Get it cleaned and looking like a model home

First impressions only happen once. Your house will get the “white glove” treatment by prospective buyers and should be able to pass that test. This begins at the curb. Get the lawn groomed and in great shape and keep it that way. Make sure that buyers are wowed when they open the front door (which should be in perfect condition) and see the interior of your house for the first time.

Eliminate odors that could detract from someones first impression. Keep the house smelling clean and fresh but do not use harsh perfumes as this might aggravate allergies or just be overwhelming.
Remove your personal items from the walls remove any clutter caused by unnecessary furniture or decorations.
Replace worn carpet. Paint the walls, if necessary.
Fix anything that is broken. Replace light bulbs that are not working. Replace the faucets on every sink and bath tub that don’t look new. Replace the air filters in the A/C system. Clean kitchen appliances internally and externally until they shine like new.
Replace worn out kitchen appliances. It will be worth the money! Buyers don’t want to spend a lot of money replacing appliances. Many won’t have a lot of money left, after paying many thousands for the house purchase.
Dust the ceiling fans and replace the ones that are not in good working order or that make noise.
Replace outlet covers that are damaged or that don’t match the others.
Clean windows inside and out and make sure that they operate easily.
Clean the gutters so they flow properly and don’t leak.
Hire a professional house cleaning company to do a thorough cleaning. Make sure that the windows are spotless as well as the trim above doors and windows.
Hire a professional staging company to make your house look good but not be cluttered.

Buyers will be looking for anything that they can find wrong with the house. Some things may seem minor, to you, but they provide an indication as to how the house was cared for by the owner. Anything that is in poor condition or in need of repair reflects negatively on the whole property and can significantly affect the selling price or your house.

Put everything that you can in storage,

If you don’t need to it live, pack it and store it somewhere before listing your house for sale. Removing clutter and personal items helps the appeal of the house and removes the possibility that your important personal property will get damaged or disappear. Think Model Home and de-personalize your house.

Gather copies or important papers that you are likely to need like:

• loan documents showing the payoff amount from your lender
• Warranty Deed for the property,
• Survey and Notarized T-47 Affidavit , If you don’t have one, get one.
• original floor plans from the builder This is very nice to have but not essential
• utility bills, This helps the prospective buyers assess the total cost of PITI and monthly expenses for budget planning
• inspections reports, any recent property inspection reports that you have. If you haven’t done a pre-listing inspection, you should have one done.
• home owner’s insurance papers, This helps potential buyers understand the cost of insurance as well as flood risk for the property.
• HOA information, If there is a Home Owners Association, get a copy of the bylaws and covenants. This is always check of on the contract and is a possible reason that a buyer could back out of a contract, if they find out about restrictions that they can’t live with, after the contract is signed.
• certifications and permits for any building or additions to the property, If there are any additions to the propery, have the permits and HOA approvals ready. These can be deal killers.
• warranty information for appliances, HVAC, roof, foundation, etc., Including a home warranty
• receipts for repairs, especially if a warranty is involved,
• divorce papers (if applicable), This can be a pain to get and can cause delays or termination to a contract. The title company will need these, especially if you have ever homesteaded the property with an ex spouse.
• wills and court documents, Make sure that you have all documentation that shows that you have the right to sell the property.
• death certificates,  etc.

 

Check with a title company to see if you need anything special like divorce papers or other documents that shows that you have clear title to the property and the legal right to sell it. Taking care of these things before listing can greatly speed things up and help avoid some problems that might delay closing or cause the buyer to terminate the contract.

Arrange for some place to stay (If your need to)

If you are living in a house, that you own, and need some place to stay, for a few days or a few weeks, while you transition into your new home get an idea of how you want to handle this. The closing for the sale of your current property may not coincide with the closing of your new home or the new home may need some preparation before you want to move in. Have movers scheduled to handle the move for you. Determine how much temporary living quarters that you will need, before listing your property for sale. Arrange to have the utilities taken out of your name  Immediately After Closing, Not Before you Hand Over the Keys to your current home. Utilities need to be left on for the buyers Final Walk through and Acceptance visit.

Arrange for movers

to handle the move for you. The cost is well worth it. Make sure that the moving company is insured, has a good reputation, and does a complete background check of the people that it uses to handle your property. Check to make sure you understand what you are getting for the quoted price. Some movers will sometimes quote you for the truck, but may not tell you that the people actually doing the move are not included at that price. You may not find this out until you get the final bill from the moving company. You don’t want lost or damaged items to take away from the joy of moving into your new home. Use Angie’s List or Home Advisor or some other reputable company that vets and rates companies to select someone that is right for you.

If you have a contingency purchase (if you can’t purchase a house without selling your current one),

When the purchase of your new home is contingent on the sale of your current property, this must be disclosed up front. Contingency sales are less attractive to sellers because the closing can take significantly longer due to delays in the sale and funding of your current house. Sellers for contingency purchases generally want to see a recent appraisal or other justification for the list price of your current property. If they feel that you have priced it too high, they may not agree to an offer because they know that an overpriced property will take longer to sell. It is generally helpful if you have a contract with a buyer for your current property before you make an offer on the new property. You should not wait until you have found the house that you want to purchase before listing your house for sale. It is much better to have a contract on your current house before you make an offer on the new one. It is very important that you inform the seller of the house that you want to purchase about your need to sell your current house, even if it is a new house. You must use the “Addendum for the Sale of Other Property by Buyer” where contingency sales are involved.