Maybe selling your home has been a thought in the back of your mind for a while now or perhaps it is happening unexpectedly because of a new job opportunity.  No matter how you’ve arrived at the decision to sell your house, it can be a time of mixed emotions.  Excitement, sadness, and even a little bit of confusion can flood your brain; you need to move, but now are wondering, “how do I start?” Here are some suggestions to get started when you are selling a house in Virginia.

Find a REALTOR® 

Finding a local REALTOR® who is an expert in the local market is so important to selling your house in Virginia.  Don’t be afraid to interview more than one agent.  Here are some questions to ask a real estate agent in an interview. 

Be open with your agent about the timeline that you have for selling your home. 

Since a REALTOR® will coordinate professional photographs of your home, create marketing materials, and manage the home while it is on the market, hiring an agent will really get the selling process moving.  If you need more time to get your home prepared or need to coordinate selling a house in Virginia with the purchase of a new home, then make sure to communicate all of this to your REALTOR®.

Declutter, declutter, and then declutter 

To start preparing your home for showings and photographs, start the decluttering process as soon as possible.  Clearing out overstuffed closets, taking excess furniture out of a room, and deciding what you want to pack and move and what can be donated all help to make your home ready for the for sale sign.  

The more you declutter now the less you need to move later!

Make Known Repairs 

A home inspector’s job is to find issues within a home.  Sellers can lessen the repairs needed to their homes by repairing any known issues ahead of time.  Things like a leaking sink, non functioning GFCI electrical outlet, or cracked pane in a window can all be addressed before you have an offer on a home when possible.

Deep Clean Home 

A clean home is an inviting home.  In order for your house in Virginia to look its best, a deep clean is important.  Professional photographs will be available to buyers searching for homes on the internet and you want to present your home in the best way possible.  As an added bonus, deep cleaning the home now will help make weekly maintenance cleanings when your home hits the market easier and less time consuming.

Consider Painting 

Once furniture starts coming out of rooms or is rearranged, the everyday wear and tear on walls is easier to see.  Rooms with bolder colors on the walls may not look so complete when items are moved out of the room.  In these areas of your home, consider painting the walls with a neutral color.  Not sure if your room needs a refresh?  Ask your REALTOR®.

Locate Paperwork 

Do you have solar panels on the roof?  Did you just install a new AC?  Before things get packed away, start a folder of potentially important paperwork for your home.  Buyers may ask questions about the new systems in your home, and having the paperwork all in one place will make it easier to answer those questions.

Create a plan for showings 

Showings are potential offers.  If a buyer has seen your home on the internet and is making the effort to see it in person, you should always do your best to say yes.  However, when you’ve got kids and pets getting out of the door is not always so quick and easy.  Make a plan now about what you will do with your pets and other family members.  If a showing happens during the day when you are at work, who is going to handle the dog?  Is a showing at eight p.m. too late when you’ve got little ones?  Having plans in place before your home goes on the market will take some of the stress out of showings.

Learn more about selling a house in Virginia.