11 Ways to Get Your Home Ready for the Market

11 Ways to Get Your Home Ready for the
Market
Anne Day Huffington Post
Sort. Declutter. Clean… Repeat.
That’s been my life for the past eight months since we decided to put our home of 28 years up for
sale.
We’re nearing the end, and my firmest hope is for a quick sale… and a long closing. So I have a
break from this routine and more time before I have to pack. And clean again.
If any of you are about to embark on a similar venture, here’s a few pointers on getting your
home ready for the sale.
1. Allow yourself plenty of time, especially if you have been in your home for decades. You
will need that time to sort through everything. It all takes longer than you think, especially when
an item triggers a trip down memory lane.
2. Get expert advice. If you have a real estate that you plan to use, call them in early and get
their advice on what you need to do. Our agent walked through the house and gave us a list of
what needed to be done and fixed, and provided us with a list of contractors we could use to get
the work done.
3. Don’t spend dollars on expensive renovations. We were all ready to renovate two
bathrooms, but our real estate agent talked us out of it. Instead we had a bathtub repainted (who
knew you could do this?) and purchased a new vanity and toilet. The bathroom looks new and
modern, at a fraction of the price that a full renovation would have cost us.
4. Get outside photos done in summer. Instead of having your photos done in the winter, which
can make your house look gloomy, take them ahead of time so you can showcase your home at
its best.
5. Go for beige. We had the walls repainted in the house. Now I would call it “blah beige” but I
am assured that clean, neutral walls sell.
6. Let there be light. Make sure all your light bulbs are working so your rooms look bright and
cheery.
7. Clean your grout. Who knew that this could be a deal-breaker for some people? I tell you it is
also a back-breaker trying to clean it up.
8. When in doubt, out. As I have sorted through each room, I have some pieces I would love to
keep, but I have also had to be brutal and ask myself — where will it go, and will I really, really
use it?
9. Give away treasures. Finding a “good home” for some treasures has been fun. Some friends
have gladly adopted some items and our daughters have been quick to put in their bids on certain
pieces of furniture.
10. Decluttering is freeing. We rented a dumpster early on and it was very freeing to just get rid
of paper and files that are no longer relevant to our lives. We also arranged for more personal
documents to be shredded.
11. Donate. Once you’ve determined that no one you know wants certain items, you can always
donate them to charity. I have been making regular trips to the Salvation Army for weeks now,
and I gave away several collections of books to organizations whose clients would use them.
So just a few days to go, and the house goes on the market. I have to say it looks amazing.
Typical, all those jobs we’d put off for ages, have been done and the house is sparkling and
looking its best.
To be honest, it is going to be hard to part with this home that has been so much part of our lives,
and in which our children grew up. But I also know it is time and a new young family will just
love living there. Fingers crossed for the quick sale.
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/anne-day/selling-your-housetips_
b_2755896.html?utm_hp_ref=canada-britishcolumbia&
ir=Canada%20British%20Columbia

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