Home buying and selling can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you’re trying to do both at the same time. In a perfect world, your current home would be listed and offers would come flying in, enabling you to purchase your new dream home with the funds from your sale. Well, we all know the world of real estate is neither perfect nor predictable. In order for your listing to stand out, your home needs to be in perfect showing order. Here are five must-do projects you can tackle to get your home ready to sell.

Declutter

When a potential buyer tours a home, either in person or virtually, they want to be able to picture themselves living there, entertaining there, and celebrating holidays. That can be a bit hard to do that if they’re surrounded by your personal items. Now is a good time to declutter and store away items such as family portraits, children’s artwork or toys, and personal collections.  Clear off your countertops, organize your closets and cabinets, and remove and store any oversized or excess furniture. In doing so, you’re presenting your home with plenty of space and you’re allowing a potential buyer to picture themselves as the new homeowners.

Deep Clean

There are a few red flags that can send a buyer running for the hills, and a dirty house is one of them. Simply tidying up isn’t going to do the trick – it’s now the time for a thorough deep clean.  When we’re talking deep clean, we mean cleaning as though your in-laws are coming for a visit. Clean the oven, the stovetop, the inside of your cabinets, the baseboards, and the light switches. Clean under the beds, the grout out of the shower, the windows, screens, etc. Anything you think that “maybe” needs to be cleaned should be on your list. When a buyer sees a clean home, they automatically feel as though the home has been cared for and well-maintained, giving them the confidence to extend an offer. 

Tackle Small Repairs

It’s unrealistic to do massive home improvements only to list your home for sale, but it’s entirely possible to tackle those smaller fixer-upper projects. Every household has a list of things that need to be done but get pushed to the back burner due to lack of motivation. Now is the time to motivate and get them all done. Repair the wood rot on the fence or banister handle, change the lightbulbs, trim the hedges, clean up the old tires in the backyard – all of these little projects add up to massive improvements. You want to look at your home as a potential buyer would, so focus on the blemishes that they may notice and correct them. 

Paint

A fresh coat of paint goes a long way in giving your home a clean and fresh look. If you’re a fan of bold colors, refrain from painting to your design taste and go with a more neutral palette that will appeal to many buyers. Buyers tend to have a negative reaction to bold colors or designs, so it may be time to remove that funky wallpaper or mural and replace it with a calming coat of paint. Remember, you’re no longer decorating to your taste but rather trying to appeal to the taste of potential buyers. Save your funky creativity for your new home for you to appreciate.

Boost Your Curb Appeal

As they say, first impressions are lasting impressions. The same holds true in real estate. Your curb appeal – or lack thereof – is the first impression a buyer will have of your home. If they’re intrigued by what they see on the outside, they’ll want to continue on inside, so take some time to give your yard a boost. Do some landscaping, trim the grass and hedges, and plant some flowers. Glam up your front porch a bit with new house numbers, a new welcome mat, or some potted plants. Pressure wash the siding and walkways if needed, and lastly, remove items such as toys, gardening tools, or garden gnomes – while it may be your taste, it may turn off potential buyers.

You don’t have to undertake huge renovations to make your home look inviting to potential buyers. These are just a few smaller projects you can do to really make your home look good as new. Good luck on the sale of your home!