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Preparing to Sell
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Written by Pam Minter
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Sunday, 30 April 2006 |
 Before the “For Sale” sign is placed in the front yard and the realtor sets up
an Open House, there are a few things to do. Selling your home is a major
decision. Once you’ve decided, it needs to be approached with careful planning.
After all, most people have invested more in their home than any other purchase
and the goal should be to walk away with a profit.
If you are thinking,
“What do I need to do to sell this house?” that is a reasonable question and you
might need to get a little advice. An experienced realtor can usually help by
pointing out the negatives that a potential buyer might find with your house.
Most of us think our house is just fine and the style is perfect for our family.
We might not realize how worn or out of style some things in the home have
become.
If you want your house to attract potential buyers and impress
them, you may have to consider a few changes. Try to avoid emotional attachments
and don’t be personally offended by anyone’s suggestions.
First
Impressions
The first place to begin is the exterior of the house and the
landscaping. Take a walk and stand in the street in front of your house and
notice the overall first impression a buyer will see. Does it have a clean
welcoming appearance to the yard and exterior? The house especially needs
to
appear loved and well maintained. Let’s look at the important things you can do
to increase the curb appeal of your home.
Exterior Improvements and
Suggestions
• Make sure the yard is neatly mowed and maintained.
• All
shrubs should be pruned. If plants, trees or shrubs have become too large and
obstruct the view of the house or entrance, consider hiring professionals to
correct this.
• Check the driveway for stains and cracks. This can be quickly
improved with pressure washing and repairs.
• Look for mold, peeling paint
and needed repairs to the exterior of the house. If the house is an unusual
color, ask for an opinion about repainting it a more traditional color.
•
Inspect the gutters and roof for needed repairs. Make sure both are clean.
•
Look at your entrance to see if the door or hardware needs to be repaired or
replaced. A little fresh paint here can make a big difference. A new doormat
would also be good.
• Have all the windows sparkling clean.
• Plant a few
colorful plants close to the entrance or in pots on the porch.
• Make sure
there are no bikes or toys visible.
Interior Tour
To make sure your
home is being presented well and the best features are not missed, you will want
to take a careful look at the interior. It might be a good idea to put yourself
in the buyer’s shoes and take a tour of every room to inspect what might need to
be updated or improved. Check out the condition of your walls, floor coverings
and ceilings. If there are dirty spots that will disappear with a thorough
cleaning, then plan to do that. If your walls haven’t been painted in five or
more years, it might be a good time to consider giving them a new coat. Painting
is a low cost way to improve the look of your home. Consider going with warm
colors and muted tones to achieve a cozy feel to the house.
If your home
has been professionally decorated, you don’t need to worry about making major
color changes. In the past, many people thought you had to paint all the walls
off white to please the new owners. But as a matter of fact, that could come
across cold and uninviting. If a room is beautifully decorated that will impress
any potential buyer, even if it is not their favorite color.
One feature
that most people notice is the condition of the flooring. If it is wood, they
look to see if it needs refinishing. If there is carpet, they look for stains
and wear. If you get these floor coverings cleaned well and spots removed, most
people will be OK with a little wear. If the décor is outdated and the color and
type of carpet has long been out of style, you should consider purchasing a nice
quality trackless carpet.
Anything in an outdated color or style can be
distracting from the basic features of your home. This can leave a potential
buyer confused and not sure if they are getting a good value.
De-clutter
Most of us accumulate more collectables, souvenirs and stuff than we realize
until it comes time to move or sell our home. Inspect every shelf, wall, cabinet
and corner and start removing or packing items that appear cluttered. Most real
estate companies will suggest eliminating about 50% of your small decorative
items because it makes the house appear smaller. By removing the clutter from
every room, it will also make cleaning easier while the house is on the
market.
Some of us also collect furniture and have many more pieces than
we actually need. Look at the traffic areas and make sure there is plenty of
space to move and nothing appears to be crowded. Even if your favorite piece is
Grandma’s old rocking chair, it might make a room too crowded. Since you can’t
bear to part with it, you could simply store it until you are ready to move.
Make sure each room has an uncluttered look and no one will have difficulty
moving about.
Staging to Sell
A new service gaining popularity is
called “home staging”. If you feel your family’s busy schedule and lifestyle
will prevent you from getting your home presentable for that “Open House” your
real estate agent has planned, you might consider this service.
This
professional has been trained to quickly see what areas need to be rearranged
for a more pleasing look that will help sell your house. She can make
evaluations for improvements like painting, repairing or landscaping. She may
also have the necessary professionals available to do this for you. If your
agent doesn’t know of someone to do this service, check the Internet for
companies.
Kitchens & Bathrooms
In speaking with real estate
agents about what might stand out in a negative way, almost everyone said,
“kitchens and bathrooms that are dirty or outdated”. These rooms are very
important when selling your home. Hopefully your appliances in the kitchen have
been replaced since the 70’s and with a little cleaning and shining, they will
look presentable. If you have any appliance that is not in good condition, it
will distract from the entire room.
There are some great used appliance
stores that have slightly used appliances you could consider, although new would
be better. A total kitchen remodel is usually not a good investment unless it
can be done quickly and with a reasonable budgeted approach. Robert Irwin, a
real estate writer on www.owners.com said, “Studies indicate that even upgrading
the most important areas of the home, the kitchen and master bathroom, will
typically not yield a positive return on the investment.”
 Cosmetic
changes or smaller projects can make these rooms acceptable to the general
homebuyer. If cabinets need to be painted or cleaned, you may be surprised how
much newer they will look when you finish. Counter tops should be clean with no
cracks or damage. All faucets should be in good working condition with no rust.
Be sure to clean out the clutter along all counter tops.
In the
bathroom, consider new shower curtains and rugs to make it appear fresh and
stylish. The advice for this area is to keep it clean and sparkling, no matter
what the condition or age.
Inexpensive Ideas For Making a Great
Impression
• Let in the light by making sure all blinds are open for
prospective buyers. Most homes will look best in sunlight and give a feeling of
openness.
• Clean out the fireplace. Old burned wood and ashes create an odor
and look unsightly. You might prepare the fireplace as if you are ready to start
it or place candles inside if it is warm weather.
• Fresh new towels placed
in each bathroom are a great touch.
• Place bowls of potpourri or scented
oils in several areas to keep the home inviting.
• Make sure any plants look
healthy and if not, use a few silk plants. Remove any plants that are too large
or not adding to the uncluttered look.
• Make sure closets are neat and items
look organized.
You might be asking yourself how much time is needed to
prepare the house for selling. This will depend on what projects you decide to
tackle to make the home more marketable. If you can take a few weeks to handle
the basic cleaning, de-cluttering and repairs, that would be great. If you need
to schedule painting crews and any major projects, it could take
longer.
The end result will be a house that sells quickly and, hopefully,
at a price that makes you especially pleased.
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