Prepping Your Home for Sale

Before any prospective buyer sets foot in your home, they're going to see photos of it. And once it's on the market, there will be questions about changes you've made, or the last service date of the furnace, or when the septic was last pumped. So it's important for the home to photography beautifully and for all the appropriate documentation to be in place prior to listing day. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

We all get used to the quirks of our own homes, so put yourself in the shoes of a stranger. Start at the front door and pretend this is your first time walking through the house. Open all the drawer and notice any squeaky doors throughout the home. Keep an eye out for burned-out lightbulbs or windows that stick.

A few specific items to check:

- Smoke & CO alarms in working order & with new batteries

- Water heater is double strapped to wall studs

- Caulking around sinks, tubs and toilets is in good conditions

- Weather stripping around doors is intact

- Fascia boards, decking, and doorframes are completely sealed/painted, without large chips or splits

- All appliances in working order 

None of us like to find our about major issues with our home, but it's better to get ahead of home repairs rather than finding out when you're under contract!

Some items to consider:

- Look closely at the roof for curled, cracked, or missing shingles. If the roof is old, consider having a roof inspection done.

- Check the basement/crawspace for moisture or evidence of rodents.

- Trim foliage/leaves/branches back from around foundation, and trim overhanging tree branches.

- Have the furnace serviced if it hasn't been in the last year. 

- Have the hot water heater flushed if it hasn't been in the last year. 

- Check decking boards, steps & handrails for any rot or loose/wobbly boards or bannisters.

- Have the septic tank inspected and/or pumped if it hasn't been in the last year.

- Collect bids from local vendors for any major work you know needs to be done.

(checklist is not comprehensive and is informed by several HVAC/septic/home inspection company websites)

Decluttered & cleaned homes render better in photo & video, look more open & airier, and help clients envision their own lives & belongings in that space. 

1) Start the moving process early by going through your home and removing those items you know you won't be taking with you. Often, high-reward areas for clearing clutter are laundry and hall closets, junk drawers, and that random pile in the garage you've been meaning to donate for months (it's okay, we're all right there with you).

2) Next, it's time to pack up some of those special keepsakes that will definitely be moving with you, but that you don't need every day: photo albums, family photos, collectibles and tchotchkes, and books you're not currently reading.

3) It's also wise to remove (or at least limit) religious and political accents & decor - while these items are important to us personally, it's also critical that all prospective buyers can view the home as a neutral slate upon which to envision their own way of living. 

4) Now it's time to clean (you knew this was coming!). Having a fresh, shiny space makes a big difference for the photo & video process. 

If you need support during this process, there are multiple fabulous local organizing & cleaning companies that we can recommend. Let us know!

Photo day is typically 2-4 days ahead of listing your home, and by that appointment the exterior should look as fresh and crisp as possible. 

This could include:

- pressure washing

- edging flower beds

- pulling weeds & removing dead foliage

- fresh mulch

- cleaning gutters

- treating any moss on the roof

- washing windows

And of course, mowing the lawn!

Just a reminder: many home services vendors are booking out 2-6 weeks in advance from spring to mid fall, so let's connect as soon as possible to get the pros lined up!

When you sell a house, there's quite a bit of homework to complete prior to listing. Sellers in Washington State are required to fill out a multi-page Seller Disclosure form that notifies the buyer of any known issues with major home systems, property lot lines, and more. You can get it out of the way early - contact us for a copy!

Speaking of homework...

Have any permit records, septic inspections, maintenance or servicing receipts? Please pull out that file so we can note down what was done and when, and make a copy if necessary for the listing. 

So you've got the listing marketing appointment in your calendar - what should you do the night before or morning of?

- Find an extra key for the main entry (or whatever is the easiest access entry to the home) that we can put in the lockbox (or borrow to make a copy of).

- Clear off kitchen and bathroom countertops. Things sometimes end up shoved in the oven - we don't judge. 

- Turn on all the lights & open the blinds (especially if you have high-tech or finicky blinds, your listing team will greatly appreciate this!)

- Move any dog beds, cat trees or other pet paraphernalia into a closet.

So there you have it! Some of our advice for getting your home in tip-top shape. For an individual assessment of your home's prep needs, and a pricing analysis, please reach out to your CGNW broker.

Photo credits: Home interior & exterior photos by Radley Muller Photography at past Cohen Group NW listings. Photo of paperwork taken by a CGNW team member.