If you want to sell your home, it’s important to make the necessary preparations.
1. Tidy up, pre-pack & throw stuff away
If you have lived in your home for any amount of time, chances are that you have accumulated far too much stuff. Those souvenirs that we buy on vacation. Christmas and birthday gifts from years gone by. Extra furniture now redundant. Unused books, tools, towels, clothes and sports equipment. You get the picture?
This is what I suggest. In every room, start at the lowest horizontal surface and work your way up. Not only will you feel better as the clutter reduces, you will also get a sense that your home is now much bigger. Do you have family pictures and reminder notes on the fridge. Please take those down too.
Now what do you do with all this stuff?
These are the fastest methods to eliminate your unwanted items and junk:
1. Goodwill – Delivering your items to Goodwill is the quickest and easiest way to dispose of most items. They have locations around the entire city. To find your nearest Drop Off Centre click on the link.
2. Edmonton Waste Management Centre – You have the choice of visiting the Edmonton Waste Disposal Centre which is situated to the east of Edmonton, (click on the link for directions) or you can visit one of the many Eco Stations around the city and surrounding areas. Click the link to find your nearest one.
3. Kijiji– When you advertise, make sure you price the items realistically or you could be waiting a long time. Based on experience, price well and make it clear your price is firm.
4. Garage Sale – If you have lots of time the great Canadian tradition of holding garage sales might be useful particularly if you advertise well using social media etc. For some helpful hints of running a garage sale well click this link.
2. Do a super clean & maintain it
Even the cleanest home might might need extra love before it comes into the market. If you don’t have the time, consider bringing in a cleaning crew. They might not be cheap, but they can get your home into ‘for sale’ condition quickly and efficiently.
What needs to be done? A ‘deep clean’ would include washing the walls, baseboards and steam cleaning the carpets.
Buyers typically love 2 things when the come into a home for the first time time.
Light – leave all window coverings open
And a smell of clean.
When a prospective buyer visits your home, the first 5 seconds are crucial. See this link for details about the importance of the first 5 seconds to buyers.
If your home says ‘hello’ when the buyer walks in, you are off to a great start.
It’s a little stressful, but it’s critical that you maintain a high level of cleanliness during the ‘showing period’ of your home sales process.
3. Make any necessary repairs & some simple painting
Are there things around the home that you have been putting off fixing? Perhaps a doorknob is loose or a few light bulbs need replacing. Perhaps there is a tear in the carpet etc. This is the time to get these things fixed.
Walls and trim take a beating every day. Repainting where necessary will give your home a new feeling of freshness. Based on research, we also know that you will typically get every dollar back.
Other substantial renovations like bathrooms, kitchens, windows and doors etc may only give you a 50% to 75% return on your dollar short term.
If you would like more information about what repairs you should focus on, please call the office for help 780-760-2014 x3.
Special Notice - As I write this blog its April 2022.
April, May and June are the busiest months of the season, and we have an acute inventory shortage. To take advantage of strong demand and high prices, don’t take too long to complete your preparation.
About the author:
You can read more about the author of this blog by clicking this link - Stuart Neal, Broker, REALTOR® & Team Lead.
Our FLAT FEE home selling program gives clients proven results & affordability. To learn more call our Broker Owner & Team Lead Stuart Neal at: 780-760-2014 or visit our program page www.FlatFeeRealtyAdvisors.ca
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This blog was first published April 28th 2017. It was amended and updated and re published in February 2018. It was refreshed and re published again in April 2022.
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