Louisville Homes Blog: #1 Real Estate Blog in Louisville, KY

Top 10 Ways to Prepare Your Property For Sale

Jan 9, 2007 by Tre Pryor, Editor-in-Chief. Residential, Top 10 Lists

Updated: 5/15/2009

There are literally hundreds of ways to enhance your property’s image for prospective buyers. Here at Louisville Homes Blog, we’ve identified the Top 10 Ways to Prepare Your Property For Sale to save time and get you closer to your goal of selling your home fast at the highest possible price.

1. Cleanliness Is Crucial

Perhaps something as simple as cleaning the house may seem a natural thing to do, but you’d be surprised at the number of homes that aren’t thoroughly cleaned before a showing. Pay special attention to the kitchens, first floor bathrooms and any other area where a potential buyer may be closely inspecting.

2. Landscape Works Wonders

When the lawn is cut, the planting beds are clean, the sidewalk and driveway are clear, your home is telling buyers that its current owners have taken great care of it. When prospective buyers arrive, the first impression your home will communicate to them is that this house is in great shape.

3. Organize the Clutter

While a clean house is a top priority, removing clutter by organizing household items into bins or containers compliments the cleaning process. Large plastic bins with lids can be bought inexpensively at most home improvement stores and really help in organizing basements and garages. Be careful not to toss everything into a closet as most buyers will be peeking inside those, as well.

Don’t be afraid to throw things out or donate items to charity if they still have some life in them.

4. Lights, Camera, Action

How often do you hear people praise a home for being “so light and airy”? It’s clearly something most buyers are evaluating. So make sure to replace any lightbulbs that have burned out (inside the house especially) and make sure to turn them on before a showing. Remember to open all curtains and blinds to let in the natural light too!

5. Appealing Aromas

You can enhance the experience of visiting your home not only be removing any foul or negative odors, such as litter boxes or ash trays, but by creating wonderful aromas with fresh-baked cookies or bread. It may sound clichéd but you should take advantage of every trick in the book to make your home attractive to potential buyers. You never know what just might be “icing on the cake” for some buyers.

6. Give the Pets a Vacation

Believe it or not, not everyone loves your prized, family pet. It’s generally considered a good idea to take your pet to a friend or relative’s house during a showing. Not only will a possible distraction be avoided, but buyers will be less likely to consider the wear and tear a pet may have caused to the home they are considering if there is no pet present to remind them. It’s a win-win situation!

7. Repair Wisely

Things like garage doors, screen doors, door knobs/handles, or other functional items should be in good working order. Other repairs, such as updating a dishwasher might not be a smart move. You should consult with your Realtor® about the particulars of each issue before deciding which items you’ll choose to repair.

8.Consider Off-Site Storage

Taking items typically stored in a basement or garage and moving them off-site is a wonderful idea that increases the perceived size of those areas. Since you’re planning on moving in the near future, relocating boxes filled with Christmas decorations or other home furnishings to temporary storage gives you a headstart on the move and enhances your current home to prospective buyers.

9. Safeguard Your Valuables

Thefts during open houses have been known to happen, so make the effort to store any valuables away during a showing. Things like wallets, purses, jewelry or portable electronic devices can be easily tucked away in a drawer or cabinet, or better yet, safely locked away. This also helps to clear away clutter which is always a good home preperation practice.

10. Turn Off the Noise

If you have any appliances or ceiling fans that are particularly noisy, it’s best to have them repaired, or at least turned off, during a showing. This also goes for audio coming from a TV or radio. Rather than trying to guess what style of music your buyers may like, it’s often better to have nothing playing at all and let the house speak for itself.

We hope these tips have sparked your thinking. If you have any great tips of your own, please post them a comment below. Good luck on selling your home!

Tre Pryor, a lifelong resident of Louisville, is a Realtor® with Rick Shaw Realtors. A graduate of the University of Louisville with a degree in Marketing, he has 23 years of professional experience, that includes consulting Fortune 200 companies. He uses his Internet expertise to help his real estate clients realize superior results. Mr. Pryor lives with his wife, three sons and daughter in the Springhurst area of Louisville.

Tags: Kentucky, Louisville, real estate, Selling Your Home