Thinking about selling a house fast?
One thing most homeowners fail to realize is how powerful cleanliness is.
Think about it.
When buyers walk onto a listing’s property, they instantly make judgments.
If the home looks dirty and cluttered before they even step through the front door, they know it.
But it’s not just about aesthetics.
Here’s what you should know…
Keeping your home clean and organized can directly impact how quickly you sell and how much money you make when selling your house. Whether looking to list traditionally or sell Cabot Arkansas house properties in as-is condition, presentation still plays a huge role in speeding up the process.
The best part?
- It costs nothing
- It doesn’t take much effort
The dirty little secret about cleaning your home prior to selling is that most homeowners simply don’t do it. They overlook this important step, and it costs them time and money when they could’ve sold quicker.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Why Keeping Things Clean Helps You Sell Faster
- Which Rooms Are Your “Make or Break” Rooms?
- How To Declutter and Organize Your Home
- Selling Your House As-Is (When It Makes Sense)
Why Cleaning Your Home Helps Sell Faster
Buyers are shopping for more than a house.
They want an emotional connection to the property they move into.
When they walk into a dirty house with family photos hung all over the walls, dirty carpet, and crowded closets… they don’t know you.
Instead, they see your clutter and dirt.
Emotion is erased and the home immediately falls to the bottom of their list.
Recent surveys conducted by the National Association of Realtors on home staging show 46% of sellers’ agents found that staged homes sold faster than non-staged properties.
Now while staging refers to furniture and decor, cleanliness is a big part of that ‘showing-ready’ condition.
You can dramatically increase your odds of selling faster by skipping the stager and simply cleaning your home top to bottom.
Again, buyers want to see themselves in your home.
And when they’re wondering where they would put their stuff because your closets are overflowing, they won’t buy.
Which Rooms Are Your “Make or Break” Rooms?
While every room should be neat and tidy before showing, there are certain spaces that hold more weight than others.
The living room is where you need to focus most of your attention.
Buyers walk into your home and the first thing they should notice is your living room. Once they walk inside, that’s your chance to grab them and never let go.
Make sure the living room is clutter-free and clean.
Then, circle back to these rooms and make sure they’re showing-ready:
- Kitchen: Clean countertops are a MUST. Cluttered kitchens scare buyers because they know they won’t fit their stuff.
- Main Bedroom: Think barefoot. Make sure this room feels like a relaxing retreat by removing excessive furniture and decor.
- Bathrooms: This one should go without saying, but clean your bathrooms! There’s nothing worse than a dirty bathroom. It really cleans the entire vibe of your home.
On top of quicker sales, staging and cleaning were also reported to increase offer price by 1-10%.
Sellers who took the time to keep things clean and show-ready were greeted with higher offers because buyers were emotionally attached to the property.
Let’s say your house is priced at $300,000. Keeping it clean can net you an extra $3,000 – $30,000!
How to Declutter and Organize Your Home
Believe it or not, cleaning your home for showings isn’t all that complicated.
Sure, some people love to go all out and hire a professional organizer. If you have that kind of budget, go for it!
But on average, most people can clean and declutter their home with little-to-no effort.
Start with decluttering. This is step number one for a reason. More realtors suggest decluttering over any other home prep task. Throw or donate anything that doesn’t need to be in your home.
To declutter properly, follow a simple process:
- Keep – Throw everything back where it goes that either has a specific place or you need for showing
- Donate – If it’s in good condition but you know you’ll never use it again, pack it away for donation
- Trash – Broken toys, old magazines, outdated decor. Trash it.
You’ll be surprised at how much junk you accumulate over time. And most of it isn’t necessary when showing your home.
Now that you’ve decluttered your home top to bottom, it’s time to clean.
Don’t worry… You don’t have to go crazy. A simple cleaning routine should do the trick.
- Give your home a deep clean (wash the walls, floors, ceilings, etc.)
- Clean all windows
- Wipe down kitchen appliances
- Make sure your home smells good (avoid overpowering smells like incense and candles)
Lastly, you’ll want to depersonalize your home.
Removing personal items allows buyers to envision themselves living there with their family.
Kids drawings on the fridge, family photos hung on the wall, and crazy collections are a few things you’ll want to put away before showing.
Selling Your House As-Is
Let’s face it.
Life gets busy.
When you’ve decided to sell your home ‘as-is’, spending time cleaning might not be your top priority.
Whether you’re moving for a job, haven’t lived in the home in years, or just haven’t gotten around to it… Life happens.
Here’s the good news.
Selling your home as-is doesn’t mean you shouldn’t at least tidy up the place.
Throw the trash out. Wipe down surfaces. Make sure your home smells good.
You don’t need to go crazy with your cleaning, but making an effort can still increase your chances of selling faster and for more money.
What does “selling your home as-is” mean anyways?
Typically, when most homeowners think about selling their house, they imagine completing a series of repairs, tossing out excess junk, and maybe hiring a professional stager.
Selling your house as-is means you do none of that.
Your home is accepted by the buyer in its current state. No alterations are made except those that are required by law.
Many people sell their house as-is because they have properties that need major repairs. When selling traditionally, these repairs often cost the homeowner more money than they could ever hope to gain back by selling.
Bottom line…
If you’re short on time, selling your home as-is can allow you to get rid of your house in a matter of days.
Just remember, even when selling as-is, try to at least clean your home before showing.
Wrapping Things Up
Your home being clean and organized can help you sell faster and for more money.
Simple as that.
Every seller should make cleaning a priority when showing their home. You never know which buyer is walking through your front door and what they could offer.
Here’s your final checklist to selling your home fast with a clean home:
- Declutter EVERYTHING
- Pay special attention to high-traffic rooms
- Deep clean your home inside and out
- Don’t forget to depersonalize
- Lastly, clean even when selling as-is
Happy selling!