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Whether to put your home on the market can be a tough decision. What makes it even harder is imagining the amount of work you’ll have to put into before you even host the first open house.
The good news is that it’s not as much work as you might think, especially if you can lean on someone who has plenty of experience selling houses. They can help you prioritize the steps that really matter, helping to cut down the time your house will be on the market and increase the selling price.
Below are the five things you should do first when you’re considering whether to sell your home in the Hudson Valley.
1. Choose the right agent
First things first, decide on an agent. This is by far the most important step, since having the right partner makes all the other steps that much easier.
You’ll probably get a lot of agent recommendations from friends and neighbors. You might even already know someone who is in real estate. These are a great start when you’re putting together a list of candidates.
Remember that an agent is someone you’ll be interacting with frequently, sometimes several times a day. You’ll want someone you are comfortable with, someone who feels more like a partner. If you’re not on the same wavelength, it’s not going to be a positive experience.
We advise potential sellers to meet with at least three different agents before deciding on who to choose. Have a conversation about their background, their knowledge of the market, and their sales record. Make sure that they have spent time in the area and have put down roots in the community.
2. Make sure your home has curb appeal
Your agent will probably tell you that in order to make a great first impression, you should think about your home’s exterior. According to the real estate technology firm Homelight, about 94% of top agents say that curb appeal adds to your home’s resale value.
It might seem like an unnecessary expense, but hiring a professional to mulch the flower beds, replace unattractive plantings, and keep the grass mowed more than pays off with a higher sale price.
Another thing to think about is outdoor space. It’s one of the top three items on most prospective buyers’ checklists. If your home’s patio doesn’t have a relaxing vibe, you might want to spend some time and effort making sure it’s an attractive place to hang out.
3. Hire a handyman to take care of little fixes
You know that bathroom sink that has dripped for so long that you barely notice it anymore? Believe us, strangers definitely will. Nothing turns off a prospective buyer like spotting several things around your home that need to be fixed right away.
According to the real estate listing company Realtor.com, about 95% of home sellers make updates or repairs before listing their homes.
Talk with your agent about which repairs or renovations to make. Research shows that it’s often the less flashy ones — such as refinishing a hardwood floor — that make the biggest difference in terms of sale price.
If you’ve made major improvements on your home, such as replacing the roof or HVAC system, buyers want to know about it. Having the receipts on hand makes the process easier.
4. Opt for more neutral colors almost everywhere
You’ve probably heard that a fresh paint job will instantly make your home more desirable to prospective buyers. That’s true, but the colors that you choose are equally as important.
Paint colors that should be on the top of your list include cream, beige, and taupe. Most agents say that these colors give buyers a sense that the property is a blank canvas that they can decorate any way they like.
On top of that, rooms photograph better when the walls are a neutral shade. Your listing will be more appealing to buyers before they even step through the front door.
Speaking of the front door, that’s the one place buyers appreciate deep colors. According to a recent survey of home buyers, strong colors transform the front door into a home’s focal point. They said colors like black, charcoal gray, slate blue, and olive green make a home seem more inviting.
5. Set the stage for a sale
According to the National Association of Realtors, 81% of agents said that staging a home makes it easier for a buyer to visualize it as their own. This leads to a faster sales process.
Staging a home means purging your house of the clutter. In entryways, remove piles of shoes and other unnecessary items on the floor. In the kitchen, that means clearing the countertops in the kitchen and hiding lesser-used appliances like slow cookers that make the space seem smaller. In the living room, family photos and children’s toys can go in a drawer or in the toybox.
You don’t need to erase all evidence that you live in this house, however. The goal isn’t to make it look like a model home. Your love for the place should shine through. Keep anything that gives your home a cozy feel.
