Getting Your Home Ready To Sell

Most people don’t just wake up one morning and decide to sell their home. They have a time table in mind. They have mapped out a plan that revolves either around the birth of a child, time of the year, job change, or even when they finish getting the house ready. There are some items that you should make sure are on your list as the date approaches to sell your house:

You have probably heard this from your real estate agent, but paint everything with a neutral color. Plan to have the paint finished days before it hits the market. The house should look like brand new.
If the carpet is older than 5 years, replace it. If you can’t afford to replace all of it, at least do the main areas and the master bedroom. Although old carpet may not kill a deal to buy your home, you will get a lower offer for it because they buyers will devalue it.
Most Eden Prairie homes have a lot of landscaping. Make sure that yours has been pruned and looks amazing. Replace any shrubs that are not perfect and put in new mulch right before the home hits the market. Another great idea is to sign up for a lawn fertilizing program the year before to insure your grass is perfect when your homes is on the market (don’t forget to water!).
Step back and look at the front door, driveway, and garage doors. They should be clean, have not dents or scratches and be a typical color that matches the home. If not, resolve this. Many home buyers will drive by your home once the sign goes up and determine their interest from the seat of their car. If the home looks shoddy from the outside, they will assume it is shoddy on the inside.
De-clutter the inside of the home. Have a garage sale, pack stuff away in boxes and haul it off-site. Your home should not look abandoned, but it should not be overcrowded with stuff. I understand that you need to live there while it is being sold, but you can suffer without the Christmas decorations in the middle of July.
If you are considering doing any larger renovation projects, talk to your real estate agent first. Most Eden Prairie real estate agents are more than happy to give you their opinion of what renovations are necessary and what are not. Don’t overspend.