If you want to sell your home in today’s competitive Vancouver housing market, your home should be displayed to its best advantage. Start with a real estate agent you trust. Other tips for getting your home ready to sell include repairing your home’s exterior, making interior repairs, and improving your curb appeal.
Choose the Right Real Estate Agent
You don’t need a real estate agent to sell your home. But realtors are licensed professionals who are familiar with the ins and outs of the Vancouver housing market. A good real estate agent will:
- Have seven or more years of experience
- Be able to communicate effectively with you
- Tell you the difference between the initial asking price and the price of the final sale for their last five properties
- Have a clear marketing and selling plan that reflects your specific requirements
Repair Your Home’s Exterior
The roof, gutters, and siding are all systems designed to protect a home. Ensure the roof is clean and in good shape – no missing roof shingles, discolored patches, or mold growth.
The gutters should be thoroughly cleaned inside and out before the house is listed. Replace missing hardware or tighten loose brackets.
Whether it’s cedar siding, aluminum siding, or fiber cement, the siding of your home should sparkle. Clean from the top of the exterior walls to the foundation using a garden hose with a pistol nozzle or a pressure nozzle designed for a garden hose. Manually remove stains including moss, mold, algae or mildew with the appropriate cleaning solution.
When the roof, gutters, or siding are older than 15 years and are damaged to the extent that repairs will be expensive, consider replacing them before listing your home. If you do have to replace the roof, gutters or siding, consider green alternatives – it will help improve the resale value.
Make Interior Repairs
It’s important that the interior of your house looks as good as the exterior. Repair holes in walls; refresh old caulking and grout; fix plumbing issues and clean the drains; and replace any hardware that looks worn or is broken. New taps and drawer pulls can quickly update the bathrooms and kitchen at a minimal cost.
Repaint Interior Walls
Consider repainting the walls of rooms that are in bold shades or outdated colors. Choose neutral tones or lighter colours. While making the room more “relatable” to prospective buyers, it has the added benefit of creating the appearance of more space and light.
Decluttering and Cleaning
Decluttering is the first step you’ll take in preparation for packing for your move. It’s also a good strategy for getting ready to sell your home. Home buyers want to be able to picture themselves living in the space. The less “personal,” the more appealing it will be to potential buyers. It’s also the ideal opportunity for you to decide what to get rid of and what to take with you to your new home.
At risk of stating the obvious, plan on thoroughly cleaning every room of your home from attic to basement. Deep-clean the carpets and major fabric covered furniture pieces – it will help improve the appearance of the room and its air quality.
Landscaping for Maximum Curb Appeal
The first thing home buyers will see as they approach the entry door is the front of your house. Focus on noticeable hardscape elements such as the driveway, pathways, stairs, and the deck – clean, repair, or replace as needed.
Consider transforming your current front and back yards into eco-friendly landscaped areas by switching from annual plants to perennials and natural grasses. While formal gardens and non-native flowering trees greatly improve curb appeal, they can appear time-consuming to the potential home buyer.
