Selling a home almost always requires more than simply putting it on the market and waiting for a buyer to make an offer. To help you sort out some of the overwhelming mess of tasks and make your home sale a success, here are 5 things you need to fix before selling your house in VA, MD, WV and D.C..
Repaint
One of the most common recommendations you will hear in preparing your home for the market is to repaint in neutral tones.
The reason for this is you want to create a welcoming environment for potential buyers to imagine how they would best utilize the available living space. This includes how they would decorate, and distracting paint colors can put a damper on this process. This also provides ample opportunity to take everything off the walls and patch up any holes from hung photographs or general damage.
Any buyer will be able to appreciate the extra effort in your presenting a fixed up and freshly painted interior.
Kitchen Appliances
Often considered one of the most important rooms in any home, your kitchen’s facets will presumably be scrutinized rather thoroughly by most buyers to ensure everything is above board.
The last thing you want during a showing is for potential buyers to attempt turning on a stove burner only to discover it’s completely inoperable. Something like this happening will immediately raise red flags to most people, and they will continue any tours with a much more critical eye for detail.
If you are leaving appliances behind when selling your house in VA, MD, WV and D.C., do everything you can to make sure they are working correctly and will not cause issues for your buyer. If you are aware of possible issues, try your best to correct them, be honest with the buyer, and maybe even offer a short-term whole house warranty to build back their trust.
Plumbing
Just like with kitchen appliances, you don’t want to have buyers arrive for a showing only to discover a toilet fails to flush or water lines are slowly leaking into the basement.
Whereas the kitchen appliances can be fixed or replaced rather easily, plumbing may require the hand of a qualified and experienced professional in order to alleviate the issues.
If you find yourself in a situation where a costly plumbing overhaul is necessary but you want to sell off the property anyway, be sure to be upfront and honest with any buyers so you do not find yourself in hot water later.
Power Wash the Exterior
Before any buyer sets foot in your house, they will instantly create a first impression of the entire property based on how the exterior looks when they arrive.
To make that first impression a good one, it’s a great idea to break out a power washer to clean up your exterior siding, windows, gutters, and roof. Put the final touch on exterior windows with a quality glass cleaner to really tie everything together.
Finally, take a little bit of time to power wash your garage door, driveway, and any walkways. You’d be amazed what a difference it makes.
Landscaping
As the second piece of the curb appeal puzzle, carefully maintaining a pristine lawn adds that extra punch to the buyer’s first impression.
Mow the lawn regularly, clean up any potted plants and planter areas, and consider installing some inexpensive, solar-powered landscape lights. Lighting may seem like an afterthought, but the added atmosphere can seal the deal with the buyer on your home’s exterior.
Although mentioned before, the key word to remember here is “maintain,” as in keeping your landscaping looking as best as you possibly can all the way up until closing.
Your Partner When Selling Your House in VA, MD, WV and D.C.
If you’re thinking of selling your house in VA, MD, WV and D.C. and want an experienced team behind you, contact us today at 703-782-4422!