As your agent, I will do a pre-sale walk-through and provide you with advice and suggestions before we determine when to list the home and for how much we should ask for.
Budget enough time and resources for improvements. Keep it simple so that you can keep it up, especially if it’s likely your home will be on the market for a number of weeks. Use a checklist to keep track of what you need to do.

Boost Your Sale Proceeds

To get the best possible price for your home, consider the following:

 

Must Do

Might Do

Don’t Bother Doing

Keep it clean: If nothing else, a clean home is essential and clutter is at a bare minimum.

Store your belongings: Put personal belongings into clearly labeled boxes, and store them neatly on-site or in an off-site storage facility.

Install shelves or closet organizers: Don’t invest unless your agent feels it will they will significantly improve its marketability

Freshen a room’s decor: Consider a coat of paint or new floor coverings if a prominent room shows signs of wear or is very outdated, (in that room only).

Refinish wood floors: You may want to pull up the rug and refinish the wood floors under old carpeting in one room to show buyers the quality of the floors.

Paint and carpet entire house: unless it’s absolutely necessary, it is too big a project that may not result in a significantly higher price.

Make necessary repairs: Make sure outlets work, toilets flush, and windows and doors open and shut smoothly. All heating, air conditioning, and other home systems should work, too.

Do extra maintenance: Consider re-staining your deck or cleaning your gutters. Such projects give your property a well-cared-for appearance.

Make major improvements: Now is not the time to put on a deck or build a fence. While these projects can add value, you are not likely to boost your home’s value enough to justify the expense

Increase curb appeal: Make your home look as inviting as possible to the drive-by buyer by tidying up landscaping, plant fresh flowers, and up-keeping lawn, etc.

Intensify your entryway: Paint your front door and put on new hardware, or replace it altogether if it is old. Buy a new welcome mat.

Put in a new driveway or sidewalk: Unless these items are crumbling and will significantly lower your curb appeal, this is a major investment that probably won’t pay off.