Real Estate Minute with Tracie: I’m Thinking About Selling, But What Can I Do to Get Ready Now?
First, a shameless plug…I was honored to be nominated for The Columbian’s annual Best of Clark County in the Realtor division. It is truly an honor and a blessing. Now, for the shameless plug: please go to The Columbian’s website & vote for me, located under Home & Garden, Realtors. Thank you so much. I am very grateful for you.
A few weeks ago, while I was sitting in a booth at the Clark County Home & Garden show, I had quite a few people come up to talk to me about how they would get ready to sell, even if they are not ready to sell right now. This is a question I actually get quite frequently. So frequently, in fact, that I have a pamphlet prepared for it.
It is an absolutely valid question, and I am happy to share part of the pamphlet with you. If you would like to receive the full pamphlet or one of the others, such as buying a new home while selling your current home (contingency), my Seller’s Guide, the Steps to Home Selling, or Steps to Home Buying, please email me at TracieDeMars@aol.com
One of the comments that I do hear without fail, is, “Oh my gosh! My home is such a mess; we have so many projects still to do.” Let’s be realistic, the vast majority of us do not live in spotless homes. Life happens, and we get busy. As the homeowner, you know how the home ‘lives’, and the projects that are on your “honey-do list” still.
The truth is, most of those items you would like to do before going on the market are things that buyers don’t really care about. I often get asked to come look at someone’s home regarding items that need to be done, and to give a Comparable Markets Analysis (‘CM”, about their homes value…if they were to sell their home, and many people are ready to go on the market way sooner than they thought they would…again, because most of those projects are items that you want to do, or just that, things that you would want to do for you).
Does this mean that you don’t have to do anything before talking with a realtor and going on the market? Nope… I didn’t say that.
So, what do you need to do if you are thinking about selling it? Well, I’ll be honest with you, from the moment the realtor shows up at your home with their client to see it, they are already assessing your home, and yes, it is a bit judgy. Remember that the buyer’s agent represents the buyer, so they’re protecting their interests from possible issues or financial burdens.
So, if you are thinking about selling your home, but are wondering what you need to do now, read on. I know that many people go online and get checklists, and while that is a great start, you need to remember that most homes are not apples-to-apples. Each home is unique, as are you, and each will have a different checklist to prepare for sale.
While there are some basic things you can do to start getting ready to sell your home, each home is different and will have its own checklist for putting it on the market. This is not a one-size-fits-all.
When you are ready to move on to your next home adventure, give your favorite realtor a call (hopefully me!), and let’s walk through your home. We are going to talk about your goals and your future home adventure plans.
We are going to talk about your current home. Are there things that we can easily do to ‘upgrade’ your home? Are there things that your home ‘needs’ to go on the market? Are there funds for this? What is the price range that we have comparables for? What are the things that you have done during your ownership of your home? Are they maintenance items, or upgrades that add value? How do you live in the home? What is the common thread for your neighborhood? These are variables that we can discuss during our meeting.
So, while I can give you a list of basic things you can do to get ready to sell, please know that this isn’t the ‘end all, be all’ of getting ready to sell your home. Your individual home, how you live in it, the home’s age, the neighborhood, and the price range… those variables will all affect the checklist you and your Realtor come up with during your actual listing meeting.
So, what are the basic steps you can take now to get ready to sell in the near future, maybe in the next year or two? Well, much of this list is just maintenance, too. Nothing hurts a home more than deferred maintenance.
- What does your roof look like?
If your roof is nearing the end of its life cycle, you might want to consider having a roofer come out to provide repairs, a roof certificate or bids for a new roof. If there is moss on your roof, let’s get that taken care of. Don’t pressure wash your roof! You can apply some Moss B Gone (or another moss removal/prevention powder) or hire a company to take care of them professionally.
How do your gutters look? Do they need cleaning? Repairs done? This is also a good time to look inside your attic. Poke your head up in there and use your flashlight. Do you see any staining on the boards in your attic? Do you see any bathroom or kitchen vents that have fallen and are now venting into your attic?
- What does your siding look like?
Does it need to be cleaned? Does it need any repairs? If you have vinyl siding, now is a good time to have it pressure-washed and cleaned up. If you have LP, T-111, or even wood siding, now is the best time to look for any repairs or signs of wood rot. How does the paint look? Now is a good time to look for peeling paint or wood rot around the trim of the home, garage, roof, and windows.
- Do you have 2 earthquake straps on your water heater?
- Do you have smoke detectors in your bedrooms?
- Do you have a carbon monoxide detector on every level of your home? (Make sure these are never higher than your knee.)
- How does your ‘curb appeal’ look? Things you can do:
– Paint the front door
– Clean up the front walkway
– Clean up the front yard and weed any flower beds.
Your home’s curb appeal from the front is like its handshake. You want it to be inviting, clean and fresh. If it looks good to pull up to the home and walk up to that front door, you are creating a ‘feeling’ for the potential buyer. You are creating excitement for them to see what lies inside. If your home looks good and is well-maintained from the front, a buyer feels better about how you have taken care of the rest of the home.
- Clean up the backyard by picking up puppy bombs, weeding any flower beds & removing trash.
- Clean up any patio area you have.
- How does your fencing look? If the front yard is your home’s handshake, the back yard is its warm hug. The backyard is where people hang out, play and entertain during warm weather. You want your backyard to reflect that and invite people to do the same.
