 | Getting organized to sell your houseposted by KimberlyEagles , GoldTuesday, February 2nd 2010 @ 10:50 PM  (2 ratings) |
Another journey is beginning in your life and the decision to sell your house has been made. Now what, is always the question. Where do you start?
As a Professional organizer I love and need systems and processes in my life, and getting organized to sell my house is no different. I need a list and to know what comes next.
So here is where I start:
First on the list is getting the house ready for sale, this happens before you ever let anyone even a real-estate agent see the house. My sister and I have a great track record for getting a house sold. It has never taken more than two weeks to find a buyer (okay results may not be typical but that has been our experience) what you don’t know or see is the weeks of work that went into the house BEFORE we ever listed it.
Once the decision is made to sell, the most important thing you need to do is detach from the house. You have to see the house as a potential buyer would see it, not as you live in it. I cannot stress this more, it is so important to not let your emotions about your house take over your judgement.
Take a walk though with a clip board and go through each room/space, beside the room write down anything you think of that can improve the look of it to a potential buyer. Whether it needs de-cluttered, painted, new floors or just a few plants to make it look more inviting, make the list as detailed as possible. Sometimes the process is easier if you have someone else walk with you and see it as they see it, don’t be defensive, be objective!
On the list have the ‘must’ do section for each room and ‘Bonus’ section that would be nice to do if you have the time and budget for it. Don’t forget the entrance and outside.
For example:
Living Room:
Must do:
New Curtains
Clean carpet
Rearrange to make room look bigger
Bonus:
Add Crown moulding
New throw pillows on couch
With the master list ready, prioritize the tasks- what must be done first. It is common knowledge that Bathrooms and Kitchens are key in selling a house so I would suggest starting there.
Now that you have your master list, plan out your time and start working on the tasks, maybe have a work weekend with your good friends and family to help out. The effort you make before anyone sees the house will pay off in the amount of time it takes to sell.
I am just starting this house selling journey myself and have loads of work to do before anyone gets to see the house, but with my list in hand I can take action and tackle the project one bite at a time.
Happy Organizing, Kim
