Prepping your Home to Sell

With today’s Idaho housing market, making your home as sellable as possible is extremely important.  There are a lot of tips and tricks available to prepare your home for listing and selling.  Here is a quick reference guide to get you started:

1.    The type of buyer you want can determine how best to prepare your home for a fast sale.  You should imagine the types of buyers along with their likes and dislikes, and then develop a plan to tailor your home to that demographic.
  a.   Is it a family?  How is the back yard?  Is there a kid’s room?  Are doors, fireplaces, and other areas “kid friendly"?
b.     Is it a young single?  How energy efficient is the home to keep energy costs down?  Is there adequate entertainment space?  What about appropriate wiring for electronics and computers? c.     Is it a retired couple?  How easily accessible are stairways, entryways, baths, cabinets and other storage?  Would a back porch be appealing, or a deck?  How comfortable or relaxing is the interior?

2.     Got paint?
Interior and exterior painting and touch up is a first step in preparing any home.  Consider your color selection carefully – normally neutral colors work best.

3.    Carpet and floor
Carpets should be cleaned or replaced depending on wear.  Also any hardwood or stone floors should be examined carefully and repaired where possible.  Note that in areas like Idaho, the extreme cold or extreme heat can affect even stone floors depending on the temperatures that the floor is exposed to.  This means that cracks or warps can occur, so a professional inspection might be a good idea.

4.     Clutter and Gutter?
The interior of your home should be cleared of clutter.  For a mantle there should only be a handful of trinkets or pictures displayed.  Floors should be cleared of any obstructions.  Walls should not be covered in decorations, shelves or pictures.  Consider using self storage (this could help with your move also). Also have your gutters and drains cleaned outside.

5.     Curb appealing?
Take a long hard look at your home on the outside.  Examine from all angles and note areas that may need some work.  Are weeds or bushes climbing the side of the home?  Does the driveway or siding need to be pressure washed?  Are the exterior windows clean?  Do you need flowers in the flower bed?  Are there any yard toys, ornaments that might drive away the potential buyer?  Is the back patio or deck open and inviting?

6.    Should a professional check your décor?
One option is to have a professional decorator review your home and make suggestions. 

There are a growing number of people interested in Idaho real estate, particularly in metropolitan areas like Boise.  With these steps, your home could be on the market and sold in no time!