Have a Question or Want a Free Market Report?

Contact Me
Questions? We're Here to Help
Search Listings

Preparing Your Home for the Market

1.) First Impressions are Lasting Impressions

A buyer wants to walk into a house and immediately feel at home. The best way for a seller to prep their house to be the dream home a potential buyer is looking for is way easier than you might think. At Jeff Cook Real Estate, our expert agents are available to help sellers assess their homes and create a foolproof plan to impress buyers quickly.

Get Ahead with a Pre-Listing Home Inspection

A Jeff Cook Real Estate agent is able to offer a pre-listing home inspection to homeowners before putting their home on the market. A pre-listing home inspection can be beneficial to the seller because it will reveal anything that will come upon a home inspection. Homeowners have the chance to fix any glaring issues before a buyer comes in, thus eliminating the hassle during the closing process! 

2.) Freshen Up Your Curb Appeal

No matter what state the exterior of your home is in, with a few small projects and landscaping, you can create a clean and natural space that will feel inviting to potential buyers. Consider a pop of color with a floral wreath on the front door to make the buyers feel welcome.

3.) Give Your Interior a Deep Cleaning

One of the most important aspects of preparing for a showing is to thoroughly clean your home from top to bottom. Show the potential buyers a fresh perspective when they come into your home. This is a great opportunity to make a list of any areas of the home that may need small repairs. Once you’re aware of any leaky faucets or loose doorknobs, you can make sure your home is in tip-top shape for showings to begin.

4.) Clear the Clutter

The key to showing your home’s best side to a buyer: minimize. When the buyers walk in, they’ll want to be able to envision themselves living in the home. Start with spaces such as the fridge and remove any personal items to make the surface feel more clean and minimal.

As the seller, you should be aware of decluttering your home’s most commonly used spaces that tend to be overcrowded. A great tip is to tour your own home and search for cluttered spots where unnecessary knickknacks can easily be reduced. By removing excess furniture in smaller rooms you can give the illusion of the room being bigger than it actually is.

5.) Soften Harsh Colors and Patterns by Neutralizing

To eliminate busyness with too many colors and patterns, consider neutralizing each room to just one color palette. Tossing out those colorful throw pillows will help keep the buyers focus on the house itself rather than the items in your home. For example, in the bathrooms only display one color of towels and choose a neutral color shower curtain.

6.) Adding Value to Your Home

Be sure to consult an agent on the value of your home before listing it on the market. A professional real estate agent will be able to evaluate the updates that are worth completing in order to attract buyers. 

As a general rule, choosing the functional over the merely cosmetic and choosing neutral over unusual or exotic will pay at resale. We've listed some common updates to take into consideration when preparing your home for the real estate market. 

  • Updates that increase usable space (an extra bathroom, larger and/or upgraded kitchen, master bedroom suite, more closet space, conversion of unused space to a home office).
  • Updates that will lighten and brighten your rooms (white or light color paint and floor coverings, light woods, skylights, larger windows, French doors).
  • Updates that will open your home to the outdoors for fresh air and entertaining (French doors to the patio or garden).
  • Updates that will increase privacy and security (fencing, landscaping).

PRO TIP: Installing features such as a wall-mounted flat-screen TV or a wine cooler is an inexpensive way to make your home stand out from the pack.

A Jeff Cook Real Estate agent has access to the contact information of our trusted local vendors so you can prep your home for the market as quickly as possible! By stripping your home down to its bare essentials, you can allow the buyer's imagination to run wild with the thought of making your house their new home.