- Touch up the paint inside your home
We live in our home, and paint gets chipped or scratched. Touch that paint up or repaint with neutral colors. Please remember your baseboards & window trims.
- Clean up the cupboards in your kitchen and bathrooms
This is another place that gets forgotten about a lot. Sometimes there is a paint touch-up that can be done, a full paint job or just a cleanup. Sometimes, just adding or changing out hardware on cupboards changes everything.
- Grouting in bathrooms and kitchens (around counters, backsplashes, sinks, tubs)
This is another one of those ‘small’ things that is super easy and quick to do, but can make a difference for buyers.
When you take care of those small things, buyers feel better that you have also been taking care of those ‘big’ things. Quick tip: spread the grout line, put some liquid soap on your finger and run it down the line. It will make a nice, clean line and not clump up.
- Clean your windows, inside & out
- Fix anything that is broken or not finished.
Yes, I know you know what things I am talking about. We all have those things we know are broken but will get around to it, or things we started but didn’t finish. If you are just thinking about getting ready to sell soon, now is about as good a time as any to finish those items, my friend!
- Do you have a forced air furnace? Central air? Heat pump?
Now is a good time to have those serviced and any recommended repairs done. This is especially important if your HVAC is 10+ years old. If you have wall heaters, unscrew the cover and vacuum them out thoroughly.
- Do you have a septic?
Well, if you have a septic, you should have it inspected every 2 years anyhow, but if you haven’t, do it now. If you have a septic system, you need to have it inspected within the past 12 months for any offer. You only need it pumped if the septic contractor recommends it.
- Walk around your home. Do you see any vents missing a screen?
Two places people never go are their attic space and crawlspace. If we are going to see problems, these are two of the three big places, we will see them.
If you see missing screens, you may have animals in your crawlspace. Before you stick a rock, or something else, in that hole, stick your head down in the crawlspace to make sure your neighbor’s kitty isn’t down there. If you know me, you know I am a crazy cat lady, and it absolutely breaks my heart when, during a home inspection, the inspector finds remains in the crawlspace. Especially when it is colder, animals (not just kitties) go to places that are drier and warmer. Animals in crawlspaces can damage the insulation and heating vents, and yes… they will do their business on your vapor barrier.
Another thing we worry about in crawl spaces is water. If the low-point drain gets clogged, you could end up with water in your crawlspace that you might not have had before. If you have a sump pump, if it isn’t working, you could have water in your crawlspace.
Lots of things could be happening in your crawlspace that you aren’t aware of. I know, this seems like a lot for something that is supposed to be basic, but much of this is maintenance items for any home. There are a few items, like flooring (I bet you thought I forgot about flooring, huh?), that you should talk to your realtor about, and you might want to discuss them as you get closer to your timeline for selling your home.
Please remember that this is not the end all, be all list for getting ready to sell your home. This is just a quick list you can go over to get ready before you call me to meet up for that more detailed meeting to get it started.
Lastly, a few quick tips on this. Call your home inspector, or call me, and I will give you contact information for a few. Attic spaces & crawl spaces: yep, those are the two places that homeowners rarely check out because, well, no one wants to. I felt that shudder from here when you thought you needed to open that crawlspace lid to go down there! You can call a home inspector and ask for a home inspection to give you an idea of what might come up, so we can discuss what the health & safety issues are and what isn’t.
The nice thing about hiring a home inspector to come out is that they are the ones who are in the attic space or the crawlspace and not you! A home inspection costs about $700, but it is a good investment if you are considering it. When you put your home on the market, you can provide a copy of the inspection report along with receipts for any repairs you may have already made. Most buyers will still do their own inspections, though, so expect that. Their inspector may also note something else they think needs repair.
Your realtor is a good resource for information. I have a list of contractors I can call for an opinion, repairs and/or bids. You can also call, email, text or message me on Facebook anytime with any questions.
Another inspection you can do, or think about, is the third place where we see problems…. the sewer scope. While we have been talking about sewer scopes for years, not many people have spent the extra funds to have one done. We are seeing these become more common for buyers, though. Having a sewer scope done now can give you an idea if there are any issues in the sewer line. However, you are ok to wait on this one. If the sewer scope is completed as part of the inspection period, and anything comes up during that scope, that work can be done prior to closing, and the funds can be released from escrow.
Speaking of that, I know that some homes need more work than others. Some homes don’t even necessarily need work, but things that homeowners might like to do to sell are harder to do because there is a lack of funds. Please don’t stress, as I mentioned at the beginning, every home is different. Every buyer is different. Some buyers are looking for a home that is all done, and some want to do it themselves, so it is done their way and to their taste.
Your home does not need to be HGTV-perfect. Your home does not need to be gutted and remodeled to sell. You will be surprised by what we can do (if we need to) with very little.
Sometimes we need a third party to tell us when we can stop and move forward. Of course, sometimes you also need a third party to come in and tell you what you need to do, because people also come house-blind to a few things… or smells.
If you are thinking about selling this year, or next, this is a terrific place to get started. If you would like me to come by so we can talk and go over this list and what you (or your spouse) still think needs to be done (or what doesn’t), please let me know. I am happy to come by and talk with no obligations… and never any sugarcoating of the facts. Tracie DeMars, eXp Realty, 360-903-3504, TracieDeMars@aol.com
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Tracie DeMars Real Estate
