When you buy your first home, you may feel it’s where you’ll stay forever. However, circumstances can evolve over time, whether it be a new job opportunity, your family growing, or simply the desire for a change. It can be exciting to shop for a new home, but first you have to go through the selling process. This journey can be challenging, but if you prepare your home for sale properly, it can help alleviate many headaches down the line. Today, we break down how to get your home prepared for sale in Baltimore.
Step 1: Assess and Repair
One of the largest reasons a prospective buyer may walk out without wanting to sign is that your home does not have neccesary repairs made to its aging pieces. Take stock of the state of your home and identify which areas need attention. Is your gutter system outdated? Windows leaky? Flooring seen better days? If you want to get the best return on your home, it’s important to put a little money into your home to make necessary updates and repairs. These should pay for themselves in the long run by fetching you a better price and more interested buyers.
Step 2: Painting
Buyers want to see houses as blank slates where they can imagine design choices they’d like to make. As such, it’s reccomended that you implement a neutral color scheme across your home. Paint over brightly colored walls, and be sure you touch up areas where paint is peeling and faded. Do a walkthrough of each room until you’ve satisfactorily made your home a neutral space.
Step 3: Downsizing and Decluttering
You want to emphasize the features of your home, not the stuff you own. As such, it’s important to start downsizing and decluttering your home. Not only will this help you make your home more appealing for sale, it will also help you when it’s time to move. Take inventory of items you rarely use, identify what could possibly be sold, what could be donated, and what could be tossed. You want to create an inviting environment for prospective buyers, and one huge piece of that is decluttering as much. as you can.
Step 4: Beautify the Outside
When getting your home prepared for sale in Baltimore, you want to emphasize a great curb appeal. With a little effort on your part, you can present an inviting and beautiful place that will pique the interest of buyers when they pull up outside. Landscaping, planting attractive plants, keeping your lawn and shrubby trimmed, can all go long way towards increasing your home’s curb appeal. If you have a porch space, adding decorative elements such as furniture and a welcome mat can help improve the appeal as prospective buyers walk up.
Step 5: Finishing Touches
Before you show your house for the first time, be sure you commence a deep cleaning. It may seem like a no-brainer to help get your home prepared for sale in Baltimore, but you’d be shocked by how many people forget this crucial step. Additionally, you should clean well before each showing. Add a few extra touches thoughout your house. Keep it stocked with cold water bottles, add fresh flowers to a few rooms, utilize candles that have pleasant smells that are not too overpowering. Anything you can do to help make prospective buyers more comfortable, the better.
Your Home is Prepared for Sale in Baltimore. Now Get Ready to Purchase Your Next One
Whether you’re upgrading or simply looking for something different, working with an expert mortgage team is crucial to securing the next place you’ll call home. As the top-rated loan originators on the East Coast, Federal Hill Mortgage is here to help you find a place you’ll love. Get started by applying now.
