5 Critical Steps You Must Take Before Listing Your Home For Sale

By: Glen Lazovick, Senior Vice President, Business Development

Summer is approaching, and you’ve decided that it’s time to put your house up for sale. Drawing from my 25 years’ experience in the industry, I’ve compiled this list of things to consider before you list your home. Taking these steps now can go a long way towards assuring that you'll successfully sell your house quickly and at a good price.

1. Walk through every room and around the outside of your home. Make a list of what needs to be repaired, updated or replaced. Remember you only get one chance to make a first impression.

• Which rooms need to be repainted?

• Wash the windows both inside and outside.

• Do the carpets need to be cleaned, stretched or replaced?

• Clean all light fixtures and make sure the blubs are clean and working. A bright well lit house will give a good impression.

• Make sure heating and ventilation vents as well as bathroom exhaust fans are vacuumed and clean.

• Have the HVAC system serviced and cleaned.

• On the outside of your home, prune trees and shrubs, replace any shrubs that did not make it through the winter, add some color with flowers. Put down fresh mulch.

• Power-wash siding, driveways, walkways and decks. Re-stain decks if needed.

• Repair and paint trim as needed.

2. De-cluttering your home will make rooms and closets appear larger and more inviting.

• Now is the time to go through your closets and get rid of the clothes you have not worn in the past few years. Don’t forget the linen closets, pantry and kitchen cabinets; they all should be orderly and uncluttered.

• Clean out the garage, basement and attic.

• If you have items that you do not use often but want to take with you to your next home consider renting a storage lockers or portable storage container. (Do not keep the portable storage container on your property have the company store it at their location, you do not want to call attention to a perceived lack of storage space).

• Hold a garage sale, or better yet donate your excess furniture, household items and clothing to a charity. You will get a tax write off and help someone in need.

3. Visit listed homes similar to yours.

• How do they compare to yours? Are they in better or worse shape? You will notice things that you might have overlooked in your own home (refer to number 1 above)

• How are they priced?

• Get some staging ideas to efficiently use space.

4. Meet with a Mortgage Loan Officer.

• Make sure you will be able to purchase your next home. There have been many changes to the mortgage process in recent months.

• Get pre-approved to increase you negotiating power.

5. Interview 2-3 Real Estate Agents.

• Get a referral from your Mortgage Loan officer. Your loan officer will know the top Realtors in your area and would be happy to make a referral.

• Ask for references from clients that they have worked with in the past.

• Ask for a detailed listing plan including a Competitive Market Analysis (CMA). All Agents should be in the same ballpark with a suggested listing price. If one is much higher or lower than the other ask them to justify the suggested price. They may give you an inflated price to gain the listing, only to have you lower your asking price in a week or two.

With these simple steps, you’ll be in a great position to sell your home. I’m always available to help you in the process in any way I can. Are you ready to begin the home buying process? Request a copy of our homebuyers guide or apply online.

It's Almost Spring Cleaning Time! Kick Clutter to the Curb With These Home Cleaning Tips

Spring is around the corner, and it's time to get your home in order!

Spring cleaning can be fun and easy if you follow some general guidelines, which are sure to get your home ready for the nice weather and looking as beautiful as the weather is about to. Kick the winter clutter to the curb with these spring cleaning tips.

Start With The Closets

Spring is here, and winter wear is no longer needed! It's time to box up all of the winter boots, jackets, gloves, and scarfs until next season.

Starting your spring clean with your closets is a good tip, and will get you prepared for the rest of the process while creating more space and organization in the bedrooms of the house. This is also the perfect opportunity to create a "give away" box full of clothes that are no longer being worn.

Reorganize: Bookshelves, Countertops, And Desks

Reorganizing is the perfect way to prepare your home for the spring and summer. Good clutter is common in many homes, like useful books that are interesting for guests to read or decorations that offer a sense of warmth and character to the home.

So pick up the fallen and leaning books on the bookshelf, reorganize your kitchen countertops, and de-clutter your home office. For busy home offices, purchase organizational tools like additional shelving units, compile and file away old bills and receipts, and toss anything else that is no longer needed or of any use.

Get Scrubbing: Removing Stains And Odors

Getting ready for spring means removing the stains, dirt, and odors that accumulated in your home over the colder months. First, you should start with wiping your painted walls with a wet cloth to remove scuffmarks and dust.

If the water doesn't do the trick, you can try mixing a little dishwashing soap in with the bucket of warm water. You may even want to repaint certain high-traffic areas, like entrance halls and the baseboards around the front door.

Next, you can go for the floors. Having a fresh carpet cleaning is sure to kick-start your spring cleaning; this may be something that you wish to have done by a professional. To make the most out of your carpet cleaning, have it scheduled for when the kids are out of the house for a while, and wait until the worst of the weather is over.

Make sure the kids take their shoes off inside, but get them to leave their socks on to avoid natural oils from getting into your freshly cleaned carpet. Vacuum area rugs in the same fashion, and mop the kitchen and bathroom floors at the same time you clean your hardwood floors.

Give the showers, bathtubs, and toilets in the house a good scrub. In the kitchen, empty the fridge and freezer of their contents, and give the inside a good scrub down as well.

Once the tidying, de-cluttering, and scrubbing are done, you will get to enjoy the fun part of spring cleaning: spring decorating! And while you're at it, why not buy yourself and your home some spring flowers for a job well done.

If you're doing a big spring clean this year because you're looking to sell your home, these tips will get your home ready for any buyer's eyes. Contact your mortgage professional today to get more tips on buying or selling a home.