Selling Made Easy

Tips from the pros on how to spend your time—and hardearned money—before putting a house on the market

“The vast majority of our clients follow a simple guide of free or nearly free items that we use to maximize their potential value on the market. Some of these include declutter, de-personalize, and pack up 80% of your things. Clear all the surfaces, neutralize |paint colors, put in 3500K to 4000K light bulbs, and tighten all of the knobs and pulls around the house. Those are just a few little things that make a big difference.”

—RAY ELLEN, PIXEL PROPERTIES

“Staging is a wonderful idea for a vacant home, and taking care of all deferred maintenance is super important. Try to make your home as fresh, clean, and neutral as possible.”

—SUSAN REYNOLDS, THE JANET JONES COMPANY

“When making any updates to sell, always ask yourself: Will this appeal to the broader market? You are not making these updates for yourself, but rather to enhance appeal and bring top dollar for your home. Include your trusted real estate advisor in the process. They should know what buyers are wanting and expecting in a home in your area.”

—ROBERT KLEIN, THE PROPERTY GROUP

“Keep in mind that some renovations do not give a dollar-for-dollar return. For example, spending $15,000 to update flooring or windows will improve market appeal and how a home looks, but may not boost your listing price by the same amount. Don’t underestimate the value in thorough cleaning and cleaning out! Focus on decluttering, deep cleaning, and freshening up any peeling or scuffed painted surfaces.”

—PATTI REED, CENTURY 21 UNITED

“Make sure everything’s in normal working order. Once you get an offer, a buyer is going to do an inspection; so if you’ve got issues, you’ll want to eliminate those. The first thing is repairs, then updates. And a good agent can help guide you through every step of the way.”

—STACI MEDLOCK, RE/MAX ELITE

“I often tell clients that a little sprucing or staging can go a long way! Many think, ‘Why should I paint if the buyers are just going to repaint it anyway?’ What we are trying to accomplish is to have buyers visualize living in that space. Any efforts we can make to have the home look like a model home, the better. $500 spent can sometimes save you $5,000 in offers!”

—MITSY THARP, SIGNATURE PROPERTIES