CHANTILLY, VA, Mar 29, 2024—Thinking about selling your home soon? The following four steps can help you prep your space for the market.
1. Determine its worth. Before you start making repairs, find out your home's value. "Contact a real estate agent for a comparative market analysis, which is an informal estimate of value based on the recent selling price of similar neighborhood properties," says Scott MacDonald, President of RE/MAX Gateway. You can also get a certified appraiser to provide an appraisal.
2. Beautify. Next, get busy working on the home’s appearance. "You want to make sure it is in the best condition possible for showing to prospective buyers so that you can get top dollar," says MacDonald. This means fixing or sprucing up any trouble spots that could deter a buyer, such as squeaky doors, a leaky roof, dirty carpets and walls, and broken windows.
3. Up the curb appeal. "The 'curb appeal' of your home is extremely important," says MacDonald. "It is the first impression that buyers form of your property as they drive or walk up." So make sure the lawn is pristine—the grass cut, debris removed, garden beds free of weeds, and hedges trimmed.
4. Don't overdo it. Make repairs, but make sure you're considering your return on investment as you do. "The trick is not to overspend on pre-sale repairs and fix-ups, especially if there are few homes on the market but many buyers competing for them," says MacDonald. On the other hand, making such repairs may be the only way to sell your home in a down market.
For information on real estate, please contact RE/MAX Gateway at scottmacdonald@remax.net, 703-652-5777, or RE/MAX Gateway.
RE/MAX Gateway is an award-winning real estate company serving Northern Virginia and the DC Metro area with four office locations. Agents are licensed in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland.