Is Your Edmonds Home Prepped to Sell? 5 Expert Tips
So, you’re looking to downgrade, upgrade, or that home you’ve been walking past and dreaming about for years is finally up for grabs and you’re moving in? Big congrats! Now, you just have that small task of selling the home you’re currently living in. That adds a layer, doesn’t it?
From staging to cleaning, preparing your home to sell can be a lot of work. We spoke with two downtown Edmonds experts: Eric Gougé, Managing Broker at Coldwell Banker Bain, and Casey Fuller, Mortgage Home Representative at Peoples Bank, to give you their top five tips on preparing your home in a way that attracts potential buyers while also mortgaging your new home, should you need or want to.
When it comes to home sales, it’s the little things that tend to often have the biggest impact. Let’s break it down!
Eric Gougé Managing Broker at Coldwell Banker Bain
1. Stage
According to Gougé, “If you are selling a vacant home, one of the most important things you need is staging. An empty room can be overwhelming to many buyers and staging helps potential buyers visualize living in the house. It also gives them ideas for their own furniture placement.” Not fully moved out or need a recommendation? Your broker can help with that, too. There are a lot of options, including partial staging. Your broker is your partner in the selling process and will help you find the best solution for you.
2. Remodel or Update
If you have the time and money and think that your return on investment will be worth it, consider what a remodel could do to your home value. As Gougé says, “Remodeling can help bring more buyers and higher offers for your home. Updated kitchens and bathrooms can be the main selling point for a home to many buyers. Don’t have the time or budget for a full remodel? It can be as simple as switching out that old shag carpet and throwing a new coat of paint on the walls. This will help refresh your home and bring new life to it.” Brokers often meet with you a few times prior to listing your house and go over all their recommendations.
Fuller adds that a Peoples Bank renovation mortgage can help homeowners fill in any financial gaps: “This enables a borrower to obtain a purchase and receive funds to cover cost of repairs, remodeling or energy improvements on the property.” Similarly, in anticipation of selling, a home equity line of credit can be an excellent way to leverage the equity you’ve built in your home to finance any improvements.
What’s the difference? Well, a home equity line of credit is a line of credit using the equity in your home to pull out cash up to 80% of the loan to value. A home renovation loan is a refinance of a home using the equity and the value of the completed project and go up to 95% loan to value. If you’re purchasing something new to you, the appraisal would be based on the completed project as well. If you’re familiar with construction loans, think of a home renovation loan is kind of like a mini construction loan. And, if you don’t know which option is best for you, you can always call Casey at (425) 257-4487.
3. Clean and Declutter
With the big stuff out of the way, it’s time to talk about the lowest hanging fruit, as it were: decluttering. Gougé says, “As simple as it seems, decluttering your home and getting it professionally cleaned will make a world of difference to any potential buyers. Remove any personal items that could cause buyers to focus less on the home itself. Everyone loves a clean home.”
4. Get Great Photos
According to Gougé, 95% of home searches are now online, so any homes going up for sale need to look their best to draw as many buyers as possible (e.g. bidding war!). “Professional photography will help your house stand out,” he adds. “360 virtual tours are also a must, especially with the amount of out of area buyers we’re seeing in Edmonds right now. In this market, a virtual tour will allow a buyer to walk through the home through a screen before they even see it in person.”
5. The Kicker: A Pre-Inspection
What’s going to really prime your home for its best chance on the market is getting a pre-inspection performed by a licensed home inspector prior to selling it. As Gougé states, “Leaking roofs, rodents, and improper wiring are just some of the things that can cause a buyer to walk away. Identifying these items in the home that need attention before listing and giving yourself time to fix them will ease any potential buyers’ worries”—as well as any of your own! No one wants to be worried about what’ll pop up on the inspirection report, which may cause sales to fall through or tough money-back negotiations after you’ve gone pending.
Hoping to sell soon?
We hope these tips help you feel prepared to get out on the market with peace of mind and a plan. Still have questions? There are many wonderful resources in Downtown Edmonds, including Eric and Casey . They would be happy to answer any questions or concerns you have and support you as you get your home ready to sell. Good luck—we’ll be rooting for you!
By Whitney Popa, photos by Matt Hulbert
