Perhaps you were thinking of selling your home last year or listing it for sale in the spring market craziness. Whatever your timing may have been, things may have shifted due to COVID-19. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get your home ready to go to market when physical distancing ends.

Jayne Woolcott, sales representative with Re/Max Escarpment Woolcott Realty Inc., shares her top tips to getting your home ready for sale when you might have some extra time on your hands.

Create an Inviting Entryway

First impressions are everything, and they start the second a buyer opens the front door. You’ll want the entryway to be warm, clean and inviting. This means storing off-season footwear and outerwear elsewhere to keep the space as minimal as possible. If you don’t have a hall closet, keep it neat and tidy so as not to draw attention to the lack of a closet. If the front door paint is peeling, now is a good time to give it a facelift!

Declutter

“Decluttering is a great way to make use of extra time,” says Woolcott. “This can be an emotional and time-consuming process, but can be one of the projects with the most financial reward when a home goes for sale.”

Woolcott says the goal when decluttering is to depersonalize as much as possible so that potential buyers can see themselves living in the home. This includes removing personal photos off the fireplace mantle, emptying kitchen cabinets and using neutral décor throughout.

Clean The Windows

With warmer weather upon us, it’s a great time to clean the windows – both inside and out. Clean windows are something that often get neglected but they can change the entire look of a home. This is a perfect job for a sunny Saturday morning!

Get the Carpets Cleaned or Replace Them

Unless your carpets are brand new, you’ll want to steam clean them. This is an easy task to do with a rental from your local hardware store. You’ll be amazed at what a difference it makes! You should take a close look at the carpet to assess what condition it’s in, if the colour is buyer-friendly and if it needs to be replaced. If only a couple rooms need replacement, be sure to select something that will go with the rest of the carpet in the house.

Touch Up Marks Throughout The House

Once you take a closer look, I’m sure you may be amazed at all the little marks that show on your doors, trim and walls! If a magic eraser doesn’t get rid of the mark, touching up with a quick swipe of paint will do the trick and  make a world of a difference. If you see any small nail holes, now is a great time to patch, lightly sand and fix up with a quick coat of paint.

Have questions on how to get your home ready for sale? Call Woolcott Real Estate at 905 332 9223 to book a virtual walk through where one of the team’s listing agents will guide you through their recommendations.