How To Prepare Your House For Sale

Homebuyers are very choosy and look for the best as at that point in time they are ready to spend their life savings on a home of their choice. If you are a seller looking to sell your house, it is not a good idea to list your home without preparing it appropriately for the occasion. A few touch-ups may be required and they are best discovered by putting on the buyer’s hat yourself. Read on to get a few tips on how to prepare your house for sale.

1: Price the house correctly:

Price of the house is the topmost attraction for the buyer and also a big differentiator. In a tough market, when the inventory is high, it is not easy to sell a house. However, if you put the right price tag on the house, it will attract the buyers. With overprice or a lower price, the owner does not get an optimum return. It is a good idea to visit other houses up for sale in the neighbourhood and see if your listing price matches the local market rates. The final price, however, has to be evaluated on the basis of proximity to infrastructure, design, conveniences, the condition of the house and connectivity.

2: Choose the right broker:

If you are short of time and do not want to show the house to every would-be-buyer, it is good to hire a broker. They are also likely to help you with the paperwork. However, it is most crucial to do a thorough check of the broker’s background before hiring him. It is also important to finalise the fee that the broker is likely to charge when the deal is closed. It is best to enter into an agreement at the very start.

3: Keeping the documents handy:

All the legal papers that are related to the selling of the house should be kept ready. The sale documents, tax receipts for the property and proof of prior purchases, encumbrance certificate, letter of allotment, the sanctioned plan of the house, etc., should be kept ready.

4: Spruce up the house:

Simple measures that include sprucing up the house, both on the inside and outside, can make it more attractive to the buyers.

House Interiors:

Apply a fresh coat of paint to the walls. Choose neutral or light shades. This makes the house look bigger. Fill up existing cracks or holes with putty and repair any damage to the plaster before applying the paint.

Check the electrical equipment in the house. This includes all the plug points and switches. Replace all fused bulbs, broken holders and check out that all other electrical equipment like the geyser/air conditioner, etc., are in working condition.

Replace floor tiles if they are cracked or broken. This will give it a more attractive look. Fix all leaking taps. Ensure that the piping bends are clean and faucets in the washrooms are in working condition. Repair other major defects like broken windows and leaky roofs if any. Get rid of smells, if any. Track down the source of the odours and try to get rid of them. Make all the surfaces shine: ceiling fans, counter tops, cabinet surfaces, vanities in bathrooms, etc. The same holds good for washable surfaces in the bathroom and kitchen. Depersonalize the interiors by removing personal photographs and collectables. Remodelling the kitchen and the bathroom with the latest fixtures and designs can help to increase the value of the property. Ensure that there is enough storage space in the house as it is an important segment that any buyer would look out for.

House Exteriors:

The outside walls can be pressure washed to give it a neat and clean appearance. It is a good idea to clean the gutters and keep them free-flowing. It is important to improve the curb appeal by weeding the garden, trimming the shrubs, mowing the lawn, clearing the walkway and keeping the garden in tip-top shape. If you have uneven paving slabs, it pays to replace them. Give a coat of fresh paint or varnish to the front door. Ensure that the garage is cleaned and looks good. The visitors should be able to clearly read the house number.

5: Advertise effectively:

Spread the word that you are going to sell your house to your friends and relatives. Reaching out through social media is a good way to do this. You may even end up finding a buyer from people known to you.

In the recent past advertising through online sales portals have also become very popular. This method has the advantage that you can find buyers from even far-off areas. This may not actually be possible through conventional methods of selling that you may otherwise employ. Customers see your ad 24 x 7 and they can get in touch either via SMS or phone.

When placing online advertisements, it is important to:

Upload as many photographs of the property as possible. Click pictures of both the inside and the outside of the house. Describe the property extensively. It is best not to give any kind of wrong or unsure information. It is a good idea to use premium paid services so that it appears at the top of the search list. All these will help to increase the number of interested buyers.

6: Clear all the dues:

All dues related to the property such as property tax, electricity and water bills, etc., should be cleared before the sale. If these have not been duly paid off, it may land the owner in soup during the sale process.

7: Schedule the dates correctly:

The owner should have a clear idea of all the timelines including the date by which the house should be sold and the date by which the property should be handed over to its new owner. Sticking to a pre-set timeline can make the whole process smooth.

It is a good idea to follow this ‘how to prepare you house for sale’ checklist to ensure a smooth transition of ownership in the shortest time possible. It is important to present your home at its best to finalize a deal at the first meeting with a desirable client.

To recap, here are the top 7 tips to follow before putting up your house for sale:

1. Price the house correctly

2. Choose the right broker

3. Keep all house related documents handy

4. Spruce up the house

5. Advertise effectively on social media platforms and real estate portals

6. Clear all the dues

7. Set a time-frame for the entire process to complete

Hope you found this article on ‘how to prepare your house for sale’ helpful. If you are planning to invest in a new home or would like to know more about real estate investment then do get in touch with our expert real estate investment advisors. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.