Prepare Your Home

Seller Resources

Preparing Your Home For Sale

Preparing Your Home For Sale

Preparing Your Home For Sale

You have set your price and now it’s time to prepare your home for buyer walk-throughs. The condition of your home is equally as important as the price when it comes to completing a successful sale. It’s not necessary to put your home in perfect showroom condition, but it makes sense to take the time to de-clutter and clean up your home, so that your house makes a great first impression. A potential buyer will typically only spend 15-30 minutes viewing your home, so making a good first impression can be the key to that person making an offer.

Your Rock Properties agent can offer thoughtful suggestions regarding the preparation and staging of your home prior to placing it on the market. This is the step that can take the longest but it’s important to take the time to thoroughly clean your home and remove any unnecessary clutter, so that potential buyers can see the very best version of your home. Remember that first impressions will be lasting impressions.

Steps Towards Preparing Your Home For Sale

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Preparing Your Home For Sale

You want to sell your home, and you want to get the most for it that you can. To prepare your home, you should look at your home from the perspective of a buyer. Start by, walking through your home like you’ve never been there before, and make notes any blemishes that you see.

Make sure that everything has been cleaned, walls touched up and painted as needed, shampoo any carpets and wax hardwood floors. Make your home a blank canvas, by putting away as many personal items as possible so that the potential buyer can envision it for themselves. Remove unnecessarily large furniture that is not conducive to the visual appeal to create clear pathways so that your home feels more spacious.

If you’re thinking of selling your house, call Rock Properties at 512-850-4510 to learn how we can assist you in getting the most that you can for your house. You can also click on the button below to send us a message. We look forward to helping you.

Some Simple Tips To Prepare Your Home For Sale and Attract Buyers.

Home Staging Ideas:

  • Clean windows and especially clean sliding glass doors.
  • Add some flowers and bark chips along the front walkways.
  • Open drapes, turn on lamps and have music playing quietly in the background.
  • Now is the time to clean out the garage and closets.
  • Clean driveway grease spots and check if the garage door needs paint.
  • Plant fresh flowers in pots and around trees.
  • Dark paneling, paint or wallpaper may need to be replaced or painted.
  • In dark hallways, entryways and rooms, leave the lights on, even in the daytime.
  • Make sure that your lawn is cut, weeded and edged.
  • Light helps a home to look bigger and cheerier.
  • How does the paint and condition of the front door look?
  • Consider moving your car out of the garage to give it a larger appearance.
  • Trim and edge your lawn.
  • Take a look at your home from the road and then walk through the front door.
  • Keep the shades open to let more light in.
  • A home should look clean, bright and uncluttered.
  • Show off all the space that your home has.
Home Staging Ideas
Preparing Your Home For Sale
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Preparing Your Home For Sale

Interior Suggestions:

  • Are doorknobs tight and working?
  • What needs to be done to make it more appealing?
  • Is the floor covering in the entryway in need of repair?
  • Does kitchen floor covering require repair?
  • Are fingerprints removed from halls and stairways?
  • Does the house look clean and smell fresh and clean?
  • Are kitchen appliances clean and shiny?
  • Has the garage been cleared of junk and debris?
  • Is tile scrubbed and re-grouted if necessary?
  • Are closets neat, organized, clutter-free?
  • Are drapes cleaned and pressed?
  • Do closet doors open and close easily?
  • Are blinds dusted?
  • Are windows clean?
  • Does bathroom floor covering require repair?
  • Are there scuff marks or fingerprints on walls?
  • Are the attic and basement free of clutter?
  • Has clutter been removed from halls and stairways?
  • Are plumbing fixtures polished?
  • Have stains been removed from sinks?
  • Have the fireplace and hearth been cleaned?
  • Is the entire house free of unpleasant odors?
  • Are leaky faucets repaired?
  • Have the oven and range been thoroughly cleaned?
  • Does the entryway or foyer need paint?
  • Are kitchen counters free of clutter?
  • Do lights and switches require repair?
  • Does the carpeting need cleaning?

Exterior Suggestions:

  • Are the garden and flower beds weeded?
  • Are screens clean and free of holes?
  • Does the exterior require a new coat of paint?
  • Are railings secure and painted?
  • Do doors and windows open and close easily?
  • Are bushes, trees and shrubs trimmed?
  • Are doorbells in good operating condition?
  • Do lawn ornaments require repair?
  • Do garage doors open easily?
  • Is the entryway clear of toys, tools and clutter?
  • How do swings and lawn gyms look?
  • Have oil stains been removed from the driveway?
  • Are trash barrels neat and orderly?
  • What needs to be done to give it more appeal?
  • Do doors, windows, shutter and trim require paint?
  • Have grass and weeds been removed from walks?
  • Are windows clean and unbroken (not cracked)?
  • Are the roof, porch and deck in good condition?
  • Are light fixtures operating properly?
  • Does the house have curb appeal?
  • Are yard tools put away neatly?
  • Is there trash or debris that requires pickup?
  • Are pet areas clean and odor free?
  • Are gutters and downspouts unclogged?
  • Is the lawn neatly trimmed and edged?
Setting Your Home Price
Preparing Your Home For Sale
FAQ's

Popular Questions

No matter what your real estate needs, we can help. Call us at 512-850-4510  whenever you need assistance with buying, selling or investing in real estate. We look forward to serving you! 

In Texas, the homeseller typically pays the commission of the agent that is listing the home for sale as well as the commission of the agent that is representing the buyer.  Commission payments to the real estate agents on both sides are typically paid out of the proceeds of the sale at closing and are typically 3% of the sale price for each agent.

Buyers will typically incur some costs as part of the purchase. Those costs most commonly include:

EARNEST MONEY: Usually about 1% of the sales price.

OPTION MONEY: The option fee is typically $500-$1000 for an average priced home.

INSPECTION COSTS: For a standard inspection of an average priced single family home, a buyer can expect to pay $500 – $1,000.

LENDER COSTS & FEES:  These fees are based on the Lender’s APR (Annual Percentage Rate),  The APR, reflects the true and total cost of the loan. It factors in the interest rate plus any upfront costs and fees that are charged by the lender to obtain that rate or to close the loan, such as points, fees, or other costs associated with the loan.

DOWN PAYMENT: This is the portion of the loan that you pay at closing, while the rest of the loan is typically paid over time through a mortgage.   Down payments are usually a percentages of the mortgage in the range of 5%, 10%, 20%, 30% down, etc).

MARKET VALUE: The FMV (Fair Market Value) is simply the agreed upon price between a willing buyer and seller, both of whom are reasonably knowledgeable about the property in question.

APPRAISED VALUE: The valuation determined by a professional appraiser during the mortgage origination process.

ASSESSED TAX VALUE: This is the value assessment performed by the county tax assessor’s office for tax purposes.

The listing agent works for the seller and they are obligated to work in the seller’s best interest.  Therefore, there is a benefit for the buyer to have their own Agent and there is no cost to the buyer for the service.

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