Selling a home
As a homeowner, you can play an important part in the
timely sale of your property. When you take the following
steps, you’ll help your Realtor sell your home
faster, at the best possible price.
The easiest and most reliable way to improve the appeal of
your home is to enlist a quality home service professional.
The right professional can help you get everything in order
- from repainting the kitchen to providing a thorough
cleaning - so you can stay focused on more important
things.
1. Make the Most of that First Impression
A well-manicured lawn, neatly trimmed shrubs and a
clutter-free porch welcome prospects. So does a freshly
painted – or at least freshly scrubbed – front
door. If it’s autumn, rake the leaves. If it’s
winter, shovel the walkways. The fewer obstacles between
prospects and the true appeal of your home, the better.
2. Invest a Few Hours for Future Dividends
Here’s your chance to clean up in real estate. Clean
up the living room, the bathroom, the kitchen. If your
woodwork is scuffed or the paint is fading, consider some
minor redecoration. Fresh wallpaper adds charm and value to
your property. If you’re worried about time, hire
professional cleaners or painters to get your house ready.
Remember, prospects would rather see how great your home
really looks than hear how great it could look "with a
little work."
3. Check Faucets and Bulbs
Dripping water rattles the nerves, discolors sinks, and
suggests faulty or worn-out plumbing. Burned out bulbs or
faulty wiring leave prospects in the dark. Don’t let
little problems detract from what’s right with your
home.
4. Don’t Shut Out a Sale
If cabinets or closet doors stick in your home, you can be
sure they will also stick in a prospect’s mind.
Don’t try to explain away sticky situations when you
can easily plane them away. A little effort on your part
can smooth the way toward a closing.
5. Think Safety
Homeowners learn to live with all kinds of self-set booby
traps: roller skates on the stairs, festooned extension
cords, slippery throw rugs and low hanging overhead lights.
Make your residence as non-perilous as possible for
uninitiated visitors.
6. Make Room for Space
Remember, potential buyers are looking for more than just
comfortable living space. They’re looking for storage
space, too. Make sure your attic and basement are clean and
free of unnecessary items.
7. Consider Your Closets
The better organized a closet, the larger it appears.
Now’s the time to box up those unwanted clothes and
donate them to charity.
8. Make Your Bathroom Sparkle
Bathrooms sell homes, so let them shine. Check and repair
damaged or unsightly caulking in the tubs and showers. For
added allure, display your best towels, mats, and shower
curtains.
9. Create Dream Bedrooms
Wake up prospects to the cozy comforts of your bedrooms.
For a spacious look, get rid of excess furniture. Colorful
bedspreads and fresh curtains are a must.
10. Open up in the Daytime
Let the sun shine in! Pull back your curtains and drapes so
prospects can see how bright and cheery your home is.
11. Lighten up at Night
Turn on the excitement by turning on all your
lights - both inside and outside - when showing your home
in the evening. Lights add color and warmth, and make
prospects feel welcome.
12. Avoid Crowd Scenes
Potential buyers often feel like intruders when they enter
a home filled with people. Rather than giving your house
the attention it deserves, they're likely to hurry through.
Keep the company present to a minimum.
13. Watch Your Pets
Dogs and cats are great companions, but not when you're
showing your home. Pets have a talent for getting
underfoot. So do everybody a favor: Keep Kitty and Spot
outside, or at least out of the way.
14. Think Volume
Rock-and-roll will never die. But it might kill a real
estate transaction. When it's time to show your home, it's
time to turn down the stereo or TV.
15. Relax
Be friendly, but don't try to force conversation. Prospects
want to view your home with a minimum of distraction.
16. Don't Apologize
No matter how humble your abode, never apologize for its
shortcomings. If a prospect volunteers a derogatory comment
about your home's appearance, let your experienced Realtor
handle the situation.
17. Keep a Low Profile
Nobody knows your home as well as you do. But Realtors know
buyers - what they need and what they want. Your Realtor
will have an easier time articulating the virtues of your
home if you stay in the background.
18. Don't Turn Your Home into a Second-Hand Store
When prospects come to view your home, don't distract them
with offers to sell those furnishings you no longer need.
You may lose the biggest sale of all.
19. Defer to Experience - It's the Experience®
When prospects want to talk price, terms, or other real
estate matters, let them speak to an expert - your Real
Estate professional.
20. Help Your Agent
Your Realtor will have an easier time selling your home if
showings are scheduled through his or her office. You'll
appreciate the results!
