Whether you have sold a handful of properties over the years, or you haven’t gone through the home selling process in ages… there are a few extra items to consider when selling your Sanibel home.
I know, I know, there are a ton of “tips to home selling” out there. Most offer the basic advice to preparing your home for the market. However, I thought it would be helpful for island residents and homeowners to get a few pointers from someone who has sold numerous homes right here on Sanibel and Captiva over the past several years.
So here they are…
The Top 10 “EXTRA” Tips for Selling Your Sanibel Home
Besides the general home-selling tips found in those other blogs, here are a few Sanibel specific home-selling tips to consider before putting your home on the market.
#1. Beware of the Salt and Sand
Salt and sand are present in all costal town’s, but especially here on the islands where we are surrounded by water. It’s a good practice to wash your front door and foyer, removing any beach residue in sight. I suggest putting out a fresh welcome mat, making sure buyers have a good first impression of your home, even before they walk through the door.
#2. Remove Extra Cars, Boats and Campers
Having an extra car in the driveway or garage isn’t a huge deal. However, you’ll want to consider moving any larger objects such as a camper, trailer, unused vehicles or even a pair of jet-skis. You don’t want potential buyers to be immediately distracted upon pulling into the driveway.
#3. Remember, Mailboxes Matter
Along the same lines of leaving a good first impression, your mailbox can say a lot about your property. You wouldn’t think so, but small details like this can set the tone for the entire showing. If your mailbox needs updating, you might want to consider a clean, simple “island-style” mailbox like some of the more conservative ones featured in our recent blog, “You Gotta Love Sanibel Mailboxes.”
#4. Downsize and Declutter
Okay, so this is a commonly suggested tip in most seller focused articles. However, I can’t stress it’s importance enough! Especially for the Sanibel shell collectors out there… Try to minimize the number of knick-knacks throughout your home. Simple decor like a few blue vases with flowers allows buyers to focus on the home’s size and living space rather than the interesting image or shell collection on the wall.
#5. Remove Personal Photos
Similarly, you’ll want to remove personal family portraits from the wall, yes, even those prized photos of the grandkids. If this is something that’s really hard for you, maybe you can leave a few of your favorites out, and have a plan of putting them away before showings and open houses.
#6. Stage Your Outdoor Living Space
Just like the inside of your home, it’s a good idea to stage your home’s outdoor spaces as well. Especially as the weather begins to cool, setting up an inviting outdoor area helps people to visualize themselves sitting outside enjoying a nice glass of wine as the sun sets.
#7. Don’t Forget Your Pool Area
Pools are one of the best selling features for Sanibel and Captiva homes. So you should highlight it! Stage your pool area with towels, books and items that present a nice visual for photos and in-person showings.
#8. Replace or Repair and Rotting Wood
With the salty air and rainy season comes the possibility of rotten wood. The most common areas to rot and weaken are stairways leading to the home or out to the pool. Make sure to have your contractor not only inspect your home for rotting wood, but also the materials and hardware located beneath the rotting wood and make repairs if needed.
#9. Inform Your Landscaping Company
It’s a good practice to let your landscaping company know you are selling your Sanibel home. Make sure they maintain a well-manicured lawn, and that they replace the “for sale” sign after the completion of their work. You’d be surprised how many companies remove the sign to cut the grass, and forget to replace it before leaving. Oops!
#10. Have A Pet Plan
While potential buyers might love your sweet and harmless pup, its a best practice to remove pets while your home is being shown to potential buyers. Again, its important to reduce the amount of distractions, which not only include barking or meowing, but also any smells that come from animals, their food bowls, and litter pans.
I hope these tips help in your home sale preparations! If you’d like specific recommendations for your home, I’d be happy to come preview your place and provide my feedback. Don’t hesitate to give me a call – (239) 472-1950.
