Check List Before Putting Your House on the Market in West Omaha....or Anywhere!

OK - So you're ready to put your house on the market.....or so you think. Here is a checklist of things to remember when getting ready to put your house up for sale.  Remember, you want your house to stand out from all the rest......in a good way!

1. Paint - paint tired rooms, walls that have been banged up, brightly colored rooms or walls.  Paint is the cheapest way to redecorate your home.






2. Clean, clean, clean.  And when you're finished, clean some more! If you need to hire professional cleaners, it will be money well spent.




3.  Organize, Organize, Organize.  And when you're finished, organize some more!  If it's in your budget, hire a professional organizer.

4.  Look for any deferred maintenance on your home and take care of it before listing.  For example, there is a stain on your living room ceiling.  More than likely, you've got a roof leak. Call a professional, find the problem and have it repaired.  It will come up in a home inspection.  Keep the receipt as proof that the problem has been taken care of.  Repaint the ceiling to cover up the stain (only do this if the problem has been taken care of....otherwise, this is deception).  You will need to use a product called Kilz to paint the spot before painting the stain.  If not, the stain will bleed through the paint.

5.  Invest in your carpets.  If they're basically in good shape, hire a professional and have them cleaned.  If the carpet is worn or if they are a bold color, you should replace the carpet before listing your home.  When listing your home, it is my opinion that you should not give a carpet allowance.  A carpet allowance sets the tone for your house and tells me before I ever set my foot in the door that the floors are going to be a mess. Take care of the problem before you list it if at all possible.  Keep your choices neutral.

6.  Do a general walk through of your home making a list of everything you can find that needs to be repaired or replaced.  Don't delay.  Fix it before you list it.  It's a good idea to have your Realtor walk through your home with you.  They will have a keen eye to things that need to be repaired and can make suggestions to you that you may not see. A Seller is emotional about the home they are selling.  A Realtor is not.  Get an objective opinion.

7.  Prepare a folder of all maintenance records, appliance manuals, warranties and anything else that would be helpful to a buyer.

8.  Disclose, disclose, disclose.  Honesty is ALWAYS the best policy.  If something in the house has been a problem, i.e. flooded basement, you must disclose that to your Buyer. Hopefully you have remedied the problem so provide them with any and all paperwork as proof.  If an inspector inspects your home and discovers you've had previous basement leak and you haven't disclosed that, that is a recipe for a deal falling apart.  Buyers will ask, "What else have they not told me?"  Always disclose.

9.  Made improvements on your home? Be sure and let your Buyers know about that.  If you've put dollars and sweat equity into your home, now is the time to brag!  Especially if it is something that the buyer can't readily see......like added insulation, new windows, electrical rewiring, new plumbing. Those kinds of things are attractive to your Buyer and will make them feel more confident in you as a Seller and in your home.

10  Be sure and empty ALL trashcans.  Hide ANY evidence of pets.....including pets!

Always get good advice from your Realtor on any of these items.  They can best direct you in how to move forward based on their years of experience.

OK, get busy!  Time's a wastin' and time is money.....hopefully in YOUR pockets.