What to do When Preparing Your Vancouver Condo for Sale
In Episode 4 we discussed how to price your Condo to meet your goals. Today we’re going to discuss what to do to get your condo ready to go on the market.
When selling a property perception is reality and you only have one chance to make a great first impression.
Properly preparing your condo for sale will get you a better offer sooner.
Use Perception to Bring Value to the Sale of your Home
Most buyers purchase condos based on how they feel about a property.
If the property gives the buyer a bad impression or their perception is negative, they will not buy it.
If the condo gives the buyer a good impression or they perceive it to be good, there is a much higher chance they will buy the property.
Buyers want to feel comfortable and fall in love with the your condo (or want a space tenants will like) and want to feel they are getting value. Buyers paying top dollar expect a clean ready to move into a property.
When buyers are looking at condos, physical space is valued whether it be actual square footage or perceived size. Preparing your suite correctly will make it feel bigger for buyers thus adding perceived value.
Here is a list of what to do to get your condo sale-ready:
How to Get Your Condo Ready to Sell? – Clean, Tidy, De-Clutter, Fix, Upgrade, Depersonalize, and Paint!
- Clean – Your suite should sparkle! Your condo is as clean as possible for the showing times and video/photography sessions. The cleanliness of all nooks and crannies of your home may not matter to you, but many buyers check these sorts of things and it may matter to them. If you don’t like to or can’t clean, bring in professional cleaners. Avoid strong air fresheners and get rid of the strong pet or other odours by having the carpets professionally steam cleaned. If you smoke, do it outside while the property is being marketed.
- Tidy – Tidy spaces look bigger than messy places. Perceived size impacts perceived value. Everything in the home should be put away in its place and all the beds should be made. Security of your home and possessions is priority one for your Realtor! Ensuring that small valuable items like watches, electronic devices, jewellery, perfume are put away will ensure they stay yours.
- De-Clutter– Small spaces look bigger when they are not cluttered. Creating the perception of volume and size will give you an advantage over your competition in the condo market.
- Minor and Required Repairs – If you have been meaning to get around to fixing that leaky faucet or damaged or worn out flooring now is the time to do it. Many buyers will either not understand how simple and easy minor repairs are to fix and may be scared off or may not want the hassle. More sophisticated buyers will use the fact they have to make minor repairs to negotiate your price down. If everything in your suite is in good working order, prospective buyers will have less leverage in the offer negotiation. A suite ready for sale will have all the appliances and in major systems in good working order.
- Upgrade – If your suite has immaculate original Avocado Green appliances from when it was built in 1980, it might be time to upgrade. Stainless steel appliances are popular with buyers and can be found for quite good prices with a little research. Upgrades should be simple and cost-effective. Consider hardwood floors only if the existing flooring is in bad condition. Laminate flooring can work well on a limited budget. New light fixtures can be an inexpensive way to upgrade a suite look. Have a dated looking kitchen or bathroom? Changing cupboard doors and countertops can make a huge difference with a well-coordinated coat of paint on the walls. Bringing in an Interior Designer or Stager for colour and design tips can often bring a huge return come offer time. Be mindful of costs and consult with your Realtor when deciding on upgrades. It is very easy to spend a lot of money quickly that may not be recouped in the sale!
- Paint – A coat of paint can make an old suite look new. If the walls of the suite are marked, damaged, dirty, or just a dated colour, a fresh paint job with neutral colours can go long way to making the suite look new and fresh and make that critical good first impression.
- De-Personalize – When preparing your home for sale, its advisable to put away all personal and family pictures that are on public display in your home. The less prospective Buyers know about your personal life and affairs the better, especially when it comes to negotiating an offer.
Make sure to Check out How to Sell a Condo 6 were we discuss Home Staging Condos!
I STRONGLY Encourage Questions and Comments Below!