5 Things To Do Before Selling My Own House

5 Things To Do Before Selling My Own House

As a Realtor, a big part of my job is to dole out advice to sellers about how to make their home look its best prior to listing it for sale. But I’m not just a Realtor, I am a homeowner too, and I am more than slightly embarrassed to admit that my house (as much as I love it) is really not up to my own listing standards…

Let me start by giving you some background on my house: in 2017, my husband and I moved to a lovely Hamilton neighbourhood in the west mountain to be closer to his parents. The home we bought is a small 1000 sqft brick bungalow, originally built in the 1950’s. Over the years we’ve done our fair share of updates to bring the house into the 21st century, such as: building a detached garage, replacing the original lead water lines, redoing the floors, upgrading the kitchen countertops and backsplash, etc. As a homeowner, I think our house is lovely, and perfect for our little family (being myself, my husband, and our two large dogs). But when I put my Realtor hat on, I know that there are some definite “to-do list” items that would have to be taken care of before I could even think about listing. So here’s the short-list of recommendations I’d make to myself before selling my own house:

1. Get rid of the tchotchkes:

You know those little knick-knacks and trinkets that seem to accumulate over the years? Yep, those are tchotchkes, and I am a sucker for them. From family heirlooms, to things I pick up at antique markets, I have gathered quite a few “things” over the years. And while they make great conversation starters, my Realtor brain knows that I will need to pack away those items that I display so proudly, and keep surfaces throughout the home clean and clear in order to list.

2. Paint the doors and trim:

A fresh coat of paint in general can work wonders, but for my home specifically, it is all about refreshing the doors and trim (not just the walls). Our doors are original to the home (from the 1950’s), each with a matching decorative wood detail. But it’s clear that they weren’t taken care of properly by the previous owners - there are layers of paint on them that are peeling and cracking. So I would want to take them off their hinges, sand them well, and give them a proper coat of bright white paint (I would try to get the layers of paint off of the hinges too while I’m at it) in order to showcase them as an original feature when selling.

3. Replace the shower curtain with a glass door:

If you have a bathtub or shower with a curtain, consider swapping it out for a sleek glass door - this has been on my honey-do list for years. You see, in our home we actually have a large frosted window in our tub/shower (very common for a 1950’s home, before ventilation fans were used) that provides tons of natural light in the bathroom. The footprint of our bathroom is also quite small, so having that glass door will both brighten things up and make the bathroom feel more spacious, which is a big plus for future buyers.

4. Set up the backyard patio:

Outdoor living spaces are a huge selling point, and the extra large backyard was actually one of the main reasons we bought this house. We spend so much time out back with the pups when the weather gets nice, and have done quite a lot to the backyard over the years because of that, like adding fresh sod, a huge concrete patio with pergola, a gas fire pit, outdoor lighting, etc. So even though we haven’t exactly been experiencing patio weather yet this year, I’d make sure to set up the backyard with our outdoor furniture, plants, and turn on the lights - really set the scene so that potential buyers will fall in love with the backyard, just like we did.

5. Change all the linens to white:

White linens have a hotel-like quality that feels luxurious and clean. So why don’t I currently have them in my own home? Two reasons: my dogs. I love them, but they constantly track dirt into the house… and as much as I try my best to keep things clean, any white linens that I’ve had would quickly get dirty and stained, never to be white again (even after bleaching them). So now, I lean towards darker coloured bedding and towels; it’s just easier. But that’s where staging comes in handy! While my home is on the market, I would swap out my darker linens for white ones. They make bedrooms look bigger, and make bathrooms look fresh and clean - as a Realtor, I know that one small change can make a huge difference.

So that’s it - I now have a decent-sized list of things to do before I can list my own home, and it’s all very doable. Making these types of recommendations is something I do on a regular basis as a Realtor, and though it may seem critical, it always comes from a place of wanting the very best outcome from my clients. Remember that how we want our homes to look in order to sell them, is not how we live in them - it’s plain and simple. Any advice I give to you is the same kind of advice that I would give to myself, and I’d take that advice any day!