Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
If you haven’t heard it by now, the first impression is the only impression in the world of real estate. And there’s only a tiny window of opportunity to impress potential buyers when selling a lake home.
A savvy seller should be prepared to “WOW” prospects within the first 15 seconds of them arriving at the property. Stick to this checklist of things to do before putting your listing on the market, and you’ll build a solid foundation on which to sell your home.
Find a Good Real Estate Agent
One of the first things you need to do before listing your lake home is to hire a real estate agent. Be sure to enlist someone with localized expertise, in-depth market knowledge, and an extensive professional network. An agent with trusted, quality connections around town, such as buyers’ agents, professional photographers, home stagers, and home inspectors, can help simplify the home selling process.
Get a Pre-Listing Home Inspection
While most people associate home inspections with home-buying, there are advantages to getting a home inspected before putting it on the market. Your agent should be able to suggest obvious repairs for you to make around the house. However, a professional home inspector can provide nuanced details of every nook and cranny in your home, including any hidden problems.
Get Estimates
After the inspector has inspected your lake home, it’ll provide insight into how much repairs will cost. Lake home maintenance is often more expensive than off-lake homes, so be prepared for a potentially higher price tag. You can rectify every single problem or tackle the big projects and leave minor fixes for the new owners. Either way, it’s best to be proactive about major expenses rather than reactive.
Prepare the Paperwork
Buyers like to ask a lot of questions, and rightfully so. Ensure all relevant documentation and paperwork are ready to present should any questions arise. Documents include the house deed, appliance warranties, instruction manuals, utility bills, title reports, dock permits, etc.
Provide Home Access
Your real estate agent will need access to your home nearly 24/7 to show off the property. So unless you plan on sitting at home all day waiting for potential buyers, get the agent some keys or passcodes.
Declutter and Depersonalize
Sadly, you’ll need to take down the baby pictures and remove the trophies on the mantle. While it is still technically your home, it shouldn’t look like it to potential buyers. By neutralizing everything with your personal stamp on it, you allow buyers to envision themselves in the home. Remember to clean out the closets to make them look as spacious as possible. Consider renting a storage unit to keep all the extra clutter in. Or, if you would rather remove old junk yourself, garage sales are a great way to have strangers clear your house out for you.
Clean, Clean, CLEAN!
Now that you’ve removed unnecessary clutter and personal items, clean everything. Patch up any holes in the walls, scrub between the tiles, and focus on the bathrooms and kitchen for a whole day. Don’t forget about tackling forgotten-about spaces like baseboards, banisters, and windows. Your house should sparkle once you’ve used all the bleach you own and fluffed out every pillow. Remember that you’ll have to work to keep it that way.
Hire a Professional Home Stager
Staging a home aims to help potential buyers envision the property as their own. The stager will use design and conceptualization techniques to maximize your home’s strengths and downplay the weaknesses.
Boost Your Curb (and Shore) Appeal
True-first impressions happen curbside, so be sure to spruce up the front and backyard of your home. Make the front door more attractive by adding new house numbers and painting them to increase visibility. Adding string lights to a personal dock can be a great way to set your lake home apart from all the others. And be sure to remove any kids’ or pets’ toys from the backyard.
Online Appeal
Professional MLS photos are still imperative for any real estate listing. According to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, all home buyers used the Internet to search for a home, with 41% stating that photos were the most valuable content. In addition, 39% found detailed property information as the second-most valuable content on the web, so be sure to provide clear and accurate information about your lake home or property. Virtual, 3-D video tours are gaining traction as a popular tool for home buyers, allowing for an engaging content source that can be shared on websites and social media.
Price It Right
Nothing can ruin a home sale quite like sticker shock. An inflated listing price can quickly put a bad taste in buyers’ mouths, and price drops come with their own consequences. So, when setting the asking price, be sure to consult a lake market expert. And always remember: buyers don’t care what you need for the home; they only care about what the home is actually worth.
As a seller, it’s important to remember that every move you make matters. It’s your job to convince buyers that your property is worth investing in. By checking off every item on this to-do list before putting your listing on the market, you’ll increase your chances of a quick and successful sale.