Selling your house? Pause and take a deep breath and ask yourself this question: am I (or my house) really ready? You will have to pay later for taking shortcuts just to get your property listed immediately.
It could be the small home repairs you've been putting off, paperwork in disarray, or closets that are full to the gills - bottom line is, you need extra time to really get your house in order.
Here are 8 red flags that you are not ready to sell by Trulia:
Kitchen nightmares
Maybe your kitchen looks dated, and your appliances are nearing the 10-year mark. The potential buyers may not be really looking for a gourmet chef's kitchen but they would surely be more interested with your house if you could up the ante by swapping out hardware, upgrading pendant lights, or repainting and refinishing cabinets.
Your clutter is all over
Put yourself in the potential buyer's shoes; how would it feel like walking into your house? While you may have become accustomed to the pile of magazines which is the first thing that people see when they walk in your door, or you are no longer bothered by kids toys strewn all over the floor, but the potential buyers will surely be.
Overstuffed closets
Prospective buyers consider storage space as a big deal. If they look around and open closets full to bursting, it would give them the impression that the space is smaller than it is. The idea is to make buyers feel that your house has enough storage for their things; so if you need to rent a storage space for your extra stuff, then do it. Also, you can trick to make the closets look airier if they are painted in a light color.
Oh, right, the pets
Don't underestimate the power of the faintest wisp of pet hair to ruin a showing. While pets are lovely, they are not great for home sales. You will have to constantly scrub your home of every last animal vestige, and there is so much effort needed to keep your house from smelling like your pet cat or dog. If you can, plan out a pet-sitting strategy before you put your house in the market.
Oh, right, the kids
While buyers are more forgiving of children than pets, it doesn't mean that they wouldn't take it against you if toys and video games are strewn about. Get opaque bins to store all kids' ephemera, and maybe it's the perfect time to teach them to really and truly pick up after themselves.
Hapless hedges
You don't need to be green thumbed to improve your house's curb appeal. Simple details such as keeping the laneway clear and weeding out flowerbeds could do the trick. But, if you're not up for it, or really want to take your curb appeal to the next level, you can hire a professional gardener or lawn maintenance company for some strategic front plantings or to do the trimming.
Keep it clean
While clean is good, you have to aim for pristine. Do a deep clean of the fridge, the woodwork, the couch, and the windows before listing your property. Always keep your house in ready-for-showing condition at all times which means that you should be able to handle the upkeep or you can consider hiring a cleaner on a weekly touch-up schedule.
That neglected filing cabinet
Savvy buyers not only want to tour your home, they also would like to know about exact age of appliances and the monthly cost of upkeep. So, if your house files (refrigerator warranty, HVAC instructions, heating bills, etc.) are a shambles, take time to sift through the piles and delineate your home costs.
