Make Sure You Do These 3 Things Before Selling Your House in Hawaii

 

3 Things Before Selling Your House in HawaiiThere are many moving parts when selling your house. In the early stages, getting the house ready for the sale is imperative to getting a wave of interested buyers walking through your front door. To give yourself the best chance at a fast and profitable sale, make sure you do these 3 things before selling your house in Hawaii….

Get Rid of Clutter, Inside and Out

De-clutter the entire house including the garage or carport (how many carports do you see in Hawaii full of boxes stacked 6ft high?). When your real estate agent says, “Oh my, look at the plate collection from every state,” what he really means is, “This is not going to help you sell.” Sorry. Your job as the seller is to declutter and make the house look clean, tidy and like a clean template for new buyers to envision making their own. We all have our special mementos, but it’s best to pack them up and take them with you to your new home.

Prepare to move sooner than later by boxing up anything and everything you don’t need immediately: pictures, plate collections, vases, books, surfboards, etc. Go through closets and dressers, donating what doesn’t fit or you don’t use. Essentially, if there is anything on a countertop or shelf, think about whether it still needs to be there for the listing photos.

That’s right, this all needs to be done before the listing photos since the majority of buyers do all research online before they ever walk into a house. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’ll wait until the open house to declutter – that’s too late! Get a head start now so you have one fewer thing to do before that first open house.

Clean, Scrub and Polish

Do you want to live in someone else’s dirt? Of course not – no one does. As you declutter, you’ll inevitably find dust bunnies everywhere. Under the sofa, behind the curtains, on bookshelves and under beds. Clean the house from top to bottom so potential buyers feel like they can walk around barefoot and still keep their feet clean and sand-free.

Start at the top and work your way down. This means clean ceiling fans from the layers of dust coating the blades (don’t underestimate this). Remove and clean all light fixtures on fans, ceilings, and walls. Wash and dry them before making them shine with glass cleaner. Wipe walls down with a mild bleach solution. Sweep, vacuum and mop – twice if need be.

Now tackle the bathrooms. Make these sparkle. Don’t just do a quick run through like you have friends coming over for a last-minute football party. Clean grout, scrub tubs then remove the mineral buildup on shower doors and fixtures. Scrub the toilet so there are no rings or stains. If cleaning isn’t your thing, hire a crew to come and do it for you. It will pay for itself.

Once clean, keep it clean. It might be a good idea to limit home use when possible. Perhaps everyone only uses one bathroom to make maintaining things easier. Perhaps close off spare bedrooms so pets and kids don’t make more cleaning work. Restrict in/out traffic to the front door and close off any side or rear doors.

Stage for Success

Wow! The counter tops are free and clear of items and shine like a new kitchen. Now is the time to make your home look like it belongs on HGTV. Set the dining room table with neutral but nice dishes and placemats. Change out all light bulbs so lighting is consistent and bright. Arrange the furniture so rooms look open and comfortable. Make all the beds and hide daily items like toothbrushes and laundry baskets. Frame windows with light or sheer drapery so they allow light to enter.

Know that everything you do in the house is necessary outside as well. Keep porches and patios open and free from tools, toys, and unnecessary items. Take the time to clean up landscaping, trim trees and remove odd or dying plants. Power wash driveways and walkways and clean the outside window frames and glass. Repair any broken jalousie windows if you have them. Do all of this to make sure you highlight your home in the best possible way before selling your house in Hawaii.

If you would like more information about selling your house, give us a call at 808-333-3677 or fill out our contact form.