One of the most important jobs of a real estate agent is to advise you on how to properly prepare your home for the market. Without proper action to get your home ready for the "buyer's eyes," your home may not show as well in person as it does online. We find more homes do not sell with their first real estate agent due to improper market preparation - the home shows poorly.

Below you will find our top six tips to get your home ready for sale. Remember, if your home does not stand up to the way it looks online, very few will decide to move forward with an offer.

1. Buyers tend to get emotional over a home they absolutely love, and they love the house that is most attractive version of itself. Staging makes your home the most attractive it can possibly be in its current condition. Staging makes the space feel larger and more rich in color, the theme tends to be consistent rather than piecemeal, and it takes eyes away from the imperfections that all houses have in some shape or form. Homes that we stage sell faster and for more money, end of story.

2. Years of scuffs and dings start to show once you begin decluttering or moving out of your home. A well-maintained home will always be more attractive to a buyer than those that feel very "lived in." Paint can make your home feel new again for a relatively low cost, and just like with new construction, turnkey sells faster and for more every time.

3. How much your prepare shows how much you care. Cleaning up the landscaping by mowing grass, removing leaves, adding fresh mulch, and planting a few decorative plants is a very cheap way to add curb appeal. 

4. Flooring is what most people consider a painful renovation to live through, it involves moving your furniture out and disrupting your life in a major way. While flooring upgrades can be on the more expensive side, doing this prior to sale can be a huge improvement in the buyer's eyes. There are more affordable ways to improve your floors - replace carpet with luxury vinyl plank and refinish hardwood floors with a fresh coat.

5. Tired light fixtures can really date a space, replacing them is more affordable and easier than you think. Most light fixtures can be had as low as $50-100 per fixture and a handyman can replace them in a few hours time. Also take the time here to replace light bulbs throughout your home that have burnt out or are mismatched. Remember to keep living areas to warm hues, not the cool temperature. 

6. Any major items that might show up on an inspection! - When we tour your home we will find items that we regularly see give buyers pause during home inspections. Handling them now shows you care about delivering a good home to the next buyer and prevents friction down the line once you accept a buyer's offer.