Maybe you are thinking, “I want to sell my house fast in Chicago.” So much is going to happen before that “For Sale” sign goes up in your front yard. You likely need to deep clean, declutter, and stage the home to make it look its best. It’s time now to dig deep into this ultimate checklist for preparing your home to get that perfect sale.
1. Is It Time to Sell Your Home?
Even before placing your home for sale, take some time to study the market. Real estate conditions are continually changing and will evolve, depending on where you’re located. Take an afternoon to drive through your neighborhood and view homes similar to yours so you can see what they recently sold for. This step will give you a good feel of whether it’s right to sell your property.
2. Clean or Replace as Necessary
Good marketing of a house requires proper cleanliness and attention to detail. Sometimes, there are small issues that most homeowners ignore can end up making a big difference to the buyer. Some of which should not be left out from the list are the following:
- Light bulbs
- Front door
- Light switch covers
- Fireplace
- Carpets
- Blinds
- Doors and door knobs
- Interior and exterior paint
- AC/Heater vents
All these tiny changes will make your house look pretty well cared for, and it will attract much more attention and better offers.
3. Dusting Checklist
Although it may be minor, dust really makes your house look worse if you don’t take care of it. However, how often you dust really depends on where you live, but you want to make sure that your house is dust-free before showings. If it’s been a long time since you last dusted, go beyond the usual spots and attack areas that may not have been seen and dust:
- Ceilings
- Walls
- Blinds
- Windows
- HVAC air intake vents
- Baseboards
- Ceiling fans
If nothing else, a clean, dust-free home will show buyers that you’ve maintained the property, and they can be more comfortable making an offer.
4. Light Staging Checklist
If your home is staged correctly, a potential buyer can envision themselves living there. You don’t have to lose your mind or hire a professional to stage your house. Sometimes, very minor changes make all the difference. Here are some to consider:
- Rearrange furniture to open up floor spaces.
- Put away miscellaneous items.
- Replace or add some houseplants.
- Remove unused furniture and decorations.
- Install lights in dark places with lamps.
- Depersonalize by putting away family pictures.
- Use minimal decoration by having one or two art pieces in every room.
5. Exterior
Curb appeal is essential because it may be the first impression your home gives to a potential buyer. A manicured lawn, tidy porch, and inviting patio could be something that sets up the entire showing.
Final Thoughts
With this checklist, your house should be presentable to sell. If all of this is too overwhelming, or the home needs a more intense refurbishment, sell it to one of the best cash home buyers in Chicago, like Diamond Equities. We buy houses in Chicago in any condition. Sell your house quickly without all the hassle of costly repairs. Sell it as-is, then walk out of your home into the next chapter of your life.
