Cynthia Trapp
Licensed in MI & IN Managing Broker, Edwardsburg & Niles Offices
REALTOR®, RSPS, SRS, ABR, GRI
At Home in Southwest Michigan
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December
31
31
Is Your Home Ready To Hit The Market?
You've made up your mind that you're going to sell your home. But if you're unsure where to begin, it's easy to quickly feel out of your element. Here are some not-so-obvious steps you can take to make sure that your home is ready to hit the market.
First, you should take an honest look at your house. Can you spot any safety issues? Are there any needed repairs that you've just learned to live with? Be proactive and fix them now so a potential buyer won't have to point them out later, or worse yet, walk away from the sale if problems are revealed. But if you feel like you're in over your head, you should consider hiring a home inspector. Pre-listing inspections by a qualified professional can take the guesswork out of what needs to be corrected and increase the chances that your home sale will go through without a hitch.
Once any repairs are made, you should take another look at your home. This time, try to imagine how someone else would see it. We all have a tendency to become "clutter blind" to our own homes. Walk through room by room and make a list of items that can be tossed, sold or stored away. Include anything that is too personal, like collections or family photos. Don't overlook furniture – many times we have extra end tables or ottomans which crowd a room. Then, follow through and take care of the items on that list. Removing all the unnecessary things can make your rooms feel larger, a definite plus when it comes to selling.
Enlist a trusted friend to help you identify any bad odors. Our sense of smell dulls to the environment we are used to, making it nearly impossible to detect problem areas by yourself. But you can be sure that buyers and their agents will note the smells in your home. Unpleasant odors will quickly drive away buyers who otherwise like your house.
It definitely pays to clean your house thoroughly before strangers come through. Paying attention to details like vacuuming inside closets and wiping marks off the door frames can pay big dividends in terms of overall impression. The better cared-for your home is the more perceived value it will hold in the minds of potential buyers.
Calling in a real estate professional early in the process can save you time and hassle. As an experienced REALTOR® and a Sellers Representative Specialist, I can point out things you might have missed and make other suggestions. I'll put you in touch with trusted professionals for the services you need, and evaluate your home's worth in light of current market conditions so you can make an informed decision on pricing.
It seems like a mountain of work, but addressing these details up front will greatly increase your chances of having a quicker sale at a higher price.
Disclaimer: All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. All properties are subject to prior sale, change or withdrawal. Neither listing broker(s) or information provider(s) shall be responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, misprints and shall be held totally harmless. Listing(s) information is provided for consumers personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Information on this site was last updated 04/28/2026. The listing information on this page last changed on 04/28/2026. The data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange program of Delta Media Group MLS (last updated Tue 04/28/2026 5:12:39 AM EST) or MichRic (Michigan Regional Information Center) (last updated Mon 04/27/2026 11:17:29 PM EST) or NIRA MLS (last updated Mon 04/27/2026 11:04:46 PM EST) or IRMLS (last updated Mon 04/27/2026 11:12:01 PM EST). Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Cressy & Everett Real Estate may be marked with the Internet Data Exchange logo and detailed information about those properties will include the name of the listing broker(s) when required by the MLS. All rights reserved.
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Agency License Information: Cressy & Everett Real Estate is licensed in the states of Indiana and Michigan.
Agent License Information: Cynthia Trapp is licensed to sell real estate in the states of Michigan & Indiana.