If your elderly parents have lived in the same house for decades, chances are you’ve got a LOT of preparation to do to help them get their home ready for sell. Here are five important first steps to get you started.
De-clutter. It’s difficult for potential home buyers to see themselves in your home if it’s full of stuff. Do a room-by-room assessment and pack away anything not essential your parent’s daily living – like knickknacks, piles of magazines and newspapers, remove most books from bookcases, clear off the tops of dressers, chests and counters. Donate or throw away anything they don’t want to keep and move the remaining items to a storage facility or someplace else outside the home.
Remove personal effects. Take down photos and portraits, trophies and awards, and put away family antiques and heirlooms. It’s important that potential buyers see themselves in your house, creating their own memories, not replacing yours.
Clean First. Clean the house from top to bottom, inside and out. Vacuum carpets, polish hardwood and vinyl and tile floors. Clean under and behind appliances, dust baseboards and doors. Wash the windows, pressure wash the exterior of the house, driveways and sidewalks. Sweep off the roof and clean out the gutters.
Curb appeal. Your landscaping and exterior of the house is just as important as the interior. After all, it’s the first impression buyers get when they come see your house. Make sure the lawn is mowed and shrubs are trimmed, and repair loose bricks or posts on the front entry way.
Remodel and repair. Fix minor things that are broken or not working properly like leaking faucets, crumbling grout, holes in walls, broken door latches, damaged flooring and cracked windows. Make sure light bulbs are burning, ceiling fans are running and appliances are working.
Your Next Move can help you locate the perfect senior housing for your aging loved one. Our team of relocation specialists are also with you through every step of the transition process including home sale, downsizing, estate sales and moving household goods.
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Your Next Move, Easing Your Senior Transition
Julie Kopetsky, President