Monday, January 20, 2020

Getting ready to sell our home

Since putting a contract down on a new home January 6th, we've been busy packing here and there and clearing things out to stage our current house for real estate pictures for our future sale listing. My mom was a realtor and I've read several articles so know what we need to do to get a quicker sale. The most important things are (1) the rooms need to look as bright and as big a possible and (2) your home also needs to show that you've taken care of it over the years. We have taken care of our home, maintaining the exterior, updating rooms here and there (except for the kitchen ... but our sale price will reflect that it needs a little updating!), and keeping it clean and tidy on the inside with a regular cleaning schedule.

After the pictures are taken mid-week, I will begin packing each room for our move. As I pack, I will make a note of any task that needs to be completed so that it looks good during viewings. I plan to tackle this "get ready to sell" list as I'm packing so that once we move out, we don't have too much to work on. I do know that we will be painting the basement as it hasn't been updated in 17 years. That will probably be our most time-consuming task, but it is needed.

This past weekend, even though it was cold and windy, we put down a bunch of new mulch and Jim power washed the front sidewalk making it brighter and cleaner. It made a HUGE difference in our curb appeal.


Over the past five years, we have been getting the house ready to sell ... new roof and gutters, painted the exterior and the deck, added new landscaping two years ago, painted the interior, bought new appliances, etc. All of this means that we don't have to scramble to get these tasks done in order to market our home quickly. It's nice to know that probably within a week of closing on our new home, we will be able to put up the "For Sale" sign and offer this home that has sheltered us well for the last 18+ years to another wonderful family that wants to live in this kid-friendly neighborhood with the community pool that so many enjoy each summer!