Preparing Your Home to "Sell"
No matter what your reasons are to sell, remember
that now is no time to dawdle, the process of preparing a home
for sale can take a month or more. So, here's how to start:
1. Take a Fresh Look at Your Home
Your home looks great to you,
but a buyer wants to see it as he and his family will be living in it
-- so take a fresh look at your dwelling. Hop in your car, drive
around the block, and then scrutinize your home as a prospective
buyer will see it for the first time. First, consider what's
called "street appeal;" does it need washing or painting? Does the
driveway need repair work? Is the landscaping in good shape?
Remember, be very critical; your buyer will be.
Next, pull into the driveway
and take a good, hard look. Is the yard neat and trimmed? What
about the view from the front yard? Then, walk inside and size up
the interior as though seeing it for the first time; take a tour
and imagine what your real estate agent might say about each room,
look into cabinets, open doors, check out the bathroom.
Then, make a mental note of
the things that might put off potential buyers, along with
another list of the things that first attracted you to the dwelling.
Remember, the home's become a great place for you, but a new buyer
will see things that you don't.
2. Clean Out the Clutter Before You Start to
Sell
Before putting your home on
the market, get rid of clutter in every area -- closets, attic
storage, kitchen cabinets, drawers, bath vanities, shelves --
everywhere. Remember, this is no time to be sentimental: if you don't
use it, lose it. Potential buyers are seriously put off by clutter,
and most of us drag a lot more things through life than we really
need.
Also, don't forget the
furniture and fixtures when getting rid of clutter -- most of us
put too much in too little space, which makes a buying prospect think
your home is too small.
Then, have a great moving
sale with all the stuff you've collected and use the proceeds
for paint or whatever other materials you need for repair projects.
If you just can't bear to part with some possessions, store them in
the attic or some other place that's out of sight to a potential
buyer.
3. To Sell, Sell, Sell -- Clean, Clean, Clean
After you've cleared out the
clutter, it's time to really clean. Have the carpets professionally
cleaned, strip and polish the floors, scour the bathrooms, go over
the laundry room, polish the furniture, scour out the cabinets, wash
the windows and window coverings, and spiff up the ceiling fans and
kitchen appliances. In short, clean everything.
Don't forget the exterior;
paint or pressure wash everything that needs the work. Remember, this
is a ceiling-to-floor, roof-to-foundation clean-up project.
4. Get More for Your Home: Repairs Pay Off
After you've cleaned the place
to within an inch of its life, the next project is making all the
repairs necessary to attract a buyer.
So, patch up the roof, touch up
all the paint, repair the screens, spruce up the porch framing, and
make your entry area really shine. Don't forget to water the lawn and
landscape beds, and take the time to trim, mow, edge and get rid of
sick or dying plants. Inside, fix the grout in the bathrooms and on
tile floors, adjust any doors that need it, fix any scratches on the
walls, cover any stains, and be sure to fix any plumbing problems.
Remember, do what your home needs before the first buyer appears at
your door.
Also, it's a good idea to get
all this done before your real estate broker lists your home -- a
good agent will advise you on what needs to be done. Also, if you
have friends willing to be brutally honest about what your home needs
to sell, invite them to assess the fix-up needs.
There is, however, an
alternative to the sweat equity you get from a total fix-up --but it
carries a price. An "as-is" sale keeps you from doing all this work,
but a buyer will assess about twice the price you would have paid for
the repairs. Then, the buyer will deduct that amount from your asking
price before making an offer.
5. Putting Your Home on the Market: Show It to
Sell It
After you've, cleaned, shined,
mowed, and generally whipped your property into shape, it's time to
attract a buyer.
Regardless of who markets your
home, you or a broker, there are other, small things you must do to
attract buyers. For example, even if it's bright daylight, open the
blinds and turn on the lights. Also, open all the interior doors to
make the home appear more roomy. Be sure to remove all your kids and
pets -- they're cute, but a prospect wants to see your home, not your
pride and joy. In addition, make sure your pet's litter pan is clean
so the home smells clean and fresh, not like an air freshener.
Remember, you need to make sure your home is available to be seen
by a prospective buyer with as little notice as possible. That
means less than an hour, or even five minutes, if possible. Also,
park your car away from the property when it's time to show the
house. A buyer should not have to fight for a parking space when they
show up, it would leave them with just one more red flag.
6. Get a Sense of the Market
Before you put your home on
the market, take a weekend day to check out the competition:
homes with similar prices and in similar neighborhoods. Remember, you
don't have to go out and buy new furniture just to look like that
beautiful new model in the new development -- what you want is the
feel of that new model -- clean, uncluttered, and fresh.
Remember, after location, the most important to
item to a buyer is a well-maintained home. Many flaws can be
overlooked if the buyer knows he can move in without a lot of trouble
and expense.
Information provided by
The American Homeowners Association, Copyright© 1996
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