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Preparing Your Home to Sell!
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Your real estate agent is highly trained in finding buyers and getting them to your home, but getting your home ready for prospective buyers is primarily
the owner's responsibility. The more effort you put into the presentation of your home before the buyers arrive, the more you'll get out of it when the buyers leave. Don't
be afraid to invest a few dollars into getting your home ready for showing. You'll get it back in the form of a higher selling price and a much faster sale. People make
decisions based in large part on emotions. What they see effects how they feel, and if they get good feelings about your home, they'll be more likely to buy it. Please
read through the following tips and then pay attention to detail...it will pay off!!
THE EXTERIOR
Lawn: Make sure the yard is neatly mowed, raked and swept.
Trees/Shrubs: Prune and shape them to make them compliment your home.
Flowers: Consider adding seasonal flowers or hanging a few strategically placed baskets of color flowers.
Sidewalks/Driveways: Sweep and wash away debris, dirt, and stains; repair and patch cracks; keep them free of snow and ice.
Painting: Repaint or touch-up as necessary; you can't find a better investment when selling your home; don't let the outside turn buyers off before the inside can turn them on.
Doors/Windows: See that all doors and windows are in good working order; clean and paint the doors if necessary; wash windows and replace broken or cracked panes; screens should be free of tears or holes; inspect all locks to ensure they're working properly.
Roofs/Gutters/Down Spouts: Check for loose or missing shingles; clean out gutters and down spouts; touch-up any peeling paint.
THE INTERIOR
Atmosphere: Place yourself in a potential buyer's shoes; keep color, lighting, and smell in mind as you go through this checklist; create the atmosphere of your home as a warm, safe, and secure environment.
Smell: A clean smelling home creates a positive image in the buyer's mind; be aware of any odors from cooking, tobacco, pets, etc., that may have adverse effects on a buyer; bring in 'friendly' odors such as freshly baked bread, holiday incense, etc.; accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative, so to speak.
Color: Be cautious when selecting color when painting or selecting carpet; the key is to promote your home to the largest segment of the buying market, and this is done via neutral colors.
Lighting: Take advantage of natural light as much as possible by cleaning windows and then opening shades and drapes; add lamps and lighting where necessary; be sure that all fixtures are clean, in working condition, and have functional light bulbs; increase the wattage of the bulbs in basements and garage areas; repair any broken switches.
Walls: Check for loose paint and peeling wall paper; repair cracks and holes.
Floors: Clean and sanitize all carpeting and area rugs; if carpet is really bad, replace it; at the very least, where wood floors are under carpeting, remove it...period; clean and polish linoleum, tile, and wood floors; if wood floors are really bad, consider refinishing them.
Closets: Have your closets clean and organized so they look as spacious as possible; empty closets of seasonal items and pack them away for the move.
Furniture: Arrange furniture so as to give rooms a feeling of spaciousness; avoid clutter; if you have items that you'll be discarding when you move; get rid of them now; pack up knick-knacks, both to protect them and to give a more spacious appearance; leave just enough 'personal' items out to give your house the feeling that it's your 'home'.
Woodwork: Clean and polish all the woodwork; pay particular attention of kitchen and bathroom cabinets.
Bathrooms: Cleanliness is the key; be sure that all surfaces are spotless; remove any non-skid decals that are in poor condition; replace worn and dirty shower curtains; clean and repair caulking and grouting; clean off countertops and store away personal items where possible; repair leaky faucets; unclog drains; clean and organize drawers; put out fancy towels; add a plant or two for freshness and color.
Fireplace: Sweep and clean the fireplace; place a few logs on the grate for appearances; in season, a lighted fire during showings adds warmth and additional atmosphere.
Appliances: Keep all appliances clean, bright, and shiny.
Dining Room: Consider adding fresh or silk flowers and setting the table with attractive place settings.
Kitchen: Avoid clutter; store small appliances where possible to maximize work space; clean and organize storage areas and pantries; sinks and countertops should be clean and fresh.
Basement/Attic: The basement and attic should be cleaned and organized; a basic rule of thumb would be that if you don't plan on taking it with you, get rid of it now; be sure the stairs are cleared, well lighted, and hand rails are secure.
Garage: Sweep and wash the floors to remove dirt and stains; organize garden tools, equipment, bicycles, etc.; the more you have neatly in a place, the larger the garage will look.
Items Not Included in the Sale: Where possible, store away or completely remove from house.
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Making Real Estate Easy ! !
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