better days, you will need to consider getting it repaired or replaced. If you have any foundation, plumbing, or electrical issues, those should be taken care of as well.
​​​​​​​Then, you will want to focus on decluttering each space. Going through every room, separate your belongings into things you will keep and things you will get rid of. Once you know what you will be getting rid of, you will then need to decide what to sell, give away, donate, or discard.
​​​​​​​After you’ve decluttered thoroughly, it’s time to deep clean the home. Vacuum, dust, scrub, and wipe down every surface in the home until you achieve an impressive shine, and keep it that way. To save money, consider making your own disinfecting solutions at home, which can also help to minimize the toxins in your home and come in handy if your local stores are out of certain products.
Stage each space.
Staging is another important part of getting a home ready to sell. This includes everything from rearranging furniture to swapping out decor to repainting walls. Basically, the point of staging is to highlight a home’s best aspects while also making it look lived in. We have our excellent in-house stager ready to assist with anything from a complimentary consultation and helpful tips to a full staging of an empty house. If you want to go a more DIY route, Target is a great place to shop for low-cost, attractive items. And if you’re wondering how to save at Target, shop the clearance section, keep up with the Top Deals online, and use coupons.
Use virtual means to show your home.
Finally, when you’ve put in so much hard work to get your home ready for potential buyers, be sure to consider all your options in regards to showings. Sure, you can still show your home in person, but Keeping Current Matters notes many sellers and buyers are finding that they prefer virtual methods like 3D walkthroughs, virtual showings, and video-chat tours.
Just be sure to hire a real estate agent who has experience in virtual methods since they can be complex and time-consuming. Plus, a good real estate agency, like Tim Allen Properties, can help you with pretty much every other step of the sale as well. Furthermore, make sure you have quality listing photos taken, as they will likely serve as the first impression of your home to many potential buyers.
​​​​​​​Yes, selling a home is different nowadays, but much of the process is still the same. Remember to make any repairs necessary and to declutter and clean your home thoroughly. Then, you’ll be ready to stage your home, get listing photos taken, and show your home virtually. Before long, you could be closing the sale and moving on to your next chapter!
