How To Prepare Your Home For Sale
!
What should I do before I put my home on the
market? Should I spruce it up or should I leave it alone and sell it as is?
This is the first question that a seller must confront when they are
contemplating the sale of their home!
Your first task is to determine what type of Real
Estate market you are in. Are you in an area where it is a sellers market
or a buyers market. Not all areas of the country will be in the same type
of market at the same time! I have seen both types of markets and there is
a big difference between the two.
In a Sellers market? In a buyers market?
What ever market you are in, you really want to know,
and track the activity in your area on a weekly if not daily basis. Find
out what the neighbor sold for and in how many days. Did it take him a
week to sell or did it take him a month. Was he priced lower that the last
sale or higher. Next, was he located in a more favorable spot in the
neighborhood or did he have a location that does not typically sell that well,
such as a home next to high power lines or a home that has a backyard that backs
up to a busy street. Location plays the biggest role in the sale price of
a home. A home with a beautiful $30,000.00 dollar pool, spa, and built in
BBQ sounds great, but not if the back yard has a freeway behind it.
Price: The sales price will be what a ready willing and
able buyer is willing to pay for your home. The simple fact is, that if
you sit on the market and don't get an offer, you are priced to high and you
still own the home. Price your home to sell and do not set an emotional
value on your home.
Tips To Stage Your Home For Sale
Fix up the inside. Badly faded walls, soiled or torn carpet reduce
appeal and first impressions. Selective painting and carpet cleaning can
add a fresh look and smell. Clean windows, unmarred walls, and open drapes
will create a bright cherry first impression.
Take a note book with you around the house and make a list of minor repairs,
such as, dripping faucets, faulty plumbing, loose doorknobs, broken locks,
sticky drawers or cabinet doors that don't close all the way! Pay special
attention to the plumbing issues. toilets that never shut off during a
showing can create a real negative atmosphere.
Curb appeal is important! Keep the lawn trimmed and edged, cultivate
the flower beds and take a walk around the entire yard and remove any trash or
clutter that you've accumulated over the years. Make sure the porch and
entry door are clean and if you need to paint or varnish the door, do it.
In all the years that I have worked with buyers the two most important areas
for cleanliness have always been the kitchen and baths. Make sure that all
the appliances, sinks and faucets are clean bright and free of any food grime,
such as in the microwave. Have the bathrooms sparkle. Get the shower
doors and tub enclosures clean and bright. Make it a habit to check these
rooms for cleanliness prior to leaving the home at all times.
Space is a critical issue for a lot of homes. I tell every seller to
take a tour of their home and look for two things.
# 1: Take inventory on all of the items that are laying around which you have
not used in over a month, and look for an over abundance of knickknack clutter.
# 2: Take a look at each room. Are there pieces of furniture that you
are not using or some pieces of furniture that are simply to large for the space
you have them in. Take These items and find an inexpensive storage unit
that you can put them in along with the boxes of unused items that you have
collecting from your tour above and put them in storage. Don't forget to
look in the closets and pack unused clothing and items that you have not used in
a year.
To Receive A Complete Copy Of The Home Sellers Hand Book, Which Includes Manny Other
Great features, Such As, A Closing Costs Checklist, Moving Checklist, And
Important Information On What To Expect During Your Escrow And During The
Inspection Periods Of Your Sale, complete the form below.
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