Between traditional advertising and increasingly diverse methods of self-promotion, your home listing could enjoy more exposure than was possible even five years ago. The possibility of extra online and foot traffic is a definite boon for selling your home—so long as you put in the work to separate yourself from the competition. Help your home stand out with these helpful to-do’s for putting your home on the market.
Enhance your curb appeal
Your home’s exterior is the one thing you can’t hide from view, so it has to be ready for primetime the moment it hits the market. Start with the most obvious items (taming unruly landscaping, decluttering the porch, etc.) and move into tackling more technical issues, like applying a fresh coat of paint, clearing out gutters and repairing broken items.
For a deep dive, see our tips on how to kick up your curb appeal »
Clean, clean, clean
For the best chance at a successful showing, your home has to look, feel and smell move-in ready. In addition to giving it a good scrub and getting the kids’ toys out of sight, you might also benefit from measures like having the carpet and furniture professionally cleaned, removing plants with potential allergens and using cleaners that minimize off-putting chemical smells.
For more, check out these tips on keeping your home Realtor® ready »
Stage your buyer’s dream home
When potential buyers walk through your home, you want them to envision what their lives will be like in that space. To give them the best canvas to work with, focus on decluttering crowded areas (think coat closets, garages, basements), toning down personal knick-knacks and emphasizing stylish, universally appealing furniture arrangements and color schemes.
For more on creating an inviting space, check out how to use the 5 senses to help you sell »
Put together attractive home photography
You’ve put in the hard work to make your home look like new; now for the fun part—flaunting it! The most surefire way of doing that is to hire a professional photographer. Once you have a nice portfolio of shots, go to town advertising them. A nice gallery of home photography is a great way to grab people’s attention on newer platforms for selling your home, like Zillow, Facebook, Pinterest and Craigslist. If you’re planning on doing your own photography, make sure you’re not skimping on the proper equipment. Also recommended is a good consultation on shot staging, angles and lighting.
For DIY photography pointers, check out these pro tips for better real estate photography »
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