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Selling Your Home?
If you are thinking of selling
your home, chances are you're caught up in a mass
of emotions. You may be looking forward to moving
up to a new home or facing the uncertainty of
a major move across country. You may be reluctant
to leave your memories behind or eager to start
new and exciting adventures.
1. Take a Fresh Look at Your Home
Your
home looks great to you, but a buyer wants to
see it as he and his family will be living in
it -- so take fresh look at your dwelling. Hop
in your car, drive around the block, and then
scrutinize your home as a prospective buyer will
see it for the first time. First, consider what's
called "street appeal;" does it need
washing or painting? Does the driveway need repair
work? Is the landscaping in good shape? Remember,
be very critical; your buyer will be.
Next,
pull into the driveway and take a good, hard look.
Is the yard neat and trimmed? What about the view
from the front yard? Then, walk inside and size
up the interior as though seeing it for the first
time; take a tour and imagine what your real estate
agent might say about each room, look into cabinets,
open doors, check out the bathroom.
Then,
make a mental note of the things that might put
off potential buyers, along with another list
of the things that first attracted you to the
dwelling. Remember, the home's become a great
place for you, but a new buyer will see things
that you don't.
2.
Clean Out the Clutter Before You Start to Sell
Before
putting your home on the market, get rid of clutter
in every area -- closets, attic storage, kitchen
cabinets, drawers, bath vanities, shelves -- everywhere.
Remember, this is no time to be sentimental: if
you don't use it, lose it. Potential buyers are
seriously put off by clutter, and most of us drag
a lot more things through life than we really
need.
Also,
don't forget the furniture and fixtures when getting
rid of clutter -- most of us put too much in too
little space, which makes a buying prospect think
your home is too small.
Then,
have a great moving sale with all the stuff you've
collected and use the proceeds for paint or whatever
other materials you need for repair projects.
If you just can't bear to part with some possessions,
store them in the attic or some other place that's
out of sight to a potential buyer.
3.
To Sell, Sell, Sell -- Clean, Clean, Clean
After
you've cleared out the clutter, it's time to really
clean. Have the carpets professionally cleaned,
strip and polish the floors, scour the bathrooms,
go over the laundry room, polish the furniture,
scour out the cabinets, wash the windows and window
coverings, and spiff up the ceiling fans and kitchen
appliances. In short, clean everything.
Don't
forget the exterior; paint or pressure wash everything
that needs the work. Remember, this is a ceiling-to-floor,
roof-to-foundation clean-up project.
4.
Get More for Your Home: Repairs Pay Off
After
you've cleaned the place to within an inch of
its life, the next project is making all the repairs
necessary to attract a buyer.
So,
patch up the roof, touch up all the paint, repair
the screens, spruce up the porch framing, and
make your entry area really shine. Don't forget
to water the lawn and landscape beds, and take
the time to trim, mow, edge and get rid of sick
or dying plants. Inside, fix the grout in the
bathrooms and on tile floors, adjust any doors
that need it, fix any scratches on the walls,
cover any stains, and be sure to fix any plumbing
problems. Remember, do what your home needs before
the first buyer appears at your door.
Also,
it's a good idea to get all this done before getting
the real estate broker to make the first listing
-- a good agent will advise you on what needs
to be done. Also, if you have friends willing
to be brutally honest about what your home needs
to sell, invite them to assess the fix-up needs.
There
is, however, an alternative to the sweat equity
you get from a total fix-up --but it carries a
price. An "as-is" sale keeps you from
doing all this work, but a buyer will assess about
twice the price you would have paid for the repairs.
Then, the buyer will deduct that amount from your
asking price before making an offer.
5.
Putting Your Home on the Market: Show It to Sell
It
After
you've, cleaned, shined, mowed, and generally
whipped your property into shape, it's time to
attract a buyer.
Regardless
of who markets your home, you or a broker, there
are other, small things you must do to attract
buyers. For example, even if it's bright daylight,
open the blinds and turn on the lights. Also,
open all the interior doors to make the home appear
more roomy. Be sure to remove all your kids and
pets -- they're cute, but a prospect wants to
see your home, not your pride and joy. In addition,
make sure you pet's litter pan is clean so the
home smells clean and fresh, not like air freshener.
Remember, you need to make sure your home is available
to be seen by a prospective buyer with as little
notice as possible. That means less than an hour,
or even five minutes, if possible.
6.
Get a Sense of the Market
Before
you put your home on the market, take a weekend
day to check out the competition: homes with similar
prices and in similar neighborhoods. Remember,
you don't have to go out and buy new furniture
just to look like that beautiful new model in
the new development -- what you want is the feel
of that new model -- clean, uncluttered, and fresh.
Remember,
after location, the most important item a buyer
is a well-maintained home. Many flaws can be overlooked
if the buyer knows he can move in without a lot
of trouble and expense.
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