Preparing to sell a home is exciting! You're looking at the potential of hundreds of thousands of dollars making their way into your account, and nobody wants anything to get in the form of that. This is why property owners need to make an effort in a few ways to ensure that the property is safe, well maintained, and set up to sell quickly and for more money.
These are the most important things to check before you sell your home.
1. Check the Age of the Roof
Replacing the roof is the last thing many buyers want to do when settling into a property. Check the age and state of your roof, and ensure that it's in good condition. If you have to replace it, look at picking a Spanish tile roof or something similar to allow your property to stand out. The general rule of thumb is that if your roof is less than five years away from a replacement, it's better to do it before you sell because it can change the entire look and feel of the property.
2. Ensure the Floors are in Good Condition
How old are the floors in your home? When were they last updated or touched up? Take the time to walk through your property and decide if updating your floors would make it more attractive to potential buyers. Faux wood floors are currently a popular style that lasts longer while offering plenty of customization and color choices.
If you have wood floors that you don't want to replace, take the time to refinish them, or make them look brand new so that the buyers will be intrigued. This can add value to your property and will make it more appealing to anyone walking through.
3. Check The Home for any Safety Issues
Ensure every part of the property leading indoors is safe and up to date. This means looking into garage door installation costs if your current garage door is banged up or not functioning properly and updating any cracked windows that don't perform well. These can be safety concerns, and buyers judge properties harshly when they believe they could put their family or loved ones at risk.
4. Check Your HVAC System and Update It
When's the last time you had your HVAC system looked at? Not only is the cleanliness and quality of the air important, but a poorly maintained system will cost more to run in any season. Of course, you can pay for a specialist to come in and look at the equipment, but you should also ensure that you've swapped out air filters and wiped down any dust or debris off of vents throughout the home.
If you want to take this further, consider updating your HVAC system in small ways, like changing your electric heating system or adding a smart thermostat. Updating these will make their great selling points to buyers and allow you to make a larger profit.
5. Ensure There Aren’t Any Cracks or Lines
Cracks and lines in ceilings, walls, and floors scare buyers. Have these been inspected to find out if there's anything wrong with the structure of the home? If there's nothing wrong and they're simply from settling, take the time to repair or cover these cracks to ensure that every surface is smooth and looks brand new.
If these are signs of structural damage or something hazardous about the property, you'll have to invest the money and time into repairing it before anything else. Home inspectors will notice these, and it's illegal to cover up any significant problems with a property when selling it.
6. Ensure The Home Is Deep Cleaned
After you've moved out your belongings, deep clean the property as much as possible, from ceiling to floor, using magic eraser sponges to take any marks out, and putting down a fresh coat of paint where necessary. Not only is this vital to ensure your home will sell and be attractive to buyers, but it's also useful to ensure that you won't accidentally forget anything or leave it behind.
The two rooms you should focus this energy on are the kitchen and the bathroom since these are the rooms most likely to be heavily scrutinized by buyers. A shining and clean bathroom or kitchen won't leave them thinking about who's lived here before: it'll help them imagine what their future life here will be like.
Being Prepared Will Protect You From Selling for Less
The dream is to sell your property for as large a profit as possible, so you must take these steps to protect your home and have it sell quickly. Correcting these issues and any other obvious visual flaws will defend you from bartering the price when prospective buyers reach the property.
But if you're looking to sell your home quickly and you don't have the time or financial resources to make modifications or fixes, you can always sell your home as is! Contact us today at (704) 802-1097 and get a fair offer without any hassle.
Ryan Shure is an editor for the Innovative Building Materials blog and a content writer for the building materials industry. He is focused on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and architects discover materials and methods of construction that save money, improve energy efficiency, and increase property value.