Is your house going to be up for sale soon? Then you know how important it is to get your home ready for sale. At ZSM Woningontruiming we help people like you every day to get their home in top condition for sale. In this guide we share our best tips and tricks to sell your home quickly and for the best price.
Why preparing your home for sale is important
Imagine a potential buyer walking into your home and immediately falling for its charm. That is exactly what we want to achieve! By preparing your home for sale, you create that wow factor that will convince buyers.
Why is this so crucial?
- You make an unforgettable first impression
- Your home can fetch more
- Sales often go faster
- You experience less stress during the sales process
One of our clients once said: “I thought my house looked great, but after getting it ready for sale it looked like a little palace!” We want to achieve that kind of reaction for you too.
No deferred maintenance: the basis for a sale-ready house
Before you start styling, it’s essential to get the basics right. Think about that leaky faucet you’ve been ignoring for months or that crack in the wall you keep overlooking. These little flaws can turn buyers off.
What should you pay attention to?
- Leaks and moisture problems
- Electrical and plumbing works
- Structural problems such as cracks or subsidence
We recently helped a client who had been unable to sell his home for months. After a thorough inspection and addressing deferred maintenance, the home was sold in two weeks!
The first impression counts
You know the saying: you never get a second chance to make a first impression. That certainly applies to your home! The exterior is the calling card of your home.
How do you make an impression from the street?
- Give your garden a makeover
- Freshen up the facade with a lick of paint
- Make the driveway and path to the front door spick and span
- Provide good lighting and a clearly visible house number
One of our favorite tricks? Place a pretty flower box next to the front door. It instantly makes you feel welcome!
Decluttering and decluttering: make room for potential buyers
Imagine reading a book, but every page is crammed with text. Tiring, right? That’s what a cluttered home feels like to potential buyers. Give them the space to make your home their own.
Our approach to effective declutter:
- Start early, preferably months before the first viewing
- Work room by room
- Make three piles: keep, throw away, donate/sell
- Be critical: Have you used it in the past year?
- Remove personal photos and quirky decorations
A customer told us: “I thought I had already decluttered, but you taught me what real decluttering is. My home feels so spacious and light now!”
Minor repairs: give your home a fresh look
Do you know that feeling when you put on a new outfit? So fresh and confident! We want to create that feeling for your home too. Small repairs can make a world of difference.
What should you pay attention to?
- Repair leaking faucets and pipes
- Make sure all doors open and close smoothly
- Fill cracks in walls or ceilings
- Reattach loose skirting boards or tiles
- Replace broken light switches or sockets
Doubt your DIY skills? Hire a professional. The investment often pays for itself many times over.
Create a homely feeling: staging for optimal presentation
Now that your home is cleaned and repaired, it’s time for the icing on the cake: staging. This is the art of presenting your home so that potential buyers instantly fall in love with it.
Our favorite staging tips:
- Choose a neutral color palette as a base
- Add warmth with textures and accents
- Ensure a logical flow through the spaces
- Use furniture to accentuate the best features of each room
- Add fresh flowers or plants for a lively touch
A fun anecdote: One of our clients had an old, worn-out couch in the living room. We replaced it with a sleek, neutral couch and some colorful pillows. The result? The room seemed twice as big and modern!
Every room has a function: maximise the potential of your home
Imagine you have a blank canvas. That's how potential buyers see your home. Help them by giving each room a clear function.
How do you approach this?
- Living room: Create a cozy sitting area
- Bedrooms: Show versatility (master bedroom, kids room, home office)
- Kitchen: Show how functional and cozy it is
- Bathroom: Create a spa feel with luxurious towels and soaps
- Unused spaces: Transform them into something useful (e.g. an attic as a home office)
We recently helped a client who had an unused corner under the stairs. We turned it into a cute reading nook. The potential buyers loved it!
Neutralize and depersonalize
We get it: You love your bright red accent wall and your collection of porcelain cats. But not everyone shares your taste. By neutralizing and depersonalizing, you make it easier for buyers to make your home their own.
How do you approach this?
- Choose neutral wall colors
- Replace striking curtains with more subtle variants
- Store personal photos and collections
- Keep some neutral decorative elements for warmth
One customer told us: “I found it difficult to move my personal belongings out, but when I saw how spacious and bright my home looked, I was sold!”
Deep cleaning: make your home shine
A clean home is like fresh breath: you may not notice it right away, but it makes a world of difference. A thorough cleaning shows that you have taken good care of your home.
Our ultimate cleaning checklist:
- Dust everything, don't forget the skirting boards and tops of doors
- Clean windows streak-free, inside and out
- Sand tiles and joints in the bathroom
- Degrease the kitchen thoroughly
- Vacuum under furniture and mattresses
Pro tip: Don’t forget the scent! A subtle, fresh scent can do wonders. But be careful with excessive air fresheners, they can be off-putting.
Optimize lighting
Light can literally put your home in a different light. Good lighting makes spaces bigger, warmer and more inviting.
