If you’ve decided to list your house, you probably know that you have about a million things to do before listing in order to sell quickly and at a good price. But the problem is that you, like all of us, have limited time and resources. So how do you determine what should be at the top of your pre-listing to-do list? To help you prioritize, we offer these 3 important things to consider before listing your house in Newark, as well as a bonus tip to help you avoid most of the hassle.
1. Cleaning and Decluttering
Certainly, one of the things to consider before listing your house in Newark is cleaning. But cleaning before listing has to go further than just cleaning thoroughly. You also need to clean all those areas and objects that you normally don’t.
So your pre-listing deep cleaning should include . . .
- Dusting ceiling fan blades and globes
- Wiping down closet and cabinet doors
- Cleaning under appliances, especially in the kitchen
- Washing/wiping down baseboards
And a related task to do before listing your home is decluttering. Start early, well before listing, jettisoning all the unnecessary stuff cluttering up your home. It’s probably a good idea to rent a storage unit so that you can keep the items you want, but still get them out of the way for showings.
Also, when decluttering, try to depersonalize as well. That means removing all the items – such as family photos and quirky art – that mark your house as your home imprinted with your personality. You want prospective buyers to be able to visualize your house as their own home, imagining all their belongings in place and them living there.
If you’re not sure how to proceed here, you can contact a Newark agent at (848) 299-4847 to find out more about best practices.
2. Enhanced Curb Appeal
Further, don’t make the mistake (as many sellers do) of concentrating on the inside of your home to the exclusion or neglect of the outside. Before listing your house in Newark, you’ll also need to consider enhancing curb – which serves to create a great first impression when prospective buyers pull up for a viewing.
Here are a few of the basic things to do . . .
- Take of all the needed lawn work or hire a professional lawn service. Lawn care typically yields around 353% ROI at sale time.
- Lay down new mulch in beds for a 126% return on the money invested.
- Perform or hire basic landscaping if you don’t already have it. It’s not unusual for homes with landscaping to sell for 1% to 10% more than homes without landscaping.
- Add or spruce up outdoor living spaces. Today, outdoor living spaces rank high on the list of buyer priorities.
- Paint the front door in a dark color to create an initial focal point that is both appealing and welcoming.
3. A Pre-Listing Inspection
Another thing you should probably consider before listing your house in Newark is a pre-listing inspection. This isn’t a requirement for sellers, but it’s definitely a good idea.
You’re probably aware that you’ll need to make all the necessary repairs before listing your house, but are you really aware of all the things that need to be done – all those things that the buyer’s inspection will uncover. You don’t want to be caught off guard here, and having your own inspection done will take care of that.
An inspection will run you around $400, but it will provide some peace. You won’t have to worry about the buyer’s inspection turning up hidden problems that will force you to spend money to put right or for which you’ll have to reduce the price.
Consider Working With a Hybrid Agent Before Listing Your House
There is, though, a way to avoid much of the hassle of listing your house and all the things you’d normally have to do in preparation. And that is to work with a hybrid agent, that is, an agent who is both a real estate agent and an investor. You get the best of both worlds when you do. You get your agent’s expertise and local market knowledge, as well as an as-is sale, a quick closing, and a cash offer. If you want to avoid the hassle of preparing for listing your house in Newark, then contact us today at (848) 299-4847.