So, you decided to bite the bullet and put your house on the market? That’s great! It’s a big step, and you should be proud of yourself. However, if you want to sell your home fast and for the top dollar, you’ll have some maintenance tasks to do before you list your home. Since the housing market has been super competitive in the last year, you’ll have to do everything to make your home stand out. Addressing some of the essential maintenance issues or making your home more energy-efficient will certainly get you high up on the market. Therefore, we’re giving you the list of the most critical home maintenance tasks to complete before you sell. Are you ready to see what they are?
Deep clean & Declutter
The first one of the home maintenance tasks to complete before you sell should be deep cleaning and decluttering. No prospective buyer wants to see a dirty and cluttered house when they visit. That’s why you need to prioritize these tasks.
When it comes to cleaning, you need to make sure your home is spotless, from floors to ceilings. That’s why we suggest hiring a professional cleaning service. This way, you’ll be sure the job is done correctly. Of course, if this isn’t in your budget, you can always roll up your sleeves and do it yourself. It’s not a complex task, but you’ll have to invest some time.
Decluttering is also crucial. First of all, you’ll be moving out of this home once you sell it, so you’ll have to declutter sooner or later. We recommend you do it sooner as prospective buyers love to see decluttered and organized home. Additionally, this will also make your moving-out process so much easier. Two rooms that you prioritize are the bedroom and the kitchen. See what items you can throw away, donate, and recycle.
Also, pack everything you want to bring to your new home right away. When packing household appliances for transport, especially the kitchen ones, you must ensure they remain safe. It’s always good to find a trustworthy moving crew who will do this professionally. After all, you want your belongings to be safe and sound during the transportation process.
Service your HVAC system
It’s of utmost importance to make sure your HVAC system is upgraded and in good working order before you put your home on the market. If you overlook this maintenance task and there is something wrong with your AC or heating system, prospective buyers will knock off your asking price. Therefore, call a professional to test, clean, and upgrade your HVAC system as soon as possible.
Additionally, if you have a fireplace and a chimney, you’ll have to clean them. It’s essential to ensure there isn’t any blockage or debris in your fireplace. Furthermore, your chimney could use a good sweep. And let’s been honest, this maintenance task is probably long overdue anyway. So, there is no more time for procrastination – it’s time to get the job done!
Also, if you have a generator, it would be an appreciated feature. But, make sure you service it so it buyers don’t find a fault with it.
Fix wear and tear & repaint the walls
There is nothing more off-putting than seeing cracks in the walls and paint peeling off of them. So, if you have this problem, you’ll have to address it before respective buyers visit your home. We suggest blue-taping any damages on the walls and moldings you have. This way, you’ll maintain your asking price, and potential buyers will be pleased to see they don’t have so much work to do once they move in.
Furthermore, nothing refreshes the space like a fresh coat of paint. That’s why it’s always a good idea to do a painting job before marketing your home. We suggest going with a neutral color palette so you can please all prospective buyers. Don’t experiment with bold colors and wallpapers; leave it to the buyers to decide what they want to do with the walls once they move into your house. You can do this task yourself or hire a handyman if you don’t know how to do it!
Keep the pest out of your house
The single most effective strategy to keep rodents and bugs out of your home is to keep your household trash out of reach of animals. Food left lying about the yard is enticing to roaming creatures and will surely bring them closer to the house. If food is constantly available, these wild animals may opt to bring along family members. Unless you intend to sell your home with the bonus of a possum family, you should make it an unappealing option to wandering wildlife.
Additionally, look for cracks or breaches in windows or vents and fix them with caulk or mesh to prevent insects from entering your home. As a plus, install gutter guards and netting over the chimney to keep animals outside.
If you already have a problem with pests of any kind, call professionals to deal with this problem correctly and make your house sell-ready.
Replace front door and windows
Now, let’s talk about the exterior home maintenance tasks to complete before you sell. The first thing you need to do is think about the buyer’s first impression of your home. This will be as soon as they park in your driveway. That’s why you need to make sure your curb appeal is improved. It will set the tone of your whole house and make buyers excited or skeptical to enter it. One thing you can do to boost the curb appeal is to replace your front door and windows. If they are old and damaged, you know it’s time for a replacement.
On the other hand, if your front door and windows are fine, a simple repainting and cleaning will do the job. So, you’ll have to consult your real estate agent and see if this refinishing will be enough, or you’ll need to spend a few more bucks on replacing it. The important thing is to make both the front door and windows look fresh and anew.
Improve landscaping
Another way to boost your curb appeal is to improve the landscaping. This is one of the easiest yet most important maintenance tasks you’ll have to do before selling your home. So, here is the list of things you should do:
- Clear out your driveway and sidewalk. Make sure there aren’t any cracks or broken blocks. Additionally, get rid of any debris lying around it.
- Clean the gutters. You don’t want prospective buyers to see your gutters full of branches, leaves, and other outside clutter.
- Mow the lawn, cut extensive grass, and trim the bushes.
- Make sure your porch lighting is working well.
- Plant seasonal flowers and add a pop of color to your exterior.
Wrapping it up
Now that you have come to the end of this article, you can see how important it is to have everything in good working order before you market your home. No prospective buyer will back you up on your asking price if there is even the slightest malfunction in your home. Therefore, you must follow this list of home maintenance tasks to complete before you sell it if you want to make a more significant profit and attract more buyers. Good luck!