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5 Tips on Getting Your Home Ready for Showings

by | Feb 26, 2020 | Real Estate Tips, Selling Your Home, YourHome

 

Selling a home that you are still living in is tricky! Lots of sellers stress over every detail when it comes to showing their home to potential buyers.

However, there are a couple of basic principles that you can follow to prepare your home! In this article, we are going to walk you through the five key tips on getting your home ready for showings in this article!

1. Create a Cleaning Routine

It goes without saying that your home should be spotless when you are showing your home. However, we all know that this is easier said than done.

You will want to do one deep clean at the beginning of this process to prepare your home. After that, establish a daily cleaning routine so that messes don’t pile up! Write down a list of all the things that need to be taken care of in a week, and spread them out day by day, so your house is sparkling!

2. Declutter Your Space

Clutter is a distracting presence in a home. When a buyer is coming by, they want to see the bones of the house, not think about endless toys and knick-knacks.

Creating a clean space that shows off the structure of your home is essential! You will find that by decluttering your space that you will be more at ease in your own day-to-day life as well!

3. Have Emergency Storage Ready

What we mean by emergency storage is a few great bins or tote bags on hand for those last-minute showings! This tip is especially handy if you have any kids.

Sometimes you just don’t have the time to put everything back in its proper place right before a showing! By having these storage containers on hand, you will be able to easily clean up and declutter any space in a matter of seconds.

These small storage containers will save your sanity, we promise.

4. Don’t Underestimate Curb Appeal

Many people focus on making a great first impression by redecorating their front entryway. However, when the buyer first drives up to your house, the outside is going to be what they see first!

Make the most of this first impression and make sure the yard is tidy, and the lawn is trimmed. If you are able to make a cozy entryway space or catch the eye with some incredible landscaping, we highly recommend it.

5. Leave Room for the Imagination

We get it; your home is a space where you can show off your personality! However, when you are preparing to sell your home, neutral tones and spaces are going to be your best friend.

If you have any glaring colors or themed decorations, these are going to affect the buyer’s impression of your home!

Try to create a neutral space that buyers can imagine themselves living in to close that sale!

Get Your Home Ready for Showings

These five tips will help you prepare your home and ensure that potential buyers leave with a great impression!

Getting ready for showings can be a lot of work initially, but if you do a little bit each day to maintain a show-ready home, it will seem easy.

Need more advice on selling your home? Feel free to contact us! We are always happy to help.

Beyond Curb Appeal: Staging the Exterior of Your Home To Sell

by | Apr 14, 2018 | Home Maintenance, Real Estate Tips, Staging, YourHome

They say first impressions are important – and the exterior of your home is the first thing potential buyers will see. That’s why staging the exterior of your home is just as important as staging the interior. Here is our project list for getting the outside of your house ready beyond just curb appeal.

 

Staging the Exterior of Your Home: Repairs

The first thing you need to ask when getting your home ready to sell is if there are any obvious repairs that need to take place.  Walk around your house with a critical eye.  Look at the paint, trim, siding, roof, window casings, doors, foundation – is there anything that looks old, chipped, damaged or rough?

Sometimes when staging the exterior of your home it helps to stand back at the street and look from the point of view of a buyer that might be driving by.  What can they see?  Where are the rough spots? What are the best features of your home that you want to highlight?

 

Staging the Exterior of Your Home: Pressure Wash Surfaces & Wash Windows

Homes collect dust, grime, dirt and pollution.  Your house may look like it needs a coat of exterior paint, but it *may* just be dirty!  When staging the exterior of your home, removing the layers of dirt from your house and driveway and walkways will make it look fresh and new again.

When staging the exterior of your home you should even look at cleaning any patio furniture and potted plants – they get dusty too.

You can DIY a pressure wash, but it might be worth your time to hire a professional.

 

Staging the Exterior of Your Home: Fix Any Pet Damage

One important aspect of staging the exterior of your home is fix any damage caused by your dog!  You may love your dog – but the next owner of your house won’t want to deal with any yard problems.

Some things to look for:

  • Scratched fencing, scratched wood on the deck or scratches on the back door
  • Bare patches in your lawn or dead grass
  • Holes dug in the garden

Ideally, there should be no sign of your dog (or cat) when prospective buyers come to call.

 

Staging the Exterior of Your Home:  Think Green

During the summer, greenery makes all the difference.  Make sure that the front lawn is green, weeded and trimmed.  Flower beds should  be manicured and freshly planted and weed-free.   No one wanted to move in and feel like they have instantly have weeding to do.  Finally, adding some potted plants to the porch is a nice touch and a way to go the extra mile.

 

Staging the Exterior of Your Home:  Little Touches

A few extra touches will make a BIG impact:

  • Replace or refresh the hardware on the door
  • Make sure that any fountains, fire pits or spot lights are turned on
  • Make sure that blinds or shads look clean and well cared for
  • Refresh your home address signage – make the numbers big and easy to see from the street
  • Leave your lights on at night – it allows people to drive by and see the house in its *ahem* best light in the evening

 

Some additional resources:

 

 

3 Factors to Consider Before Choosing a Real Estate Agent

by | Apr 26, 2017 | Real Estate Agent Tips, Real Estate Tips

3 Factors to Consider Before Choosing a Real Estate Agent

Salt Lake City real estate market is thriving right now. The pandemic didn’t seem to affect much the real estate market here, unlike other states of our country that are going through a rough time.

In an environment like that, a decent real estate agent should be easy to find, right? Wrong.

Just because you’re in a thriving market doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do your research. Every booming market has its share of subpar agents hoping to ride the wave to success.

There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing a real estate agent, and many traits to look for. We’ll talk about a few of them in this article.

1. Communication

The mark of any good business person is the ability to listen. Communication is key and everyone benefits. It’s much easier to sell to a client if you know what they want.

For instance, why are you buying the home? Are you moving into it, or is it an investment property? Your answers may change how the agent approaches and handles the case.

Nobody wants to live in a dirty, run-down house. However, if you’re looking to resell, it might not matter. You were likely planning to spruce up the home anyways and sell it at a profit.

But it’s about more than talking and listening. It’s about understanding how you communicate best. Most people prefer to text, email, or call on a cellphone when they want to reach someone.

You’ll need to be able to contact each other quickly. This will help you buy the house you want before someone else does.

2. Experience

Finding an agent with experience can give you a significant advantage. They know how the market works.

They can help you up the price of your current home, negotiate the price of a prospective home.

Experience also means that they’re good enough to keep their job. Even so, it’s best to ask questions before deciding on an agent.

How often do they make sales? Do their clients’ houses sell at a high price? Do they end up buying homes at a reasonable price?

3. Others Recommend Them

There’s usually nobody we trust more than our family and friends. They’ve done a lot for us, so when they offer advice, we pay attention to it. For this reason, they may be the best place to start when looking for real estate agents.

It doesn’t have to be those close to you. Every opinion you can find may help. Read reviews and see what previous clients think of them.

Choosing a Real Estate Agent Who’s Right for You

Choosing a real estate agent can be difficult because a lot goes into finding the right one. We’ve offered some advice on what to look for in an agent, but there’s more to consider. You may want to do more research to make sure you’re prepared.

For more articles on real estate, especially in the Salt Lake City area, please visit our site. Are you thinking of buying a home in Salt Lake City? We’re here to help.