Selling your home is a much greater decision than just waking up one morning and deciding to go to market. There is preparation and strategy involved that goes beyond what a single person can accomplish in one day.

Long before the photos are taken and the listing descriptions are optimized for the web, there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes preparation that needs to happen to ensure a fast and profitable sale. It’s quite rare for a home to be ready for listing completely as-is without any prep or improvements.

In this post, we’re covering how to get ready to sell your house. Let’s dive in!

Curb Appeal Still Matters!

It might sound cliché at this point, but real estate is all about curb appeal. It’s the first glimpse of your home that buyers will get when they arrive for a showing. Do you want them to be blown away or left underwhelmed? A little work up front (and out front, in your yard) can go a long way in captivating someone right from the start.

Consider:

• Touching up exterior paint – Not many people will do this step, so there’s a good chance your home will stand out even more with some fresh paint!
• Audit your landscaping – Do your shrub beds need a little extra mulch? Are the trees in need of some pruning? Do you need to rake in the fall? Minor landscaping adjustments can make a big impact on how your home presents.
• Wash your windows – If the windows are the eyes to the soul of the house, what does it say if they are grimy and cloudy? Will a buyer notice if you have the cleanest windows on the block? Probably not, but they will definitely notice if the windows look less than great.
• Shovel your driveway – Selling your home in the winter comes with its own set of curb appeal challenges. Primarily snow removal. Make sure your driveway is shovelled and clear.

If the idea of shovelling your driveway on a perfectly good powder day sounds unbearable, engage the services of a snow removal company!

Declutter and Depersonalize

Remember a few years ago when minimalism was the rage, and everyone was tossing out belongings that no longer sparked joy? Take a similar approach to decluttering. Consider this: when a buyer tours your home, we want them to envision themselves living there. It’s difficult to do that if the counters are cluttered and the fridge is covered in family photos and kids’ artwork.

What does selling your home in Park City look like? Here are some more posts to read next:

• When is the Best Time to Sell a Home in Park City?
• How Long Does it Take to Sell a Park City Vacation Home?
• How Much Does it Cost to Sell a Home in Park City

Look at Your Home Through a Hotel Lens

When it comes to our own homes, it’s perfectly understandable to have blind spots. Maybe the way you fold your bathroom towels looks right to you, but to a stranger, it might stand out.

Think about how a hotel room looks the first time you walk in. Everything is spotless, in its right spot, symmetrical, and clean. That’s the aesthetic you want to present for your home. Consider adding luxurious basics, such as white linens, matching soaps, or even fresh flowers.

Are Renovations Necessary?

Do you really need to update your home before selling it? It’s a question we get asked fairly frequently. The answer is: not always. Not all renovations offer the same return on investment, so it’s important to price around major renovations.

At the same time, you can’t make a house something it’s not unless you’re willing to invest a lot of time and money in the project, which, in most cases, won’t provide the return you need to make it worthwhile. Instead, work with what you’ve got and make strategic changes to make your existing home look good.

Selling your home requires strategy. The type of home you’re selling, as well as the time of year, make a significant difference. When it comes to strategy, here are a few more posts you might find interesting:

• How to Sell a Ski-In, Ski-Out Property in Park City
• How to Sell Your Park City Home in the Summer
• How to Sell Your Park City Vacation Home When You Can’t Be There

The Magic of Staging

Staging might seem like an extra step in preparing your home for sale, but trust us when we say it’s one of the most important. In general, homes that are staged tend to sell faster and for more money. Why? Staging is different than decorating. Professional stagers know exactly how to present your home in a way that appeals to buyers, highlighting your home’s best features while downplaying some of the less desirable details.

Learn more about the power of staging and how it applies to selling your home. Read: Do You Need to Stage a Home to Sell it in Park City?

A Picture Says a Thousand Words

The preparation you do to get your home ready to sell has benefits twofold. A well-prepped home will have a bigger impact during showings, but before people start seeing your home in person, there are the photos to think of!

There’s a difference between “photo ready” and “showing ready,” primarily the fact that photos will often pick up on details that may go unnoticed in real life. A walk-in closet full of unfolded clothes might not look terrible in person, but on a screen, it’s something that stands out, and not in a good way!

You essentially have one shot with a buyer, so it’s important to make sure your home is ready for it.

How Long Does it Take to Prepare Your Home For Sale?

So, how long does it typically take to prepare your home for sale? Is it possible to get your home listed in 30 days or less? The answer depends entirely on how much work is needed to prepare the property.

Preparing your home for sale isn’t just worth a lot. It’s worth everything. The preparation you do now has a direct correlation to the results you get from the sale. Which is why it’s so important to do everything you can to make the home look clean, sharp, and exciting to buyers.

Planning on selling your Park City home now or in the future? Get the conversation started! Get in touch with us today by filling out the form on this page, calling us at 435-647-8083, or emailing us directly at info@CFHparkcity.com.