Think about how you go about your daily shopping. Whether you are buying a new bedroom set, a car or groceries, the store or dealership is neatly laid out in different sections so that it’s easy to find what you need. Now, what if you are shopping for a house? If you are getting a home ready to sell you’ll need to think of it with your buyer in mind. Neat. Orderly. With good quality merchandise. Here are 11 home improvements to consider before selling:â¨

1. Step into the buyer's shoes: While you may love your treasures from past vacations or the lime green paint on your daughter's bedroom walls, a prospective buyer may not see the appeal. As soon as the sign goes on your lawn your house is no longer your home. Be proud of the memories it has given you but make your home an inviting space for the next owner. If you watch a renovation show on TV, what usually catches your eye at the reveal is the simplicity of the design. The home has been de-cluttered and the furniture set in proportion to the room. You need to make note of this for your own home.
2. Repair the obvious:  If you have obvious repairs needed in your home, now is the time to fix them. If you don’t, the cost of the repair will be noted in any offer you receive and you may lose buyers who don’t have the interest or time to take on the repair themselves. Fix that leaking faucet, repair the eaves and gutters that may have loosened and fill in and paint any cracks or holes in the walls.
3. Paint: One of the least expensive updates you can give your home is to paint it. Scrape and repaint anything peeling on the exterior and repaint any rooms where the current colour isn’t a neutral tone.
4. Curb appeal: The objective of setting that sign on your lawn is to get people to come inside. If your yard is unkempt or the front door and lighting are looking dingy and dated potential buyers may just drive by without stopping. Rake the leaves, cut the lawn and add some colourful flowers to the garden. Take a close look at your front door and porch. Repainting the door and updating the lighting can change the appearance of your home for the better.
5. Clean, clean and clean some more: When you plan to have guests over most of us will do a general cleaning before they arrive. Well, the guests are coming! Clean everything! Floors, counters, tables, the fridge, the oven, under beds, inside closets, the kitchen, bathrooms, and bedrooms. These aren’t your usual guests. They’re nosey. They will look in the kitchen and bathroom cabinets, and all the closets. They will be judging the condition of your appliances too.
6. Declutter - Even the garage: By nature we’re collectors. But what may be a treasure to you is clutter to someone else. You want to show off the space and storage that’s available in your home. If the living room has furnishings that are too big for the space or the guest room closet is filled with your son’s old baseball uniforms, school books and clothes from 1992, the home will feel cramped and small. Box up everything and either put it in storage or give it a toss. Remove the knick-knacks from the shelves, and thin out everything from the linen, front hall and bedroom closets. Go through your kitchen cabinets and pantry and throw out the unused boxes stuck in the back. As I noted earlier, prospective buyers will be opening every cupboard to see if there is ample storage for all of their junk. Your basement, attic and garage need to be included on that list. Put your most prized possessions in storage, so that they aren’t broken when there is a viewing.
7. Wash the windows and remove the curtains: Clean windows can make a world of difference to how bright a home feels inside. If possible have them professionally cleaned inside and out. Remove any outdated curtains and replace them with something more contemporary or leave them off completely.
8. Change the light bulbs: Like the windows, the lighting in your lamps should be bright, especially if you are selling in the winter months. New light bulbs will add light to a room.
9. Make sure the room is set as it was intended: If your dining room is now the children’s playroom or a bedroom is now a combined hobby room and guest room it’s time to switch them back to the layout the house was designed for. It is hard for a potential buyer to visualize how they might use the space when you change the layout.
10. Staging: The reason the renovation shows on TV have such incredible reveals is because they stage the rooms to look their best. If you have the budget hire a professional stager, but you can also do it yourself. Buy new curtains, throw pillows, blankets and fluffy white towels that you can take to your new home. Change the cabinet hardware in the kitchen and bathrooms. If you’re planning to replace your tired furnishings do it now and it will give your rooms a whole new look. If the idea of staging seems overwhelming, we can help. We can offer suggestions and we have many “before and after” examples to show you.
11. Speak to your REALTOR^® before renovating: If you are wondering if you should be taking on a renovation prior to listing, call us first. We can tell you what updates are in demand in your neighbourhood and which won’t affect your selling price. The reality is most homebuyers are looking for something that is move-in ready. But exactly what that entails varies. We can help you decide which updates are most cost-effective. 

If you have questions about getting your home ready to sell contact us for a free consultation.