Selling a Home

 




Preparing Your Home for Sale

Making your home look its best . . . is absolutely critical if you want to obtain the best price for it.

Start by putting yourself . . . in a potential buyer's shoes and looking honestly at your home's overall condition, its strongest and weakest features. Part of my job as your agent is to consult with you about how to emphasize the strong points and minimize the weak ones.

When you fill out the Residential Property Condition forms . . . you have to be honest about problems that may exist with the house and its mechanical systems. Now is the time to think about correcting those problems.

Buyers will use defects in the property . . . to negotiate a lower sale price and they'll be right to do so.

Outdoors . . . Walk slowly around the house a few times and spend some time looking at it from the street. "Curb appeal" goes a long way toward attracting buyers.

Are the grounds well kept and the lawn trimmed?

Would some new plantings enhance the look of the property?

Does your front door need painting?

Would the house benefit from a power wash?
It's much less expensive than a paint job.

What's the condition of the driveway?
Repaving can make the entire property look fresher.

Indoors . . . Once any major problems have been corrected, it's time to get your personal possessions organized. You're going to be moving at some point and it makes sense to pack things you don't need every day.

Decluttering the house . . . makes it look bigger.

Depersonalizing the house . . . makes it easier for potential buyers to imagine themselves living in it.

Keep the house organized and clean so it can be shown on short notice; pretend you're having guests for dinner every night.

Removing all nonessential items from your kitchen counters will make the entire room seem larger.

Clearing out closets and storing clothes you won't need for six months will have a similar effect.

Consider doing some interior painting if it's needed.

Refinishing worn hardwood floors is relatively inexpensive and will add greatly to your home's appeal.

When we get down to the business of getting your home ready to sell, I'll have more tips and suggestions for you.