Ways To Speed a Home Sale
LAST UPDATED: 18 August 2021

Wish you had a useful checklist of ways to speed up the sale of your home? Once your home is in "show shape" you have optimized your home's appeal allowing buyers to see all the features your property has to offer. Your goal is to allow the buyers to visualize their things in your home, their family in your home, entertaining their friends in your home. When you think like a buyer, it is a much easier task to accomplish. All homes need to be maintained, but your home needs to appear easy to live in with minimal maintenance.

Evaluate: Have a top-producing Realtor, an interior decorator or a professional organizer walk through your home to evaluate what needs to be updated, repaired, or removed.

Address: Don't try to hide what you know is not in excellent working order. Fix it, replace it, or disclose it to your Realtor. You don't want this issue to be discovered during an inspection. "I had no idea it was broken because we never use it", is not an excuse. If you don't use something in your home, see if it works.

Repair: Patch damaged walls, replace cracked floor tiles, oil squeaky doors, fix sticky windows, fix leaky faucets and toilets, re-caulk tubs and sinks, replace broken windows and torn screens, it makes a big difference.

Update: Replace cabinet knobs and pulls, Update lighting and fixtures (if needed), Update blinds (if needed), Replace faucets and showerheads (if needed) Paint: Paint the interior in neutral colors, Paint exterior doors and window trim, Paint shutters, Repaint the exterior (if needed)

Brighten: Remove heavy window treatments that block light, Wash all windows, Increase the wattage of light bulbs, Replace dark lamp shades

Depersonalize: Remove family photos, Store knickknacks.

De-Clutter: Thin out the books on your shelves, Empty kitchen counters, Place out-of-season clothing in storage, Rent a storage unit to store unneeded items Organize: Organize pantry, closets, basement, garage, and shed

Clean: Clean all interior surfaces, Wash windows and doors, Air out and clean in cabinets and under sinks, Power wash the exterior of house and sidewalks, clean outdoor furniture, clean porch lights by removing cobwebs and debris.

Hide Signs of Pets: Remove pet smells, hide pet food and bowls, store their bedding, and take pets for a walk during showings or send them to daycare during open houses

Stage Inside: Reduce the amount of furniture in each room, organize the furniture to create seating areas, and give each part of the home a purpose, place cut flowers around the home for showings, add fresh fruit in the kitchen. Let your home tell the buyer an emotional story as they picture themselves living in your home.

Prune and Landscape: Remove dead plants, prune or replace overgrown shrubs, fill open spots with seasonal flowers, and add fresh mulch to beds.

Stage Outside: Make sure the front porch/entryway is clean and inviting, Use outdoor furniture to create inviting spaces where buyers can visualize themselves relaxing, their pets exploring or their children playing.

If you're curious about listing your home or need any assistance preparing your home, the Pfeifer Team provides Pre-listing consultants to help you determine what needs to be addressed, and more importantly what you don't need to worry about before putting your property on the market. Should you need a specialized service provider, we have an extensive list of tradesmen and vendors we highly recommend. Give us a call: 239-472-0004.

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