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Getting Ready to Sell Your Farmington Hills MI home? Here are 15 things you’ll want to do before showing your home to potential buyers, that many sellers forget to do.
Congratulations – you’ve decided to sell your Farmington Hills MI home. You’ve lined up a qualified real estate agent and you’ve started on your lists of small repairs. However, before you put your home on the market and have your first open house, there are a few things you’ll want to do first that require little effort and money. The simple home staging tips (most of which are totally free) listed below will help you get your home ready to show and sell faster for more money:
1. Declutter and organize
One thing you should definitely expect during an open house or home showing is for potential buyers to look in your closets, kitchen drawers, and cabinets. Homebuyers will be asking themselves how their own things are going to fit as they walk through your home. That is why you want to declutter and organize before showing your home. If your closets are stuffed full, you have a lot stored under the beds, and most surfaces in your home are cluttered, now’s the time to go through everything.
Donate whatever items you haven’t used in a year. Give things away to family and friends. Have a garage sale. Items such as family heirlooms, pictures, keepsakes, and personal memorabilia can all be stored away for the time being. The fewer things you have inside, the bigger your home will look and feel. Start by decluttering your closets, cabinets, and drawers and keep only enough belongings in each to really show off the potential space your home has to offer. Think of it as staging your storage areas.
2. Straighten the pantry
Pantries sell homes. Make yours appear roomier by straightening the shelves, organizing and grouping like items, organizing with bins, throwing out expired food, sweeping and mopping the floor, wiping down the shelves, and repainting and lining the shelves with fresh liner, if needed. If you are using the floor for extra storage, clear it. You want the pantry to appear as large as possible to potential buyers.
3. Empty the kitchen sink
Nothing is more off-putting than a sink filled with dirty dishes. Make sure to always have a clean and empty sink by emptying the dishwasher in the morning. That way, every time you or a family member uses a dish, it can be rinsed off and immediately put into the dishwasher. This will prevent you from having to worry about doing a load of dishes last minute. Dry your sink using a damp towel when you are finished rinsing dishes and it will shine like new and impress potential buyers.
4. Dump the kitchen trash
This might seem simple, but don’t forget to take out the kitchen trash before a showing. You can even keep your trash bin in your garage while your home is for sale. It might be a bit inconvenient, but it will keep smelly trash out of the house. It will also be easy to grab and throw away in the big trash can on your way out.
5. Get rid of the dust
Dust collects everywhere in our homes, especially in those hard-to-reach high places. Pay attention to the corners of rooms. Knock the spider webs down with a broom. Ceiling fans love to collect dust. Invest in an extra-long ceiling fan duster. Make sure the fan blades are dust-free. Blinds are another item that collects dust. Make sure you clean those too. Try using an old sock over your hand while wiping across each slat, starting at the top.
6. Clean the floors & carpet
Be sure to vacuum carpets and rugs and sweep underneath furniture. One of the first things potential homebuyers look at when entering a new home is the floors, so make sure yours look their best. If your carpet is dirty, stained, or has a funky smell, be sure to get it professionally cleaned before you start showing your home to potential buyers.
7. Replace light bulbs
You want your house to look its brightest when homebuyers are touring it and replacing old burnt-out light bulbs is one of the easiest ways to achieve brightness. Also, don’t forget to walk around the outside of your house to make sure all the lights around the exterior are working as well.
Depending on the time of year, open house or home tours could happen when the sun is going down or when it’s already dark. Make sure all your light bulbs are the same color inside as well as outside. A soft-white light LED bulb can create a bright but welcoming environment for new homebuyers.
8. Focus on the details: plants, mirrors, rugs & flowers
You may feel like spending a lot of time and money on your house is pointless because you’re just going to sell it anyway. However, the more you appeal to the majority of homebuyers, the more likely your house will sell faster and for more money.
Focus on the details. Nothing breathes life into a room more than a little greenery. A potted tree can work wonders in a living room. For smaller areas. think of smaller plants like a few potted herbs in the kitchen or a miniature ivy plant placed on the fireplace mantel.
Mirrors can be used to make small spaces appear larger as they create the illusion of depth. Mirrors also work great in darker rooms as they can reflect light deep into areas of a room that may not get an abundance of natural light.
Also, consider adding character to various spaces in your home with accent rugs. Just make sure the rug doesn’t take over and become the main focal point. A vase of fresh flowers can bring color into your home and make it feel more inviting to potential buyers.
