There’s a lot of work that goes into moving to a new home. You have to figure out what you can afford, where you want to live, find a house, and sell the one you’re in. Even if that’s all a little way down the road, you can still start preparing now. The more you do to make your home easier to sell, the less stress and last-minute work you’ll have to do when the time comes.

Upgrade Major Appliances

If it’s been a while since you’ve upgraded major appliances, that’s a thing you’ll want to check off of your to-do list before considering your home ready to sell. Typically, appliances and fixtures are included in the sale of a home, so make sure any that you intend to include are fairly new and are quality models. Energy efficiency is a must for many people. Fortunately, many of today’s appliances are far more energy-efficient than older models in general. Appliances with an Energy Star rating are often the go-to when it comes to selecting new appliances. Buyers will appreciate both the reduced impact on the environment and the reduction in their utility bills.

Focus on the Kitchen and Bathroom

The kitchen and bathrooms in a home are often the biggest make-it-or-break-it rooms in the house. If you have to pick and choose what rooms to focus on upgrading or improving, these should be towards the top of your list. As a general rule upscale projects see a smaller ROI than more minor ones. That said, if your kitchen or bathrooms are very outdated you may find it necessary to opt for a more involved project. It’s usually best to opt for mid-range kitchens and bathrooms that most buyers will find themselves comfortable in.

Match the Quality to the Neighborhood

People look for houses in specific neighborhoods because while there is some degree of variation, the homes in those neighborhoods usually fit fairly close together in terms of the price range. No one wants to fall in love with a home only to find out that they can’t afford it. If you want to avoid pricing yourself out and manage to stay competitive, you need to consider the quality of the surrounding homes in your neighborhood. Standing out in terms of the value of your home isn’t always going to be beneficial. Make it your goal to fit in with the overall quality of the homes around you.

Maintain Your Curb Appeal

While you don’t want your home to stick out too much, you do want to make sure it looks its best from the outside. Your home’s exterior is what gives buyers their first impression of the house. If you want to sell quickly, that impression needs to be a good one. Make sure your home’s exterior is clean and in good repair. Spend some time cleaning up your landscaping. Check your walkways and driveway to make sure they are in good repair. If you have an asphalt driveway, consider having it sealcoated. Water-based sealcoating offers better UV protection for your asphalt. The sealcoating will also give a clean, beautiful look to your driveway that’s tough to beat.

Upgrade Your Lighting

When was the last time you did anything new with your lighting? How a home is lit can have a direct impact on the impression it makes on buyers and how easily it sells. Of course, upgrading the lighting built into your home may require an electrician, since handling home wiring or anything more involved than changing bulbs or swapping out lamps can be incredibly dangerous. Speaking of light bulbs, if you haven’t switched to LED light bulbs yet, it’s way past time to get on that.

Tackle Major Repairs

Unless the buyer intends to flip the house and sell it for a profit later, no one wants to buy a home in need of major repairs. Even house flippers may not be willing to bite if the house needs serious repairs that are going to be expensive. If you notice signs of foundation damage, plumbing trouble, electrical issues, or if the roof needs to be replaced, those need to be fixed before your home is ready to sell. It’s always a good idea to have a home inspection done to see what issues they notice.

Add Tech

To appeal to the modern home buyer, add some tech to your home. You don’t need to add a full-blown home automation system, but some pieces here and there can be a nice touch. A programmable thermostat is a good place to start, but a smart thermostat can be even better. Doorbell cameras can be another attractive feature. Having a security system installed in the home can provide new homeowners with an added sense of security. If the system is contracted under your name or includes any monitoring services, you’ll need to transfer the contract to the new homeowner before leaving them with the home.

Keep Up On Maintenance

One of the best things you can do to avoid having to do major repairs is to keep up on regular home maintenance. If you look at a list of things you should do to maintain a home, it can be pretty overwhelming. It helps if you divide the tasks up. You can organize them by season and then divide them further by month if that is helpful to you. A well-maintained home is far more likely to appeal to a buyer and therefore more likely to be easy to sell.

There’s a lot of work that goes into getting a house ready to sell. Your best move is to start early to prepare your house so it is easier to sell. By making strategic upgrades and improvements, you can make your house more appealing to buyers. By getting a head start on your chosen projects, you’ll free up your time later down the road so you can spend it on the other things you need to arrange to have a successful move.

If you’re ready to sell your home, contact me so I can help!