Thinking of selling? Get your home ready for market with these tips

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I’ve been working with sellers in the Greater Boston area for over 15 years. The first thing I do when a client tells me they’re thinking of selling is to schedule a meeting at their home so that we can formulate a plan specific to their needs. We discuss a few things:

1. Their preferred timeframe for listing and closing
2. Expectations for the sale
3. My suggested repairs or updates
4. Their budget for repairs

Once we walk through the home and discuss the above, we can formulate a customized game plan. I help the sellers prioritize what needs to happen in order to maximize their profits and fit within their budget. As needed, I also recommend professional stagers, painters, home organizers, donation centers, estate sale management, handymen, or junk removal companies. Working within a homeowner’s budget and timeline is extremely important, we want to make sure that any updates are going to be completed on time and are worth the added expense and hassle. It’s especially important in this market with supply chain issues and skilled labor shortages.

What are some smaller items that you can take on in the meantime?

1. Declutter and depersonalize your home. Is the item worth keeping? Or should you sell it or donate it? Are you downsizing? Will it fit in your new space? Consider renting a storage space or POD if you don’t have anywhere to immediately move your excess belongings.
2. Take on some smaller repairs - clean the gutters, touch up the paint where needed (baseboards and trim - but walls are part of a larger discussion), powerwash your deck or fence, caulk, and seal around the tub and outside spigots
3. Clean up your outside space: rake the lawn, trim trees, remove dead vegetation, and clean up your front entry. How the exterior of your home presents is equally as important as the inside and will help you maximize your investment.
4. Organize your closets, garage, basement, and attic - buyers will appreciate the size and functionality and won’t be turned off by clutter
5. Repair or replace as needed: appliances, light bulbs, leaking faucets, loose door knobs/handles/hinges

When it comes to listing your house for sale, there is no one-size-fits-all plan. Each property and seller’s situation is unique. The sellers that take the time and put in the effort to prepare their homes for the market are going to get the best return on investment. When you hire your real estate agent, they should be guiding you each step of the way from the moment you consider selling, to advising you on the repairs that make the most financial sense for you, to the closing, and even beyond. If you’re considering selling this year and would like to meet to discuss the market, potential updates to your home or just to receive a complimentary market analysis on your home, I would love to meet. You can learn more about me: SamanthaBoston.com

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Samantha Jason Lehman is a full-time Realtor and Partner with The Residential Group at William Raveis Real Estate, the #1 WRRE Sales Team in MA and ranked in the Top 1% company-wide. Samantha has been representing buyers, sellers, developers, and investors throughout the Greater Boston market for the past 15 years. In that time she has closed over 125+ Million in residential sales ranging from small condominiums, luxury lofts, single-family homes, and mixed-use developments. She resides in Wakefield with her husband, their two children, and two pups. Learn more: SamanthaBoston.com

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