Top Dollar For your Home In The Shortest Amount Of Time
Your property is for sale, and you are getting ready to move on. Now is the time to transform your property from a warm cozy home to a neutral consumer friendly product. Please take a few minutes to read this Smart Sellers Guide to "Pricing & Preparing Your Property For Sale In Today's Market!"
Your property will be competing with hundreds of area properties for top dollar. Homebuyers aren´t only looking at pre-owned homes, they are also touring and considering new construction.Not just in one neighborhood, but more often their search includes an entire School District or County.
The House Exterior
There are many reasons for starting with the exterior: One reason is, the exterior is a homebuyer´s first impression of a potential home and is based on his or her reaction to the house from the real estate agent´s car (curb appeal). Another reason is because preparing the exterior of the house is usually easier and more fun. Looking objectively at the exterior of your house can help you develop the proper mindset required for selling, which is beginning to think of your home as a marketable commodity. So take a walk across the street and take a good look at your house. Look at nearby houses too, and see how yours compares.
When you look at your house from across the street, does it look tired and faded? If so, a paint job may be in order. It is often a very good investment and really spruces up the appearance of a house, adding dollars to offers from potential homebuyers. When choosing a color, it should not be something garish and unusual, but a color that fits well in your neighborhood. Of course, the color also depends on the style of your house, too. For some reason, different shades of pale yellow seem to stimulate the best response from homebuyers, whether it is in the trim or the basic color of the house.
The Front Door
The front door should be especially sharp, since it is the entryway into the house. Polish the door hardware so it gleams. If the door needs refinishing, polishing, cleaning or repainting, make sure to get that done. If you have a cute little plaque or shingle with your family name on it, remove it. Even if it is just on the mailbox. You can always put it up again once you move. Get a new plush door mat, too. This is something else you can take with you once you move. Make sure the lock works easily and the key fits properly. When a homebuyer comes to visit your home, the agent uses the key from the lock box to unlock the door. If there is trouble working the lock while everyone else stands around twiddling their thumbs, this sends a negative first impression to prospective homebuyers.
Windows & Doors
Check all of your windows to make sure they open and close easily. If not, a spray of WD40 often helps. Make sure there are no cracked or broken windowpanes. If there are, replace them before you begin showing your home. Do the same things with the doors; make sure they open and close properly, without creaking. If they don't, a shot of WD40 on the hinges usually makes the creak go away. Be sure the doorknobs turn easily, and that they are cleaned and polished to look sharp. As buyers go from room to room, someone opens each door and you want to do everything necessary to create a positive impression.
The Roof
As for the roof, if you know your house has an old leaky roof, replace it. If you do not replace a leaky roof, you are going to have to disclose it and the buyer will want a new roof anyway. Otherwise, wait and see what the home inspector says.
The Back Yard
The back yard should be tidy. If you have a pool or spa, keep it freshly maintained and constantly cleaned. For those that have dogs, be sure to constantly keep thearea clear of "debris." If you have swing sets or anything elaborate for your kids, it probably makes more sense to remove them than to leave them in place. They take up room, and you want your back yard to appear spacious, and as relaxing as possible, especially in newer homes where the yards are not as large or as mature.
The Front Yard
Is your landscaping average for the neighborhood? If it is not, buy a few shrubs and plant them. Do not put in trees. Mature trees are expensive, and you will not get back your investment. Also, immature trees do not really add much to the appearance value of the home. If you have an area for flowers, buy mature colorful flowers and plant them. They add a splash of vibrancy and color, creating a favorable first impression. Do not buy bulbs or seeds and plant them. They will not mature fast enough to create the desired effect and you certainly don´t want a patch of brown earth for homebuyers to view. Your lawn should be evenly cut, freshly edged, well watered, and free of brown spots. If there are problems with your lawn, you should probably take care of them before working on the inside of your home. This is because certain areas may need re-sodding, and you want to give the new sod a chance to grow so areas are not immediately apparent. Plus, you might want to give fertilizer enough time to be effective. Always rake up loose leaves and grass cuttings.
Cleaning & Packing
This is the hardest thing for most people to do because they are emotionally attachedto everything in the house. Sometimes after years of living in the same home, clutter collects in such a way that it may not be evident to the homeowner. However, it does affect the way buyers see the property, even if you do not realize it. Clutter collects on shelves, counter tops, drawers, closets, garages, attics, and basements. Take a step back and pretend you are a buyer. Let a friend help point out problem areas, as long as you can accept their views without getting offended. Let your agent make suggestions, too. Now is the time to start packing, giving away or selling all of the unwanted objects in your property that you have been holding on to.
Kitchen Clutter
The kitchen is a good place to start removing clutter, because it is an easy place to build clutter. First, get everything off of the counters. Everything, even the toaster. Put the toaster in a cabinet and take it out when you use it. Find a place where you can store everything in cabinets and drawers. Of course, you may notice that you do not have cabinet spaceto put everything. Clean them out. The dishes, pots and pans that rarely get used?Put them in a box, and place that box in storage. You see, homebuyers will open all of your cabinets and drawers, especially in the kitchen. They want to be sure there is enough room for their "stuff." If your kitchen cabinets, pantries, and drawers look jammed full, it sends a negative message to the buyer and does not promote an image of plentiful storage space. The best way to avoid that is to have as much "empty space" as possible. For that reason, if you have a "junk drawer," get rid of the junk. If you have a rarely used crock pot, put it in storage. Do this with every cabinet and drawer.
