This week we are blessed with another piece from Jim McKinley at Money With Jim! This time Jim shares some strategy for preparing a house for sale in a crazy market.
While it may seem a tricky time to sell a home, it’s possible to do it safely and successfully, so
long as you take advantage of online resources and keep your home sanitized. Because many
of us are at home more often due to the pandemic, be sure to keep it clean and organized for
viewings. And as you’re staging your home, be sure to look online for low-cost items that will
make your home attractive to potential buyers.
Harness Technology
With the pandemic limiting the options for in-person showings, there have been great online
alternatives, from 3D walkthroughs to virtual staging and video home tours. As you get ready to
sell your home, make sure you find a trustworthy and tech-savvy real estate agent to help you.
The first step is staging, and while it may be tempting to fill your home with new furniture, using
virtual staging software like Tall Box Design can be a much more budget-friendly option. Not
only does virtual staging eliminate the need for strangers to enter your home, it also costs about
a fraction of the price of traditional staging. Once your home is staged, you’ll want some
excellent 3D photographs so potential buyers can do virtual walkthroughs.
Of course, if you connect with a professional real estate agency they will tackle the traditional
marketing aspects, but you can supplement their efforts through networking on social media.
Don’t be shy about connecting with old friends that you lost touch with over the years;
oftentimes they are curious about where classmates are and what they are doing anyway, and
you never know how it could pay off.
Prepping Your Home
While you can transform a room with virtual staging technology, you’ll still want to spruce up
areas of your home before listing it. First, Home Storage Solutions says to declutter as much as
possible by getting rid of items such as old toys, books, and magazines. Your home will instantly
feel more clean.
Because of the pandemic, it can be tricky to keep the house tidy with your family members at
home all the time. If you and your household are working and learning remotely, get into the
habit of tidying up your workspace at the end of each day. Put away any papers and books, and
store your laptop or other devices in stylish bins. As a bonus, cleaning up your workspace each
day will allow you to feel more relaxed when the work day ends.
Other things you can do to prep your home include painting rooms that are getting a bit dingy,
replacing old door knobs and cabinet pulls. You can also add incredible touches like mirrors,
rugs, and new lighting.
Outside Is Important Too
Finally, do some light gardening to make sure your home looks great at first glance. Curb
appeal is important, since, as Street Directory points out, first impressions are everything.
Showing your home to buyers
While online showings are helpful for the initial stages of selling your house, eventually buyers
will want to visit in person. This can be done safely, as long you follow strict cleaning guidelines.
When buyers visit your home, ask your real estate agent to have them wash or sanitize their
hands as soon as they enter. Your real estate agent should also advise them to avoid touching
anything, but regardless, you should also plan to wipe down all commonly touched areas such
as doorknobs, light switches, and faucets between each showing. Also be sure to wipe down
and sanitize the bathroom and kitchen thoroughly, as they are areas of the house that often
harbor germs.
When you’re ready to sell your home, start by finding a great real estate agent who can harness
technology to get your home on the market. Spruce up your house as much as possible, and
get in the habit of keeping your workspaces clean if you’re working or learning remotely. Use
online promos to buy any staging items, and keep your home as clean as possible throughout
the process.
Jim McKinley is a retired banker with almost 30 years of experience in the financial world. He created Money with Jim to share his advice and other resources on a variety of financial topics.