9. Paint: baseboards, crown molding, trim & door frames
It’s fairly common knowledge that potential homebuyers want to be able to picture themselves and their belongings in your space when looking at homes. So, if you happen to have a chartreuse accent wall, you’ll probably want to paint over it with a more neutral color.
Also, pay attention to the baseboards and crown molding. Your crown molding may just need some cleaning and a few touch-ups, whereas your baseboards have likely seen a lot more traffic, especially if you have kids. Try cleaning the baseboards with dish soap and water first. If they are still marked and scuffed up beyond that, you’ll most likely need to paint.
Trim and door frames take a huge beating, especially if you have kids. Buy a gallon of trim paint and invest an afternoon touching up all the trim and door frames in your entire house. Paint will make everything look clean and brand new – you’ll be amazed at the difference.
10. Make sure your home smells inviting
Household odors will be the first thing potential buyers notice when they enter your home and can be a deal breaker. Deep cleaning your home can do wonders. If you don’t have time to do it yourself, hire a professional house cleaning service.
Along with a really good cleaning, you can also use air freshener sprays, plug-in wax warmers, or even candles while showing your home. Some sellers go all out and bake cookies before a showing. Whatever you do, make sure your home smells good.
11. Clean glass windows & doors
You want to make your house shine inside and out. Windows and doors bring light in and can be a huge plus to a potential buyer. Make sure all your windows are clean (even the window sills, which collect dirt and dust. Before a showing, quickly clean the high traffic areas in your home like the back door.
12. Clean the light switches and doorknobs
Look around your home and you’ll probably find a few fingerprints and smudges, especially around light switches and doorknobs. Use a damp rag and a little cleaner to clean and polish all these areas. Be sure to address any light switches that are near the kitchen sink disposal, in the bathrooms, your kids’ rooms, and by the garage door.
13. Clean and stock the bathrooms
You want your bathrooms to be super clean. Take nick-knacks off the sink and counters. Be sure the toilet is flushed and close all the toilet lids. Also, make sure you have a fresh toilet paper roll in your bathroom; It just makes it look better to be fully stocked. Add fresh towels and make sure the bathroom garbage cans are empty.
14. Declutter and clean the garage
Declutter the garage before showing your home. A cramped garage full of stuff can be a huge turn-off to potential buyers. A clean, well-organized, and freshly painted garage looks a lot more spacious and could actually turn out to be a huge selling point.
15. Enhance your home’s curb appeal
Ultimately, your outdoor space can be just as important as what your home has to offer on the inside. Enhancing your home’s curb appeal is one of the most impactful things you can do to create a great first impression and get potential buyers to have a look inside.
Be sure to remove any toys, bicycles, lawn furniture, equipment, etc. visible from the street. In addition, simple enhancements such as placing potted plants on your front porch, giving your front door a new coat of paint, or adding fresh bark around the base of your hedges and trees can go a long way to enhancing your home’s curb appeal.
The takeaway
When selling your Farmington Hills MI home, decide on a local REALTOR® to work with early in the process and take advantage of their expertise and resources. You want a qualified agent who specializes in your area as every market is different. Then research together with your REALTOR® what comparable properties are selling for in your neighborhood to better understand what your home needs to make it stand out above the rest.
Keep in mind that you are not obligated to sell a perfect house. An experienced Farmington Hills MI REALTOR® can help you prioritize where to spend time and energy that will give you the best return.
Partner with Top-Rated Farmington Hills REALTOR® -Tom Gilliam
Whether you are interested in buying a home in the area or selling your Farmington Hills MI home, take advantage of Tom’s 17-plus years of experience as a top-rated Farmington Hills MI REALTOR®. For buyers, Tom will help you find the perfect home for your lifestyle needs in the right neighborhood. For sellers, Tom will get your home sold fast and for the most money.
He will look out for your best interests, advocate for you, negotiate on your behalf, and go the distance to ensure the best results possible. Get the home buying or selling process started today by calling Tom Gilliam directly at (248) 790-5594 or by email.
Tom Gilliam, REALTOR®
RE/MAX Classic
29630 Orchard Lake Rd.
Farmington Hills 48334
Direct: 248-790-5594
Office: 248-737-6800
Email: Homes2MoveYou.com
License #314578
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