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Properly preparing your home for sale is one of
the biggest things you can do to maximize the price you ultimately
receive. The three key words to keep in mind are: Clean, De-clutter,
and Repair.
Few homes are perfectly clean, de-cluttered or
repaired. However, the closer a home is to being in "move-in"
condition, the more a buyer is willing to pay for it. Take a look at your
home as a buyer will - someone who’s never been there before and is very
interested in everything! As you go through the house, ask yourself:
- W
hat needs to be done?
- W
hat are you willing to do?
- W
hat are the net dollars that you’ll gain?
A key concept by which to judge is: "What is
the net value I’ll receive from making any changes?" Making
$1000.00 of changes and getting $1,000.00 more for the house makes no
sense. Spending $500.00 and receiving $5,000.00 more makes terrific sense.
Everything should be judged on the net value received and how doing
any changes will affect you and your family (the hassle factor). Some of
the least expensive things can bring the greatest returns.
C leaning involves making everything sparkle. Imagine that a nosy
relative or neighbor is coming over with their white gloves for an
inspection. This is the time to scrub walls, floors and countertops. If a
room needs paint, do it now. Light fixtures can collect dust that can make
a room seem dim. Dim light bulbs should be replaced with brighter ones.
Clean the carpets and put Liquid Gold on wood cabinets, doors and trim.
Attend to pet or any other odors. Our goal is to impress a buyer with not
only how clean your home is but how fresh it smells!
D e-cluttering makes the house look much larger. Although
numerous photos and knickknacks can make us feel at home, they can be
distracting to a buyer. A distracted buyer will not pay as much! We
don’t want the home to be sterile, but rather de-cluttered enough so
that the buyer can imagine themselves moving their furniture into their
home.
If we do our job right, you are going to be
moving pretty soon. As you’ll have to box everything anyway at that
time, beat the rush and box everything you can now! If you’re not going
to use something in the next 90 days, box it and take it out of the house.
By removing 50% of the things in the closets and cabinets, the house appears
to have the room that buyers are looking for. And that will be a
significant competitive advantage for you!
R epair those things that have been put off for so long. Buyers
tend to exaggerate the cost of problems so minor repairs done now will add
a big plus to the final sales price. We also want to address any major
items, such as the roof or furnace, before a buyer does. We can actually
arrange for the cost of some repairs to be paid for at closing if
necessary (call Ed for details). Trim outside plants and shrubs to give a
neat appearance and attractive street appeal.
Summary
Proper preparation can maximize the price that you
ultimately receive for your home. Part of Ed’s service is to actively
consult with you on how to best do this. If you would like copies of his
preparation checklists, videotapes on "Preparing Your Home To
Sell", names of repairmen or his personal room by room suggestions at
your home, just call or email
him. Find out the difference that the right Realtor can make!
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