13 Ways to Prepare Your Home To Sell Quickly

Wondering how to sell your home fast? These tips will go a long way in increasing buyer appeal.

Preparing to sell your home can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Think of this process as a gateway to helping you sell your home faster, potentially reducing the stress of having it linger on the market for longer than you would like.

It’s best to make a checklist of everything you need to do in preparation for your showings and open houses. Just like a grocery list, you may need to make some investments in your current home to allow visitors to see its full value.

Let’s talk about how you can make your home “move-in ready” and inviting for buyers who are ready to purchase.

It’s especially important to ensure your home is spotless and appealing for your listing photos. These are often the only chance you have to entice a potential buyer to come and take a look.

Clean

Time to bring out your broom, dusters and cleaning products because your home is about to become squeaky clean from top to bottom. Details matter, so  don’t overlook any places in your home. Each nook and cranny should be dusted, vacuumed and cleared out. No one likes dust bunnies. 

Ensure that walls, cupboards, door handles, light switches, light fixtures, and furniture are all free of spots, dust, and clutter.

Bathrooms should be treated to a complete a deep clean before you show your home, every single time.

Scents

We often become noseblind to our home’s special smell. The goal is to freshen up the air so that potential buyers sense aren’t distracted by any odors. Whenever possible, open all doors and windows before the showing to freshen up the air.

Baking cookies, bread or anything that smells like a warm home environment is also a nice idea, as is simmering some cinnamon and orange peels in some water on the stovetop. Consider lighting a softly scented candle to top it off. We’re going for subtle here, not overpowering or chemical type air freshener smells.

Decutter

This is possibly the most important step you can take. If you can pack up some boxes with items that aren’t critical to your day to day (you’re going to be packing to move anyway) then pop those into a tidy pile in the garage or basement. Removing clutter better allows buyers to see the home and to imagine their own lives taking place in it. Make use of cupboards and drawers to tuck away all personal items. It’s also a great time to recycle, donate, or throw away items you do not use anymore. You’ll be much happier unpacking in your new home if you’ve really invested in this step.

Landscaping

It’s not called curb appeal for nothing… the outside of your home is just as important as the inside. Make your home stand out from the rest on the by taking extra care of your driveway, porch, garden and surrounding land.

Landscaping can be expensive, and it typically isn’t something new homeowners want to pay for themselves right away. Ensuring everything is well kept, watered and repaired allows the potential buyers to step into a well managed situation that gives them confidence and peace of mind.

If you happen to have a pool or other coveted features, really show them off by ensuring their in good maintenance and have a lovely surrounding landscape.

Consider driveaways, eves, soffits, porches, railings, sheds, barns, fences, and all other outdoor spaces and features.

Fresh Paint

Why do I often recommend that you invest in a big paint project? It can really increase the value of the home and often makes for a faster sale. You’d be surprised how a little paint goes a long way.

Stay away from stark whites, and any bold or signature colours, keeping hues muted and neutral. Some colours to consider are off-whites, pale greige, pale grey, pale beige or taupe. A fresh coat of paint will almost always help brighten the walls and give your home a fresh, well maintained feel.

Add Plants

A touch of greenery is always a good idea. Bringing nature into your home makes it fresh and welcoming. Plants are incredibly helpful for the home environment, freshening the oxygen and providing natural decor. Purchase a few to add a light and airy feel to your home, and ensure they are well loved so they don’t add any unwanted smells and that they look their best.

Keep Decor Simple

Keeping your decor to a minimum is crucial. This ties back to the point about decluttering your home. Homes that sell well often have the least amount of decorations. Your treasures, paintings, and vases are not the selling point of your home and so shouldn’t be the focus. Keep enough so that it looks like a home, and store the rest. Picturing a lovely hotel room is often a great visual aid for knowing what to store and what to keep.

Organize Closet and Storage Space

Organization is imperative when you’re preparing to sell your home. Organize everything in your closet. Remove the rest of your personal items in a large bin to leave at a storage space. Your prospective buyers are keen about knowing how much closet space they will have, so it’s important to show this as much as possible.

Repair Your Home Before You Sell

Get out your toolbox because your house will need some repairs done before it’s ready to be listed on the market. Repairs such as a leaky faucet, torn wallpaper, damaged baseboards, flooring or walls, broken amenities or light bulbs, cracks and holes that need to be filled should be among the things you will need to add to your repair checklist well before your showings.

Make yourself a checklist of all the things that need to be fixed and go through the list each week before your showing to ensure you have repaired everything. Test your faucets, showers, toilets, windows, furnace  roof, electrical and plumbing. 

Ideally, you want to take care of the most expensive fixes first. If you’re considering a bigger renovation, it’s a great idea to speak with me first. Sometimes it will definitely help to move your home faster, other times, it makes more sense to offer the money you would have spent on the reno as a bonus to the buyer, so that they can use it make changes in line with their tastes and preferences. 

Become Detail Oriented

Start paying close attention to details in your home. This could be small cracks in the flooring, door hinges, doorknobs, lightbulbs… anything small and typically overlooked will require your attention to fix. 

Staging

A reputable stager can ensure your home has its final touches for every room. A good stager uses the proper colour palettes and decor to make your home look brand new and ready to attract prospective homeowners. Stagers will keep their decor and furniture as simple as possible but just enough to give prospective homeowners a clear idea of what they can accomplish when it becomes their home. Staging is another option that we should discuss before listing your home. In some situations, it isn’t necessary.

Give Yourself Time

A good timeline for everything to come together is ideal. As your realtor, I will guide you every step of the way to make sure your home is as well prepared as possible for a quick sale.


Thinking of buying or selling real estate in the Fraser Valley? Let’s talk