5 Ways to Prepare Your House to Sell and Get Top Dollar

We all know that selling a home is a notoriously stressful process. We need to navigate the
property market to determine what buyers are drawn to, which is always challenging. However,
if you want to secure top dollar for your property, you need to focus on buyers' needs and
standing out among local inventory that buyers will also be touring, it is important to know your
competition. To do this effectively, you should tune in and understand the buyer's side of the
transaction, as this enables you to prepare your house to sell.

Understanding The Buyers Interaction

According to Harvard Professor Gerald Zaltman, 95% of consumers buy out of emotion,
regardless of the size of purchase they are making. Those emotions are at play whether they
buy a smart TV or a home. While a buyer may have a list of must-haves for the ideal home, the
ultimate decision-making process won’t be conducted based on logic but rather how they feel.
Knowing this, sellers can focus their attention on creating an inviting atmosphere that allows
buyers to connect to the home and the property instead of the property’s assets.

What To Prepare To Sell Your Home At Top Dollar

To evoke pleasant feelings that assist you in selling your home, I’ve highlighted the five
fundamental areas of improvement you can concentrate on when you prepare your house to
sell.

1. Remove The Clutter
I’ve had many clients that as they were viewing a property, I can see them trying to envision
themselves living there, “The couch can go here, and the bookshelf there..”(Staging helps
tremendously for this). Visuals are imperative when making a connection. According to data
published by Psychology Today, too much data disables buyers' decision-making abilities. This
is not something you want to do as a seller. Clutter can do that. When a buyer walks into a
room, they should not be confronted with data – in this case, clutter. Instead, they need to be
able to scan the area to discover its best features.

To assist in the decision-making process – and make your home the obvious choice – clear the
clutter. While you are selling, focus on keeping essential furniture, decor, linen, clothing, etc in
your home but removing everything else. Excess toys, storage in the attic or the basement, and
keepsakes all need to be removed. You can rent a storage unit to house these items while you
are selling.

2. Focus on The Facade

Curb appeal is real. How many times have you driven up to a friend or family’s house and
before getting out of the car you are just like “Wow, this house is beautiful!” Most buyers will
determine whether they prefer a home as they are driving up to it. If your home's frontage
leaves plenty to be desired, this makes convincing buyers your home is the one far more
challenging. Keep things simple by upgrading your facade. Start with the lawn – green and
manicured is ideal. Next, focus on any plants at the front of the home. You can also paint the
front of the home and any window frames; fix your mailbox and driveway while you're at the
front of your home. Make buyers excited to enter your property, the dividends will speak
volumes.

3. Add a Fresh Coat of Paint

That fresh paint smell screams “New”, “Clean”, or sometimes even “Ewww!”. Having resided in
your home, you probably don’t notice the discoloration on the walls, but buyers will. I’ve had
clients that once they notice a small peel or crack, the red flags start flying and they begin to pay
more attention and suddenly find many other small things which they might have not noticed if
not for their Antennas going off. Areas to focus on should be the bathrooms in addition to the
kitchen. You can also regrout tiles and caulk the sink and bathtub if necessary. Keep everything
in a neutral, light-reflecting color to ensure the spaces you’re painting reflect light and feel larger.
Painting makes a significant difference to the look of your home and will make buyers feel
welcome when entering and touring your home.

4. Deep Clean Your Home

The cheapest but most notable task you can complete when you want to prepare your house to
sell is cleaning. Cleaning removes mal odors, stains and also makes the home more aesthetic.
Remember, while you may not notice the dust, grime, or dirt that has possibly accumulated in
your home, a buyer is scrutinizing the home to ensure it meets their standards. If your home is
dirty, buyers will think it's hiding flaws. Furthermore, by cleaning you also ensure pet dander
doesn't irritate buyers who may have allergies or asthma.

5. Focus on Minor Renovations

Another critical aspect when you prepare your house to sell is to catalog the most pressing
problems. It’s not always necessary to focus on aesthetic renovations unless certain parts of
your home are unbelievably outdated. Instead, focus on fixing specific functions like leaks and
structural damage. But if you can’t afford to spend on large-scale repairs, focus on repairs that
will instantly improve the worth of your home. Fixing a leaky faucet and peeling wallpaper in
addition to installing light fixtures and removing a popcorn ceiling are all affordable alterations
you can make to your home but provide immediate value.

So how will you get the funds to do all these repairs? Easy, I can get the funds fronted to you
with no fees or interest, ever. When your house sells, you simply pay it back at closing. Contact
me for more information.

To help you prepare your house to sell and get top dollar, you can also get the insight of a
qualified real estate broker. Levy Tewel, founder of the Tewel Team at Compass, has been
helping sellers attain advantageous prices for their homes for over 9 years. Reach out to Levy
for tailored advice on what you should do to ensure your home fetches the best price on the
market.