Create Open Space
If you have a large amount of food and other things crammed into the shelves or pantry, begin using them, especially canned goods. Canned goods are heavy and you don´t want to be lugging them to a new house, anyway, or paying a mover to do so. Let what you have on the shelves determine your menus and use up as much as you can. Beneath the sink is very critical, too. Make sure the area beneath the sink is as empty as possible, removing all extra cleaning supplies. You should scrub the area down as well, and determine if there are any tell-tale signs of water leaks that may cause a buyer to hesitate in buying your home.
Plumbing and Fixtures
All your sink fixtures should look shiny and new. If this cannot be accomplished by cleaning, buy new ones where needed. If you don´t buy something fancy, this can be accomplished inexpensively and they are fairly easy to install. Make sure all the hot and cold water knobs are easy to turn and that the faucets do not leak. If they do, replace the washers. It is not difficult at all. Check to make sure you have good water pressure and that there are no stains on any of the porcelain. If you have a difficult stain to remove, one trick is to hire a cleaning crew to go through and clean your home on a one-time basis. They seem to be wonderful at making stains go away.
Ceilings, Walls and Painting
Check all the ceilings for water stains. Sometimes old leaks leave stains, even after you have repaired the leak. Of course, if you do have a leak, you will have to get it repaired, whether it is a plumbing problem or the roof leaks. You should do the same for walls, looking for not only stains, but also areas where dirt has accumulated and you just may not have noticed. Plus, you may have an outdated color scheme. Painting can be your best investment when selling your home. It is not a very expensive operation and often you can do it yourself. Do not choose colors based on your own preferences, but based on what would appeal to the widest possible number of buyers. You should almost always choose an off-white color because white helps your rooms appear bright and spacious. Take time to clean and wipe those hard to reach places such as ceiling fans light fixtures and corners where the cobwebs gather.
Carpet and Flooring
If your carpet is newer and neutral in color you probably should do nothing more than hire a good carpet cleaner. But if your carpet is old, worn, or it is definitely an outdated style or color, you should consider going ahead and replacing it, with a medium grade and neutral color. Repair or replace broken floor tiles. Remember, you want to move. Your goal is simply to have as few negative impressions upon those who may want to purchase your property.
Closet Clutter
Closets are great for accumulating clutter, though you may not think of it as clutter. We are talking about extra clothes and shoes, things you rarely wear but cannot bear to be without. Do without these items for a couple of months by putting them in a box, because these items can make your closets look "crammed full".
Furniture Clutter
Many people have too much furniture in certain rooms, not too much for their own personal living needs, but too much to give the illusion of space that a homebuyer would like to see. You may want to tour some builder´s model homes to see how they place furniture in them. Observe how they place furniture in the models so you get some ideas on what to remove and what to leave in your house.
Storage Area Clutter
Basements, garages, attics, and sheds accumulate not only clutter, but junk.These areas should be as empty as possible so that buyers can imagine what they would do with the space. Remove anything that is not essential and take it to the storage area. Or have a garage sale.
Odor Control
For those who smoke, you might want to minimize smoking indoors while trying to sell your house. You could also purchase an ozone spray that helps to remove odors without creating a heavy or masking odor. Pets of all kinds create odors that you may have become use to, but are immediately noticeable to those with more finely tuned senses. For those with cats, be sure to empty kitty litter boxes daily. There are also products that you can sprinkle in a layer below the kitty litter that helps to control odor. For those with dogs, keep the dog outdoors as much as possible. You might also try sprinkling carpet freshener on the carpet on a periodic basis.
Lighting
Always leave a few lights on. Many times agents are showing your property andfive or six others all in a two hour time slot. The agent doesn't know your property and simply may not always take the necessary time to turn on/off the proper lighting. Certain times of the year it is also important to leave the yard lights on, especially the front porch light. This will show the property at its best after dark. Plus it will aid the Realtor in finding the key box and doorknob.
Vacant Properties
You had to move on to your new home. The good news is that vacant homes are easy to show, will show more often and appear bigger and cleaner because they are empty. It is easier for the buyer to see the benefits and features of the property plus buyers get the feeling that they can purchase the home and move in right away. Some things to remember about your vacant property is, for you to notify the insurance company, make certain the property is thoroughly or professionally cleaned after the movers are completely finished moving out your belongings. Leave the electricity, gas and water on. The house will show better plus the inspector will need them on for the inspection. Engage a lawn service company, a pool service company or Mansion Managers (house sitting service). Stop deliveries, newspaper and the mail.
Post Notes
Posted notes will help guided the way. Some sellers place a note on the interior door to the garage stating- "Please never lock this door."Other sellers might write"Please always lock this door." Some notes are about pets like"Please don´t let my cat in" or "Please don´t let my cat out." or "In case of a pet emergency please call me or my neighbor at the following numbers". Sometimes you may need to put this note on the outside of the front door "Please do not enter the property at this time!" or "Please come Back In 15- Minutes."
Pets
For everyone's safety including your pets, always secure pets in a safe private area of the property or remove pets when possible. Dogs of any size or breed seem very protective and aggressive when the sellers are not home. Cats on the other hand seem frightened and scared. Often they attempt to flee the property and when they do get out rarely are they captured by the buyer´s agent or the buyer. Sometimes its hours before the seller can be located.
Costs of Repairs
Do not do anything expensive, such as a total remodeling. If possible, use savings to pay for any necessary repairs and improvements.Please remember do not charge up credit cards, or obtain new loans. Part of selling a house is also preparing to buy your next home. You do not want to do anything that will affect your credit scores or hurt your ability to qualify for your next mortgage.I have attached a list of some local tradesman or service companies that may be of assistance to you.