Making a decision to list your home is a big one.  Likely, your house is your largest asset and chock full of memories and life.  Give yourself adequate time to prepare, and keep your patience and sense of humor on hand.  Follow this two month timeline to prepare yourself and your home for the big move!

Two Months Before Listing Your Home for Sale:

• Survey the condition of your property as a potential buyer would. Notice things that may look poorly maintained or in need of repair and make a list.
• Begin tackling that list of small repairs such as leaky faucets, drywall that needs patching, and gutters that may need repairing.
• Consider some small aesthetic upgrades that need doing anyway, are neutral in style, and can provide a good return on investment.
• If you like to DIY, begin knocking these things off the list or line up hired help for these aesthetic items such as freshening up the paint with neutral colors and updating plumbing or lighting fixtures.

One Month Before Listing:

 

• Contact a real estate professional with a proven track record and excellent communication skills.
• Your agent will give you advice on staging your property for sale, much of which will involve decluttering (see below for staging details).
• Look at your agent’s comparative market analysis to decide together on a listing price.
• Begin pulling together any appliance manuals or service records that your future buyer may appreciate as a demonstration of good home maintenance.

Three Weeks Before Listing:

• Combine your real estate agent’s advice about staging and decluttering your home with your own need to pack up in preparation for the move by starting to collect boxes or storage bins, label them, and place unnecessary items in them for storage
• Evaluate each item that you have and decide if you will use it in the future. If you will not, fill boxes to go to charities such as Salvation Army and Goodwill.
• If you do not have a garage or storage shed in which to store these personal items, rent a storage unit.
  
   

Two Weeks Before Listing:

 

• Continue the process of decluttering, packing and storing your items. You want your home to resemble a vacation rental when you are finished, with personal photos removed from the walls and surfaces cleared.
• Begin the process of performing or scheduling some deep cleaning items such as getting the windows washed, cobwebs out of corners, and ceiling fans dusted off.
• Although it is a lower priority than living spaces, do not forget to clean storage areas such as garages and sheds. It is understandable if you have boxed items stored in there, but it should still be clean.

One Week Before Listing:

• Focus on your curb appeal by bringing in new mulch for garden beds, cleaning up decks and porches and making sure the lawn is mowed.
• If you have time, plant some flowers to bring some color to your landscape.
• Continue to clean and declutter.
• Contact your real estate agent about scheduling photos and marketing notes.
• Maintain cleaning and decluttering practices throughout the time your home is listed -- you are almost there!

For more information on selling your house or real estate in Asheville, please contact Mike Figura at Mike@MyMosaicRealty.com  or call him anytime at (828) 337-8190.

Search: View all homes for sale in Asheville