How do you ensure optimal lighting?
- Maximize natural light by keeping curtains open
- Replace weak bulbs with stronger, energy-efficient alternatives
- Add mood lighting in dark corners
- Place mirrors strategically to reflect light
A nice trick that we often use: place a standing lamp in a dark corner. It immediately makes the space bigger and cozier!
Scent and atmosphere: Create a pleasant environment
Did you know that scent is one of the most powerful senses when it comes to memories and emotions? Use this to your advantage when preparing your home for sale.
Our favorite ways to create a pleasant scent:
- Ventilate regularly for fresh air
- Place fresh flowers or plants
- Boil spices such as cinnamon or vanilla in water
- Brew a pot of fresh coffee for a warm, inviting scent
But be careful: avoid overpowering scents. Subtle is the key word!
Don't forget the outside
The outside of your home is like the cover of a book. It should invite you to look further.
How do you make the exterior of your home attractive?
- Maintain your garden: mow the lawn, prune shrubs, remove weeds
- Create a cozy seating area on the terrace or balcony
- Provide good outdoor lighting
- Give the front door a fresh coat of paint
One of our customers had a neglected front garden. We helped him create a simple but attractive path to the front door. It made a world of difference!
Documentation and preparation
In the hustle and bustle of getting your home ready for sale, it’s easy to forget about the paperwork. But good documentation can speed up the selling process considerably.
What documents do you need to collect?
- Title Deed
- Mortgage information
- Recent valuation
- Construction drawings and permits
- Service history and warranties
- Energy label
Pro tip: Create a folder with information about the neighborhood, such as the location of schools, shops, and public transportation. Buyers appreciate this extra service!
Budgeting for Getting Your Home Ready for Sale
We get it: all those improvements can be expensive. But think of it as an investment. A well-prepared home often sells faster and for a better price.
What is the best investment?
- Painting (interior): €500 – €1500, potential increase in value 1-2%
- New carpeting: €1000 – €3000, potential increase in value 1-2%
- Kitchen Upgrade: €5,000 – €15,000, Potential Value Increase 3-7%
- Bathroom Renovation: €3000 – €10000, Potential Value Increase 2-4%
Our golden rule? Set aside 1-3% of your expected selling price for getting your home ready for sale. It may sound like a lot, but it can make a significant difference in the final selling price.
When should you start preparing your home for sale?
Timing is everything, also when preparing your home for sale. Don't start too early, but certainly not too late.
Our guidelines per season:
- Spring: Starts in late winter. Focus on garden maintenance and freshening up the exterior.
- Summer: Begin in late spring. Provide good air conditioning and shaded outdoor areas.
- Fall: Kick-off in late summer. Create a warm, cozy atmosphere indoors.
- Winter: Start in the fall. Provide a good heating system and a cozy atmosphere.
A good rule of thumb is to start big projects 2-3 months before the planned sale date. Smaller tasks can be tackled in the last 2-4 weeks.
Common mistakes when preparing a house for sale
Even with the best intentions, many homeowners make mistakes when preparing their homes for sale. Let’s discuss a few so you can avoid them.
- Overcorrecting and overinvesting Sometimes people think they have to make everything perfect. But not every investment pays off. Focus on improvements with the highest ROI.
- Let personal taste prevail You may love brightly colored walls, but they can turn off potential buyers. Opt for neutral colors and styles that appeal to a wide audience.
- Ignore important repairs That leaky roof may not seem like a big deal, but it could be a turn-off for buyers or lead to lower offers. Address essential repairs before you put your home on the market.
- Underestimating time and effort Getting a house ready for sale is not a weekend job. Plan realistically and start early.
One of our clients told us: “I thought I could fix my house in a weekend. How naive I was! Luckily you helped me with a realistic plan, and the result was amazing.”
Finally
Getting your home ready for sale is a journey. It takes time, energy, and sometimes a little money. But if you follow these steps, you will greatly increase your chances of a quick sale at the price you want.
Remember:
- Make a good first impression, both outside and inside
- Clean up and create space
- Tackle overdue maintenance
- Present your home neutrally
eel and attractive
- Clean thoroughly
- Optimize the lighting
- Create a pleasant atmosphere
- Make sure your paperwork is in order
As a team of ZSM House clearance we have made countless homes ready for sale. We see this approach work time and time again. One of our recent clients put it beautifully: “You didn’t just make my home ready for sale, you transformed it. I almost didn’t want to move!”
Of course, we understand that getting your home ready to sell can feel overwhelming. That’s why we’re here to help. Whether you need advice, help with decluttering, or a complete home makeover, we’re here to help.
If you have any questions after reading this guide, please do not hesitate to contact to contact us. We are happy to think along with you to make the sale of your house a success.
Good luck with the sale of your home!
The team of ZSM House Clearance
PS Remember: every home is unique, and so is every sale. Use this guide as a starting point, but feel free to adapt as needed. Trust your instincts and seek professional advice if you are unsure about anything.
