DAY 1 Disassociate from your Home:
To detach emotionally, you must realize that without you, the house is just an empty shell that can be filled by other occupants. Look toward the future, where you will make great memories in a new home. Cur your emotional ties by realizing that home is more about the people who live there, not just the space or building. Your next house will feel like home before you know it!
DAY 2 Take a Good Look at Curb Appeal
A sale can be lost very quickly if a buyer won't even get out of the car because the exterior of your home is a turn-off. I have definitely seen this happen
Ideas to consider:
painting your front door to clean it up, and maybe make it an interesting color
Place one or two flower pots and maybe a modern wreath.
Consider hiring a landscaper to clean up your lawn and add a few flowering plants or shrubs.
Try repairing cracks in the walkway or steps.
Make sure visitors can actually see your house number and the front door is lighted and welcoming after dark.
DAY 3 Quick Repairs:
You only want to spend your money on fixes that make a difference to buyers.
Refinishing floors is the one repair has been found to provide a return in almost every case
Repair cracks, holes, and leaky faucets.
Very simple, and also very important and often overlooked is replacing lightbulbs. One yellow and three white ones in a lamp gives buyers the idea there may be electrical issues in the home.
Think about painting walls that are currently jarring colors. Don't let buyers remember your home as "the one with the neon green bathroom."
But first, make sure to discuss with your real estate agent before you go into demo mode, no need to waste time and money on needless projects.
DAY 4 Declutter Your House:
People really collect an amazing amount of stuff over the years. They either have an emotional attachment, an intention to reuse or fix them later, or a wish to give them to others. However, usually, if you haven't used them in more than a year, you probably don't need them.
Feel better and help others by donating them to a charity or nonprofit organization such as the Salvation Army.
Start by sorting into categories: “store,” “sell,” “donate” and “toss/recycle"
Also, remove knickknacks from bookcases and clean everything off your kitchen counters. Items that you use daily can be tucked away in small boxes that you place in a closet when they're not in use. This process is a great way to start to your own packing.
DAY 5 Depersonalize Your House:
Store your your personal photos, family heirlooms, and other objects that might distract potential buyers and hurt a possible sale. Show buyers an impersonal, clean space that they can imagine decorated with their own pictures, furniture, and art.
For furniture, try to only leave understated pieces. Over-stylized furniture can distract, and create the wrong impression. It is hard for a buyer to visualize their own antique furniture in a space filled with ultra modern pieces, and vice versa.
The idea is to make it easy for a potential buyer to visualize the house as their future home.
DAY 6 Remove / Replace Favorite Items:
If you want to keep any fixtures, built-in appliances, or window coverings, remove them prior to showing. If the chandelier in the dining room cost $40k and you bought it in Italy or it belonged to your great-grandmother, be sure to take it down before a buyer sees it and asks that it be included with the house. Telling a buyer they can't have an item that is in a house and enhances its appeal can hurt the sale.
Do they need or even want this chandelier in the bathroom? Only if they see it...
DAY 7 Make it Sparkle:
Probably best to have a professional cleaning.
-wash the windows inside and out
-use a pressure washer to spray down sidewalks and side of the house
-re-caulk tubs and polish faucets and mirrors
-make sure all of the dust is removed from under the furniture, in the cabinets and closets, and everywhere else it could be hiding.
Try to maintain this cleanliness daily
Hang up fresh guest towels. Also, keep the toilet lid closed when it's not in use.
Most importantly clean and air out any musty areas.
The night before showings, avoid cooking foods with strong smells such as fish, garlic or cabbage. These smells can hang in the air.
For houses with pets, monitor litter boxes or any other areas affected by pets.
***Discuss home staging with your agent, which can help the home sell faster and for more $$$