Preparing Your San Francisco Property for Sale

Once you’ve established a selling price, there’s one more step before you go live on the market: get your San Francisco home ready for viewing! Buyers like to envision themselves living in your home and the following steps will make it appealing to as many buyers as possible.

Household Repairs

You know what they are — that leaky faucet, the overgrown landscaping, the burned out light bulbs— potential buyers don’t want to think about repairs. That’s especially true for larger fixes. Maybe you need to paint your living room or fix damaged flooring. You might even need to waterproof the basement, repair an outdated roof, or replace the water heater. Fix anything you wouldn’t want to have to fix if you were the buyer. Don’t give buyers an excuse to walk away without making an offer!

Cosmetic Changes

Make sure your San Francisco home’s best features are easy to see. Remove clutter,  put away laundry, clean off counters and table tops. The perceived size of your home is more important than the actual square footage. Oversized furniture can make your rooms seem smaller than they are, so consider removing larger items into storage to open up space. Dim lighting makes spaces seem tight, so make sure your windows are clean, leave the shades open and be sure all overhead lights and lamps are working at full capacity.

Staging your San Francisco Home

Having your home professionally staged can give you a significant advantage, especially in a buyer’s market. Stagers are trained to make your home appeal to the largest possible number of people, with stylish but neutral décor designed to emphasize the best features of your property. Staging can make your home seem bigger, brighter, and overall better than the competition. The cost of having your home staged is usually less than the amount of your first price reduction, and the positive impression it can make on a buyer justifies the expense!

Renovations

How does your San Francisco home compare to others of similar price in your neighborhood? Making updates can really pay off, but choose wisely—some changes have a bigger return than others. A new kitchen or an added bathroom can return 90% of your investment. Updates to an existing bathroom can return 80%. Finishing a basement on the other hand  returns only 40% on average. Be competitive in your market, but don’t over improve. Buyers may not think of paying for a second-story addition as a worthwhile investment in a neighborhood of one-story homes.

The goal is simple: make the best first impression. Scrutinize the competition and walk through your home with the same critical eye. Fix that doorbell. Move that chair so you can see the fireplace when you enter the room. Remember, a first impression is a lasting impression, and you want your San Francisco home to stand out.

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