This Will Make You Want to Sell Your House…Finally

Are you a homeowner? Have you thought about selling your house but don’t have the time or money to make it “show ready?” Here is how to get your home ready for the market fast and for the least amount of money.

Step 1: De-Clutter the Home

• This is the cheapest and easiest way to improve the value of your home. By removing the knick-knacks in the kitchen, magazines in the bathroom, and boxes in the garage you will dramatically increase the value of the home. The home will look larger the more items you remove but don’t only remove the obvious items. If you haven’t used something in 12 months, sell it, or donate it, and make sure you get a receipt for the value of the items you donated. Goods donated to Goodwill can be claimed as a charitable donation and deducted from your taxes. This will reduce your tax burden and help you offset the cost to rent storage space.  

• For seasonal items, rent a storage container and re-locate the Christmas tree, lights, and decorations. If it is winter time, put all of your summer clothes in storage. This cannot be stressed enough, remove all items you don’t use on a regular basis.

• It is better to have too much in storage rather than not enough. A trip to the storage container is far easier than having a qualified buyer tour your home and decide to buy something else because “the rooms seemed small.”

Step 2: Have the Home Professionally Cleaned

• Now that all non-essentials have been removed from the home, hire a professional cleaner to deep clean the home. The kitchen and bathrooms should be thoroughly cleaned. This includes items like the oven stove, toilets, windows…everything! Cleaning the home will make it appear even more open and inviting.

• Freshly cleaned windows will allow in additional natural lighting brightening up the living spaces.

• Depending on the size and condition of a home, a deep clean can cost up to $400 but it is well worth it! If your budget is tight, deep clean the home yourself.

That’s it…

If you are on a tight budget complete those two steps and your home will be show ready fast and with very little money out of pocket. Completing these two tasks can net you THOUSANDS MORE than if you did nothing.  

John Jennings, III

BRE #01982171
John Jennings, III is a licensed Realtor® who works for Mid State Realty in Coalinga, CA. For more articles like this one go to johnjenningsrealtor.com. John can be reached at john@oaktreere.net and (559) 970-4312.