How We Sold Our Home in Five Days

Even though experts agree that the real estate bubble has popped, and it is now a buyer’s market, sellers can do some simple things to make sure their house shines above the others in that price range. The average home takes forty-seven days to sell. My husband and I sold a home five days after listing it with the realtor, and this was largely because we had it “ready to move” before listing it. 

1.Get rid of the clutter. No one wants to buy a house that makes them uncomfortable being in it. The majority of Americans tend to have too much stuff in their houses, and because it accumulates slowly over time, it is easy to grow accustomed to seeing it until we really don’t notice it as much as a stranger would. The first step to attracting a buyer is to get rid of all you can bear to part with, and rent a storage unit for the rest. Don’t make the mistake of storing your extra things in a garage or basement, because buyers will look there, too, and a full garage just makes them think the home is too skimpy on storage places like closets and drawers. Don’t forget to straighten things inside cabinets and closets, too. Put a minimum of things on the kitchen counters. One set of canisters, a green potted plant, and one or two small appliances should be plenty. Remove all magnets from the refrigerator. 

2.Do a thorough cleaning. Hire a cleaning service if you can afford to, or do it yourself. We took a day to scrub toilets, sinks, and tubs. We wiped down countertops and cabinet doors. Appliances that were to be included in the sale were cleaned inside, like the stove and refrigerator. We wiped baseboards and door facings, cleaned light fixtures, and made sure to sweep and clean around the entrances. We also cleaned ceiling fans and moped all the floors. We hired a professional to pressure wash the driveway and the outside of the house, but pressure washers can also be rented. Take down curtains and clean them before re-hanging.