Whether you’re relocating and time is of the essence or you’re a penny pincher by nature, getting your house ready to sell on a budget is no easy feat. It seems like just about everything costs money, from the cleaners to the movers. But, there are a few ways to get your house sold without spending a fortune.
First of all, you can save some money by cleaning everything yourself, including the floorboards. And, it’s much better to pack and move your own things if you want to prevent loss and damage. But, what about before the move?
Getting your house ready to sell involves careful consideration of the potential buyers. You must get your home in shape if you expect to impress. And you don’t have to invest in expensive upgrades to do it.
Here are some tips that will get your house sold fast.
10 Tips For Getting Your House Ready To Sell on a Budget
While you’re relentlessly searching for how to get your house ready to sell on the internet, you’ve landed here. And we’re happy to help.
Now, take a deep breath and relax. Keep this list in mind when you begin to stress about how much it’s going to cost to sell your home. Here we go.
1. Declutter
One of the easiest ways to guarantee a successful move and easy sale of your home is to simply declutter everything. Take all the trinkets down from the mantle and remove photos from the walls. The point is to make it look like a bare home that potential buyers can see their own belongings in.
This also goes for the kitchen. Remove and put away items from the countertops and empty the drawers as best you can. This will help you to highlight these spaces.
2. Clean Out the Closets
One of the first things a realtor will tell you when you ask how to get a house ready to sell is to clean out the closets. This means you may need to consider renting a storage space while your home is listed so that you don’t have boxes piled up in the living spaces. Remember all that stuff you just cleared from the mantle and the kitchen drawers?
3. Paint
Painting is another great answer for how to get a house ready for sale. It’s easy, cheap, and makes a world of difference for showcasing the best spaces of your home.
If spending a few bucks isn’t out of the question, enlist the help of an interior decorator to pick the right colors for each room. Color alone can sell a home.
4. Lighting
Arrange your lighting so that there are no dark spots in the rooms. If you have a lot of windows, make sure the curtains are open during showings in the daylight hours. Hang light colored curtains for a more airy view in the evenings.
5. Take Amazing Photos
You don’t have to hire a photographer to capture great images of your home. Take pictures during the dawn and dusk hours of the day and try to avoid using flash. For interior images, stand in the corners of rooms to capture the entire room in one shot; make sure there are no people or pets wandering through your photos.
Take photos of everything in your home, from the bathroom to the washer and dryer and the brand new water heater. Make sure the images are clear.
6. Ask for Opinions
Before listing your home, ask opinions from friends and neighbors, and yes, even your family. Ask them what they think you could do to improve your home. If someone suggests building a deck, maybe you could put out some potted plants instead.
Listening to friends and neighbors will give you ideas about what makes your home really great. When you’re thinking along these lines, you’ll do better to sell your home quicker.
7. Picking a Listing Date
The best way to save money when preparing to sell your home is to pick a listing date and then work backward from that date. This will give you a goal to look forward to and time to work within the budget you set forth.
Or else, you’ve seen the ‘we buy houses‘ signs in your neighborhood. If you’d prefer not to wait for a buyer, you could call them and sell your house virtually overnight!
8. Consider Staging
Another thing realtors will tell you when you ask how to get a house ready to sell quickly is to consider hiring a stager. Of course, if you’re trying to do things for free, you could try doing it yourself, but it’s really best to hire a professional.
A stager will bring in furniture and decor, including paintings and flowers and live plants and even beds. It will be strategically placed throughout your home in such a fashion that is meant to entice potential buyers. Let them do their magic and wait for great results.
9. Make Plans for Showings
Don’t allow your realtor to simply pop in on you. Or if you’re selling on your own, don’t allow people to just walk up and ask to see the inside. You need to be prepared for potential buyers so that you can make the best impression.
Make appointments for showings and have a game plan in place before anybody arrives.
10. Don’t Forget the Curb Appeal
There are simple ways to draw attention to your home without building a whole new landscape out front. Rake the leaves in the yard and keep the grass cut. If you have dead or diseased plants, pull them out and replace them.
Don’t forget to spray for weeds.
Final Thoughts
Getting your house ready to sell can be fun when you think outside the box a little bit.
Finally, don’t hesitate to enlist the handy services of a licensed realtor to sell your home even more quickly. He or she can also act as a mentor during the closing process, especially if you’re buying another home at the same time.
If you found this post helpful, make sure to check out our other post about creative ways to sell your home. We strive to bring you topics that will satiate your curiosity.
