How to Get Your House Ready to Sell in 30 Days

If you’re like most people selling a home in Aspen, you need to know exactly what to do to get it ready for buyers – and this guide walks you through the process so you can get it all done in 30 days. You might have longer, but knowing how to get your house ready to sell in 30 days is as simple as following these seven steps.

To get your house ready to sell in 30 days, you’re going to have to do a little legwork – but don’t stress too much. Your Aspen REALTOR® will be there to help you every step of the way. In the meantime, here are seven steps you can take to prep your space:

Walk through your house with your REALTOR
Settle on a listing price
Create your budget for updates, repairs and upgrades
Hire contractors
Declutter, depersonalize and stage your space
Replace dated fixtures and make DIY repairs
Spruce up your curb appeal

Here’s a closer look at each.

Step 1: Walk Through Your House With Your REALTOR

Timeframe: Week 1
Difficulty level: Easy
Schedule a time to walk through your entire home with your REALTOR. Your agent is there to guide you – and he or she will let you know which areas of your home need a little TLC before you put it on the market. The walkthrough is also important so that your REALTOR can determine the right asking price. You’ll get an exact number, backed by facts and data, so you know how you should price your home to sell it quickly.

Step 2: Settle on a Listing Price

Timeframe: Week 1
Difficulty Level: Moderate
You’d think pricing your home would be easy, right? (It is, provided that you trust your REALTOR’s judgment – but you’ll still have a little leeway on pricing.)
Your agent will tell you how much a buyer is likely to be willing to pay for your home based on its current condition, size, age, location and a variety of other factors. He or she will also let you know how the upgrades, updates and repairs will affect what a buyer is willing to pay.
The trouble many people run into involves sentimental value, though. Many people are attached to their homes – even people who want to sell in 30 days or less – and they end up conflating sentimental value with monetary value. The bottom line is that your home is only worth what a buyer is willing to pay for it, which means you have to go on facts and market data to come up with an accurate price.

Step 3: Create Your Budget

Timeframe: Week 1
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Create a budget for repairs, upgrades and updates. Talk to your REALTOR about how much you can spend while still making the profit you want on your home. Remember, you’ll also have to pay for closing costs – so account for those, too.

Step 4: Declutter, Depersonalize and Stage

Timeframe: Week 2
Difficulty Level: Moderate
First things first: You need to declutter your house ruthlessly. Take out anything you haven’t used in 6 months or more. Buyers want to see that there’s plenty of space in your home for their belongings, so go through each room and remove unnecessary furniture and other items. You can put them in storage until you move into your next place.
Don’t forget to go through:

Cabinets and cupboards
Shelves
Drawers
Pantries
Storage areas

Get in your garage, too. You want to show buyers that there’s plenty of space for cars and storage in there.
After you’ve decluttered everything, it’s time for a deep-clean. For most people, the best thing to do is hire a professional cleaning company to come in and tackle the job. That way, although you’re spending some of your budget, you’re saving yourself hours of work. Remember, too, that professional cleaners know how to clean everything from top to bottom. They’ll hit all the hotspots, get behind the refrigerator, and make everything sparkle. All you have to do is maintain what they’ve done while your home is on the market.
Related: Everything you need to know about home staging

Step 5: Hire Contractors

Timeframe: Week 2
Difficulty Level: Easy
Hiring contractors to perform the work that you don’t want to – or can’t – perform is one of the easiest parts of getting your home ready to sell in 30 days. Just keep your budget in mind and be willing to make adjustments, and remember that you should only hire contractors who are licensed, bonded and insured.
Related: 5 things to do to sell your house quickly

Step 6: Replace Dated Fixtures and Make DIY Repairs

Timeframe: Week 3
Difficulty Level: Moderate to Difficult
You and your REALTOR may have identified outdated fixtures (such as light fixtures and faucets) around your home. The good news is that these things are usually easy DIY jobs, so you may be able to head to your favorite home improvement store to pick up modern fixtures and tackle the jobs yourself.
If you’re making other improvements or repairs to your home yourself, you’ll want to knock them all out during Week 3 so you have plenty of time.
Pro tip: Choose water-efficient faucets and shower heads, which can make buyers more interested in your home.

Step 7: Spruce Up Your Curb Appeal

Timeframe: Week 4
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Your house is just about to hit the market, so now’s the time to ensure your curb appeal is on-point. Invest in new house numbers, freshen up your mailbox, cut the grass and edge around the sidewalks. Add a few potted plants to your porch, fluff the cushions on your patio furniture and make sure your windows gleam from the outside.
Related: The 5 keys to front yard curb appeal

Are You Selling or Buying a Home in Aspen?

If you’re ready to sell your home in Aspen, Woody Creek, Basalt, Carbondale or Snowmass, we may be able to help you.
Get in touch with us right now to find out how much your home is worth – and discover how we’ll be able to help you sell it quickly and for top dollar.
If you’re also looking for a home for sale in Aspen or a nearby community, check out our listings by price: