Getting a home ready to hit the real estate market doesn’t have to be overwhelming for your clients. While some homes may need significant work or repairs before listing, most simply need some spiffing up to look their best. Here are some easy-to-accomplish chores for your clients that can help in selling their home:
1. Clean or paint the front door
The front door makes the first impression on potential buyers and factors into the curb appeal of the home. Some doors simply need to have dust and debris cleaned, but if the paint is chipping or fading, adding a new coat doesn’t take very long. Your clients might even consider choosing a new color for the door to make the home stand out from the street view.
2. Plant flowers
Even if your clients aren’t avid gardeners, adding some colorful plants to containers in the front of the house can make a big difference. If it’s not growing season, hang a colorful wreath or spray on the front door to make the home feel inviting.
3. Make bathrooms shine
Potential buyers can be greatly influenced by the state of a home’s bathrooms. While it’s important for the overall condition of the house to be clean, lookers generally hold bathrooms to higher cleanliness standards than other areas of the house.
4. Clean closets
Cluttered, unorganized closets look smaller. For many buyers, storage space is an important feature in a home. In addition to making the home look more appealing, cleaning closets now will help when it’s time to pack up the contents of the home for moving day.
5. Perform the smell test
Living in a home can make people oblivious to lingering odors that can be offensive to prospective buyers. Ask your sellers to sniff around the house — particularly in cabinets, closets, basements, and attics — and try to detect any musty or unpleasant scents that could turn buyers off. It’s always best to try to fix the source of any odors rather than to mask the smell temporarily.
6. Take out the trash
In addition to smelling bad, garbage that’s piled up just doesn’t look very nice. Ask your clients to get in the habit of emptying trash and garbage cans daily, preferably in the mornings before showings.
7. Add a home warranty
Arranging for an American Home Shield® home warranty with the Seller Coverage Option is one of the easiest tasks your clients can complete. All they have to do is tell you they want this valuable protection, and you simply contact your American Home Shield Account Manager who will take it from there. No money is due until the home closes. In addition to differentiating their listing from others on the market and helping reassure potential buyers, the ShieldEssentialSM plan can help protect a seller’s budget during the listing period and help reduce issues after the home inspection. Qualified home sellers can add the Seller Coverage option to any warranty package for up to six months while their home is on the market, and coverage is limited to $2,000 on covered repairs and replacements during this listing period. Additional limitations and exclusions may apply.
If possible, it’s best to do a walk-through of the property with your sellers so you can point out the small things that can make a big difference to potential buyers. Hearing from you firsthand the “whys” behind your suggestions can help sellers understand why these simple tasks are so important.
For more helpful tips from our partners at American Home Shield, check out their blog!