Step 1: Declutter and organize! This won’t cost you a penny and it will give you the ability to sell or donate items you don’t want or need. Go through each room, closets, pantry, cabinets, attic, basement, even the garage. Once you’ve thinned out these areas you’re ready for step 2!
Step 2: Call Allen. No, he won’t try to talk you into selling, but he will walk each room with you and highlight areas for potential improvement. Do certain rooms need fresh paint, a new light fixture, carpet cleaning or replacement? Do you still have the original shiny brass door knobs and door hinges? These are so affordable to buy online and they will make a big difference! You can create a task list and knock them off one at a time. One of the biggest obstacles for home owners right now is finding good, reliable contractors! Allen can help!
Step 3: Allen will help you understand the fair market value for your home. This way you will have a clear idea on pricing before you invest on any improvements. Knowing an accurate home value, having a smart plan for potential updates, and obtaining reliable contractor estimates are all critical in charting a course of action. This plan will also help you determine if updating certain areas of your home will lead to the returns you expect. A little bit of planning now could lead to a high sales price and less hassle later.
Step 4: Now you have a list of potential improvements and you have a good idea on your home's value with updates vs. without. Time to get contractor quotes! Getting contractors out soon for estimates is a smart plan because if you like what you hear, you can get on the contractor’s schedule, which could be weeks or months out. Have a goal for the interior updates to be completed in the winter/ early spring and exterior ones in late spring/ early summer. Again, Allen can help with referring a few contractors for you to call.
Step 5: Do you have a special lot or house that just looks beautiful after a big blanket of fresh snow? Get photos! If you list in the summer, potential buyers would love to see what the home looks like after a good snow fall. Do the same in early summer, when trees have their leaves and the grass is green. Do it again in the fall, when the trees are bursting with color! This will help your home stand out from the competition because it will likely be the only one with seasonal photos. We want to stir emotion with property photos and we want to cut through the clutter. This is a great way to do it! Not sure who to turn to for photography? Call Allen, he has the best photographers in the business!
