If you’re trying to sell your home, there are some important steps you’ll need to take to make it’s in top shape for a prospective buyer. Considering a home is your largest financial asset, you’ll want to put in as much time and effort as necessary to maximize its appeal and produce as much revenue as possible. Whether you take five months or 10 months to start taking action on selling your home, a mortgage company Las Vegas can recommend a seller’s checklist to ensure your home is as sale-ready and marketable as possible.

1. Find a Real Estate Agent

Many homeowners are tempted to take on the task of selling their own home to save money. However, experts warn that the simple “For Sale by Owner” market transaction can end up being a disaster. Unless you’re knowledgeable in the real estate market and sales, attempting to sell your own home can end up costing valuable time and money. Hiring a good real estate agent, however, can help you sell your home more quickly and get the most revenue. Ask friends, neighbors, and family members if they can recommend a real estate agent. Otherwise, do some research or ask a mortgage company Las Vegas for recommendations.

2. Think About Curb Appeal

As you drive through your neighborhood, think about the homes that catch your eye, and why. Chances are good the homes that are most appealing have tidy lawns, presentable landscaping, and fresh exterior. Like you, a prospective seller will make a nearly instantaneous decision about your home, including whether or not to schedule a tour to see it, based on appearance. Mowing the lawn, sweeping the walkway, and investing in some colorful plants, green bushes, or planting new trees can make your home look instantly more welcoming, inviting, and sale-ready.

3. Tidy the Living Areas

When you’re trying to sell your home, the familiar adage “less is more” holds true. Before opening your house for showings or scheduling photo sessions, it’s important to take some time cleaning the main living areas and removing clutter. Sweeping and dusting the tables, windowsills, and counters make the primary living areas more polished and presentable. If you have a large volume of belongings in plain sight, find a place to put them out of a prospective buyer’s view. Even if they know you’re going to move out, prospective buyers can be easily deterred by the sight of a current owner’s clutter-filled home.

4. Repaint the Walls

While you might enjoy eccentric colors such as orange, bright green, or vivid red in your home, colors that deviate from the norm can distract potential buyers and make them think twice about purchasing your home. If your character-filled home is painted with bold colors, professionals recommend toning it down. Neutral colors and light shades for the interior are an optimal choice to appeal to the majority of buyers and enable quicker home sales.

5. Remove Personal Touches

Along with paint color, the same concept applies to removing personal accents from your living spaces. As endearing as they may be, items such as family photos, inherited furniture, and even bold artwork can also deter a potential buyer. After all, anyone looking to purchase your home wants to see themselves moving in and easily making it their own space. The more of your own personal touches they see, the less likely they are to envision the interior as a blank canvas where they can create their own personal space.

6. Fix Minor Issues

While you might be accustomed to a door handle that jingles or looking at a light with a burned-out bulb, a buyer is not. Seeing imperfections like a loose door handle, a leaking faucet, or an improperly functioning lighting fixture will make them wonder what else might be wrong in your home. Ultimately, they’ll think twice before making a purchase. Attending to any small repairs, including removing scuff marks and scratches from visible surfaces, goes a long way in making your home more appealing and ready for sale.

7. Do a Thorough Cleaning

Even if you’re trying to sell in a different season, the concept of “spring cleaning” should apply to your home any time of the year! Dusting off all surfaces is a good start to making your home look cleaner. But a more thorough cleaning is preferred if you want to attract a buyer. Mopping the floors, washing your bedding and linens, and cleaning off the appliances gives your home a glowing look. Be sure to spend time cleaning the kitchen, bedrooms, and bathrooms, which are some of the most important rooms in your home to a potential buyer.

8. Use Staging

Again, this is a situation when hiring a professional can come in handy for a quick sale. Staging, which is a popular sales tactic in the real estate industry, is the art of making your home look its best. A staging professional can recommend changes large and small to add to your home’s market appeal. This might range from installing a perfect mirror in the bathroom to updating your living room furniture. If your home’s interior is relatively modern and appealing, a professional can find ways to rearrange or reorganize key spaces to make them look more welcoming and desirable.

Selling a home isn’t quite as easy as simply posting a “For Sale” sign in the yard and turning over the keys. There’s a lot that homeowners can and should do to prepare their homes for show. If you need expert advice and guidance on getting your home ready for sale, contact a loan officer Las Vegas for assistance.