How to Get a House Ready to Sell Quickly

Once you make the decision to downsize and move to a senior living community, your next thought is an important one: What do you do with your house? Ideally, you’d like to sell as quickly and for as much of a profit as possible. But that can seem like a daunting task if you don’t know what to do next. Luckily, the following tips and tricks can help make the home selling process smoother and result in a successful sale.

11 Quick and Profitable Home Selling Tips for Seniors

1. Move THEN List. Unoccupied homes sell faster than occupied homes, so now is the time to find your new home and make the move. Consider talking to the community about options for your entrance fee, and work with relocation managers to help you through this process.
2. Clear Your Clutter. The first step to preparing your home for a sale is to clear the clutter. You can either purchase additional organization solutions for your home or utilize offsite storage to keep your home furnishings to a minimum. A clean, organized living area makes your home look bigger and appeals to the greatest number of people.
3. Boost Your Curb Appeal. The outside of your home is the first feature potential buyers see, whether it be driving by prior to a scheduled tour or walking up to the front door during their first visit. It’s important to make a great first impression by making sure the outside of your home is ready. A few tips for boosting your curb appeal include:
   • Mowing the lawn
   • Installing easy-to-read house numbers
   • Cleaning your gutters
   • Adding greenery and fresh flowers
   • Washing your front windows
   • Upgrading features like porch lights and your walkway
4. Stage Important Rooms First. Effectively staging your home can sometimes require purchasing new decorations or furniture. To limit spending and get the most bang for your buck, focus on the rooms that will be of most importance to potential buyers. Generally speaking, the kitchen, living room and master bedroom are the most important rooms to focus on.
5. Aim for a Light Look. Achieving a lighter look for your house can be as simple as opening your windows during house tours! You can also update light fixtures and window treatments to appear brighter and more appealing. To take it even a step further, paint the walls a lighter color. A sophisticated, soft color palette for the walls and furniture makes your house look more pulled together and ready for new homeowners.
6. Rearrange if Necessary. A certain arrangement may work for you in your home, but it may not be the most aesthetically pleasing to potential buyers. Symmetrical floor plan arrangements typically work best and pushing larger furniture against the walls opens up space.
7. Add Fresh Flowers. Flowers help your home smell nice and encourage a warm, friendly atmosphere. Visit your local greenhouse to find a few arrangements to place around your home. Flowers can also add color to neutral rooms and brighten up your living space.
8. Make Minor Repairs. Fixing a few issues around the house, especially those that are visible, can go a long way towards adding value to your home. If hardware is old, replace it. If a sink is leaky, fix it. And if there are scuffs on the wall or floor, buff them out. Potential buyers notice if a home is well cared for and finishing even the smallest projects can improve the selling potential of your house.
9. Depersonalize. While you love your sentimental family photos and take pride in all the personal cards, certificates and art you have hanging on the walls and refrigerator, keep these personal touches to a minimum. Buyers are able to get a better feel of what their new home would look like without personalized décor.
10. Clean. Nothing is less appealing to a potential buyer than a house that is visibly dirty. It may even benefit you to hire professionals to deep clean your house before a showing. Pay particular attention to kitchen counters, bathtubs and showers, inside cabinets and closets, shelves and windows.
11. Find the Right Real Estate Agent. Your real estate agent is your greatest advocate when it comes to the process of selling your home. They are the main point of contact between you and potential buyers and help to market your home so that is able to sell successfully and at the highest profit for you.

Find Your New Home at Ventana by Buckner

At Ventana by Buckner, you aren’t just choosing a high-rise, luxurious lifestyle – you’re choosing a new home you can love and be comfortable in. You have the opportunity to live a maintenance-free lifestyle with all the amenities in a warm, spacious apartment ready to be personalized to your taste. Your home should feel unique to you and comfortable, and at Ventana, it will be exactly that. We even offer Personal Relocation Managers who will help you through your entire moving process. These experts are here to help and make sure your transition to the community is smooth. Take a look through our floor plans to find a layout that works for your needs. If you like what you see, give us a call! Contact our team today for a virtual tour of the community and informational session where we answer any questions you may have.