While winter is here, homeowners who are considering selling should take this time to ensure their homes are ready to appeal to buyers. That effort requires some prep work – and the good news is that a lot of these jobs are easy to complete.

Starting with Physical Labor
Prior to selling your home, owners need to make sure their houses are depersonalized. All personal touches and mementos should be removed from areas potential buyers are most likely to view. This is an important step because potential buyers need to be able to picture themselves themselves moving in with their belongings.

Removing family photos, kids’ drawings on the fridge and other home-y items is crucial. If a property that’s put up for sale feels too “lived in,” would-be buyers might be subconsciously less interested in making a bid.

It’s also wise to focus on decluttering and clearing out items that can build up in corners and closets. This should coincide with a larger effort to give a home a good top-to-bottom cleaning, especially in communal areas such as the kitchen or den, where prospective buyers are likely to spend more time during open houses. This might also be a good time to find items to donate or sell items that are no longer used or worn.

Applying Finishing Touches
Depersonalizing and decluttering a home are often the hardest parts of the job, but homeowners have other efforts to undertake, according to On The Market. For instance, if any rooms of a house are painted in bright or bold colors, repainting them so they’re a bit more muted and neutral is often recommended because buyers may not be able to picture a room in any other colors.

In addition, it’s a good idea for owners to make sure their front lawns and any garden areas are in good shape. A little work outdoors can help visitors feel welcome immediately and adds to that curb appeal.

Your real estate agent will recommend changes to make before selling. With a few months before the official start of the busy real estate sales season, there’s still plenty of time to easily make those changes.

Sibcy Cline Home Services is available to help with painting and other preparation needs to get your home sale ready.

Brought to you by HMS Home Warranty. HMS is an industry leader with over 30 years of creating success for clients and providing peace of mind for customers. To learn more click www.hmsnational.com.