As a homeowner, you can play a valuable role in the sale of your property. When you take the following steps, you'll help me sell your home faster, at the best possible price.
Curb Appeal is REAL!
A freshly cut lawn, well manicured 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.
Invest Some Time and Effort
Clean up in the living room, the bathroom, the kitchen. If your woodwork is scuffed or the paint is fading, consider some minor redecoration. Prospects would rather see how great your home really looks than hear how great it would look, "with a little work."
Safety First
Homeowners learn to live with all kinds of self-set booby traps: cluttered stairs, multiple cords, slippery throw rugs and low hanging light fixtures. Make your home as non-perilous as possible for potential buyers.
Check The Plumbing and The Lighting
Dripping faucets rattle the nerves, discolor sinks and suggest worn-out or problem plumbing. Burned out bulbs leave prospects in the dark. Don't let little things detract from the positives of your home.
Eliminate Sticky Situations
If cabinets or closet doors stick in your home, you can be sure they will also stick in a potential buyer'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.
Take A Look At The Closets
A better organized closet looks larger. Now's the time to box up those unwanted clothes and give them to charity.
Space, the Final Frontier
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.
Wake Up Bedrooms
For a spacious look, get rid of excess furniture. Colorful bedspreads and fresh curtains are a must.
Bathrooms Can Sell A Home
So, make them shine. Check and repair damaged or unsightly caulking in the tubs and showers. To add to the overall effect, put out your best towels, mats and shower curtains.
Open up in the Daytime
Let the sun shine in! Open your curtains and drapes so prospects can see how bright and cheery your home is.
Lights! Action!
Turn on all your lights - both inside and outside - when showing your home in the evening. Lights add color and warmth, and make buyers feel welcome.
Avoid Crowd Scenes
Prospects often feel like intruders when they enter a home filled with people. Rather than giving your house the attention it deserves, they tend to hurry through. If possible leave the house when it is being shown. If that's not possible, keep the company present to a minimum. Always be cordial, but don't force a conversation. Let the agents do their job.
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 Morris and Lassie out of the way.
Let me Do My best
Nobody knows your home as well as you do. But I know buyers - what they need and what they want. I will have an easier time explaining the value of your home, if you stay in the background. When prospects want to talk price, terms, or other real estate matters, let them speak to an expert - Me, your RE/MAX Sales Associate.
