When we get ready to place your home on the market, we will go through your house together. In the meantime, here are some “handy hints” for you to think about. If you follow the guidelines below, you will have an advantage over the competition already on the market. It is very important that a home “shows” well, and here are some ideas to help make that happen.
Inside:
1. Clear all unnecessary objects from furniture throughout the house. Keep decorative objects on the furniture to a minimum.
2. Clear all unnecessary objects from the kitchen countertops. If it hasn’t been used for several months…put it away! Clear the refrigerator fronts of messages, pictures, magnets, etc. If the kitchen is clear, the prospective buyers will mentally begin to move their own things into your kitchen!
3. In the bathroom, remove any unnecessary items from countertops, tubs, shower stalls and commode tops. Keep only your most needed cosmetics, brushes, perfumes, etc. in one small group on the counter. Coordinating towels are a nice touch.
4. Rearrange or remove some of the furniture if the room seems full. When it comes to selling, we need to make the rooms appear larger by having a balanced amount of furniture in them.
5. Take down or rearrange certain pictures or objects on the walls. Patch and paint if necessary.
6. Review the house inside room by room:
a) Paint any room needing attention
b) Clean carpets or drapes if necessary
c) Clean windows
7. Leave on certain lights during the day. During “showings,” turn on all lights and lamps.
8. Have your FM stereo on during the day playing some soft music for all showings.
9. Have a lock box on the property. Most agents will not take the time to show a property that does not have a lock box.
Outside:
1. Go around the perimeter of the house and move all garbage cans, discarded wood scraps, extra building materials, etc. into the garage.
2. Check gutters and/or roof for dry rot. Make sure gutters are free of debris.
3. Inspect all plants…prune bushes and trees. Keep plants from blocking windows.
4. Weed all planting areas. Keep your lawn freshly cut and fertilized. Remove any dead plants or shrubs.
5. Clear patios or decks of all small items, such as small planters, flower pots, charcoal, barbecues, toys, etc. (Put them in garage)
6. Check the paint condition of the house – especially the front door and trim. “Curb appeal” is very important!
In General:
Try to look at your house “through the buyer’s eyes” as though you’ve never seen it or been there before. Any time or money spent on the above items will bring you more money in return. And hopefully will result in a faster sale.
Working together, we will make a great team!
