Home-for-sale  Preparation Tips!


4 factors YOU  control  greatly  determine

the  activity  your  home  will  receive. 

  • First the marketing plan which you develop with or without the assistance of an agent. Maybe just a simple ForSaleByOwner (FSBO) sign to an elaborate marketing plan which may include any number of advertising tools and  the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Good marketing gets them to your street and in front of your home.
  • Second the price you ask for your home.  Price can overcome a lot of problems.  Price the property  too high and they will just drive-by and keep on driving.
  • Third the outside appearance . First impressions are the most lasting!
  • and Fourth the overall condition of your home inside & out.

"Judging a Book by its Cover"

Outside  Suggestions

1. Vegetation should accent but never over power a house.  Well trimmed, small bushes etc. will look inviting while large shrubs, possibly covering the windows, age a home making it look less desirable. So trim the bushes and consider even removing and replacing the real large ones that are overgrown. This could have the biggest impact for the cost. Check out your neighbors and possibly ask for other opinions on your landscaping and exterior appearance.

2. Lawn care greatly adds to "value" but needs to start possibly the year before. Good "weed & feed" watering, and time, with regular cutting, will do much to establish a good lawn. Need some lawn care suggestions, check out lawn care books by Jerry Baker .

3. Remove discoloration and any old or flaking paint. Pressure wash driveway and walkways, remove mildew especially on brick and wood work, all big detractors. Do you need to paint trim?  Outside needs to "shine".

4. Replace all wood rot. It will generally be required to be replaced by some inspector or appraiser along the way, might as well do it before marketing the home and reap the benefits.

5. Check with your local nursery, K-mart, Walmart,  Lowes, Home Depot, or Southern Homes & Gardens for annuals and plantings which are in season to add some inviting color to the front of your home.

6. Wooden decks, rails and fences should all be in good repair. Sagging gates should be adjusted so they move freely.

7. Final reminder - at no time should vegetation encumber or encroach walkways, driveways, or porches. It is not to cover the windows. Trim the shrubs, vines, bushes etc. for a clean and airy, like new look.

8.  To make the house "smile" consider removing the screens in the front windows.  The screens make the front look less appealing and how many people actually open windows in their home?  The screens removed will allow additional outside light to shine into the home. Store the screens since you will need them when you sell.  Truly an idea costing no money, requiring a small amount of work and producing a "lot of bang for the buck".

9. Get rid of all outside trash which will not be making the move. i.e. old cars, children toys which should go to Good Will, old hoses unused since... well you get the picture!

10. Hey! we get the outside all fixed up you may start asking your self "Why Move?"

INSIDE,

Going for the Sale!

Remember some factors you do not control like the location of your home. And while the marketing plan, price and outside appearance are factors which help bring buyers in the front door, the inside appearance, which you do control, will be a major factor in establishing value. Value is determined by the buyer in the form of an offer. If a person is knowledgeable on the area and knows the price and chooses to "see" the home, then they are active potential buyers looking for value in your home. After enough potential buyers see your home and no offer is forthcoming than price and/or interior factors need to be reexamined for change or upgrade,

Inside Suggestions:

1. Where vegetation was the key word on the outside, Clutter is the key word on the inside. Get Rid of It ALL! You should be thinking, now that I am selling, let's get ready to move and box up those items which I seldom use.

2. All counters should be free from all but the most used appliance(s). If it is not used daily find a cupboard and store it. Spice racks, storage containers, chopping boards, mixers, etc. all gone. The best counter is one that is totally clean. The refrigerator also needs to be totally clear including all that stuff on top and those items hanging on its side. Again we are striving for a totally clutter free appearance. Model homes sell quickly because they show well.  Make your home show like a model home.

For Sale

Dream Home!

People become buyers to achieve their dreams.  Build their dreams. Provide space so their dreams can be seen in your home, space so their dreams can breathe.  Space is what they are really buying. If your home is full of clutter , too much furniture, knickknacks of all sorts, your favorite collections of what ever, too many books, every toy imaginable, then you will damper & stifle their ability to dream. Buyers BUY their dreams, provide them  -

SPACE,  Space,

space, for their  dreams!
3.  Doors should shut and open freely, possibly time to oil hinges and adjust. They should not make noise.

4. Clean out closets which should now be spacious when the excess is put into storage. 

5. Clean rugs if needed. Should be a spot free appearance. Possibly check into having carpet professionally dyed to achieve a new appearance at a lower cost. Blue carpet to some buyers is very undesirable. 

6. All lights should work to include oven and exterior lights.

7. Nothing should be dripping unless you own a decorative fountain.

8. Painting provides a fresh look especially where needed. Neutral and light colors sell the best. Counters and appliances can now be professionally colorized with a multi-year warranty. This should be considered if your counters have very dated colors. This procedure should be done by a professional .

9. Want your house to sell at a higher price? A bright house sells better than a dark house. Natural day light is best but can be augmented with artificial light to achieve a bright appearance. Brighten by allowing more sun light into the house and brighter colors when painting. If you have the old dark walnut paneling, it is an excellent candidate for a coat of fresh "light" paint.

10. Clean and repair bathroom grout for a newer look. Bathrooms should not have a messy appearance. Possibly consider a new shower curtain if it needs to be changed and new towels while we are shopping.  Clorox has a new  product which works great when trying to "whiten" grout lines.  Check out their Bleach Pen.

11. Clean garage, no just kidding! some things probably are not going to happen.  People expect to see storage especially if you plan on moving. If more storage is needed you may want to consider renting a storage facility.

12. Smell seldom mentioned but a most powerful motivate. People usually equate smell with a feel for the house i.e. "this feels like home" may actually mean that this smells like the house where I live or have lived in the past. The house should have a clean smell free from pet  and smoke smells which especially offend some buyers. Professional carpet cleaning can sometimes assist to correct this problem. The solution is not to buy "plug ins" for each room. Masking odors are a detriment. Baking apple pie or cookies is a great idea but over a long selling period may be too fattening. Better idea is a little vanilla and cinnamon sticks in a small pot of simmering water. Note these are smells which you would expect to find in a kitchen. Possibly a little potpourri in the bathrooms.   Febreze is another product which really does work especially for dog and smoke odors on carpet and fabric.

And lastly make sure all systems are in good working order. Have air conditioning system checked for proper freon level, faucets and showers working correctly. Replace the switch that may be persnickety or the starter in the florescent light which blinks forever before it lights.

And if you are still wanting more FREE advice check out this outstanding site:

http://www.audrie.com/

Audrie lists many more pages of helpful advice on listing and selling your property.
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