The idea of listing your house for sale can bring up a lot of emotions. It’s exciting to imagine your next stage in life and all of the new memories you’ll soon be creating in your new house. At the same time, it’s normal to feel torn about leaving the place you call home now. Above all, the thought of how much work you need to do to get ready for a sale can feel overwhelming, especially when you have a busy schedule. There is no time at the end of the day to worry about cleaning, decluttering and making time-consuming upgrades.
After many years of working with busy professionals, we have a few tips to help you save time throughout the process without taking any shortcuts that may devalue your sale.
Organize
A few minutes of organizing and planning now will save you hours of wasted time and duplicated efforts later. The earlier you can start getting your house ready, the better. You’ll be able to prepare your home in small blocks of time rather than having to schedule a whole day that you can’t afford to spare. It’s also a good idea to sit down and make two lists. One list is for everything that must be done to maximize your sale as much as possible. The other is for tasks that would be nice to do, but that you can let slide if you’re really in a time crunch.
Are you thinking about making a move? Here are some resources you may find helpful:
- Everything You Need To Know About Selling Your First Home
- 5 Up & Coming Neighbourhoods In Toronto
- 5 Reasons To Love Living In Humber Valley
Delegate
Whenever you begin to feel overwhelmed, remember that “many hands make light work.” You may be the organizer, but you don’t have to shoulder the burden of doing everything alone. Everyone in the household should have something to do. Even small children can help by putting away their toys and keeping their rooms as tidy as possible.
Take it One Step at a Time
Decluttering is often the most time-consuming and challenging when getting your house ready. Deciding what to keep and what must go can be emotionally draining. You can alleviate much of this burden by focusing on one small area at a time. Try not to look at an entire room with ten years’ worth of knickknacks piled up. Instead, work on decluttering one shelf or one drawer. You may find a new surge of energy once you overcome the initial feelings of inertia. Once the house is decluttered, the rest of the cleaning can begin. Break it up into as many smaller chunks as you can, and then the whole project will feel much more manageable.
Recruit Your Friends
Your friends and relatives are an invaluable resource you can and should tap into. They will usually come through for you if you ask (especially if there is pizza involved). You may even be surprised at how much talent you uncover in your circle. Chances are, someone is handy with a wrench and a paintbrush. They can help with all the minor upgrades that help raise the value of your house. And perhaps you’ll discover one of your friends has a sharp eye for design to help you decorate and showcase your home in the best light. This time with friends won’t just alleviate the burden of trying to do it all alone. You’ll find yourself laughing and having fun throughout the entire process.
Want to know more about what it takes to sell your home in today’s market? Here are some other resources to give you some idea,
- How Ana Santos Helped Sell Our “Unsellable House”
- Five Luxury Upgrades that can Add Value to Your Home
- What Sellers Should Know about Home Showings
Focus on Maintenance
One thing is for sure – it is far easier to keep your home tidy than it is to clean it from top to bottom. Once the initial scrubdown is complete, make sure your whole family commits to maintaining it. This means putting things back after using them, keeping dirty dishes off the counter and dirty clothes off the floor. You could even tape a daily checklist to the fridge to help everyone remember to do their part. By keeping your house maintained, there is no need to panic in the morning when you have a showing.
Give Yourself a Break
While you want your house in the best possible condition when you put it on the market, there is only so much you can do. It is essential for your health and peace of mind to cut yourself some slack occasionally. Remember to take a deep breath and remember that it doesn’t have to be perfect. Do the best you can every day, and focus on the small details that matter most.
Bring in the Professionals
For a busy homeowner, bringing in a professional is the best option. A full-service Realtor® takes everything off your shoulders, from the planning stages to the execution. They know what upgrades will bring the most value, and they come with a list of trusted contractors, cleaners and designers. There is no reason to go it alone when so much help is available to you.
None of the expenses come out of your pocket. It is all covered by the commission after your house sells.
A professional Realtor® won’t just save you time and reduce your stress. Here is how they can also help your house sell faster and for more money.