You may be moving to another state or stay in the local area. If you plan on buying another home, please check with us too because we can assist! We have local buyer agents or we have a referral service with other buyer agents throughout the United States.

 

Home Preparation

What if, the Queen of England, announced that she will visit you next week?! Would you leave your house in its current state?

Probably not! You don’t have to prepare your home for a royal visit, but you do want to impress potential buyers who drive by your house and who hopefully come inside.

Let’s get them inside first!
Curb appeal is almost becoming a cliché but we can’t stress enough the importance of getting the outside of your home ready for sale. It’s all about hospitality. Does your home look inviting and welcoming?

• Keep the sidewalks clear at all times
• Mow the lawn; keep it mowed during selling period
• Plant bright flowers, or place flower planter by the front entrance
• Replace faulty siding, paint faded window trim, etc.
• Trim your bushes. trees
• Make sure visitors can see your house numbers
• Park cars in designated areas
• Keep garbage cans out of view

Make your house stand out from other houses that are for sale in your neighborhood.

Before they are inside the house!
Potential buyers should be able to see themselves living in the house. They want to feel comfortable and your goal is to have them call the house “Home Sweet Home” You have to say Good-Bye and prepare the house as a product you are going to sell. De-personalize the home by packing up all your personal pictures, family heirlooms, etc. You want the potential buyer to say;” I see myself living here”

De-Clutter

Show off all the rooms, not all the things you have collected over the years…Go through all your things! Rent a storage unit if necessary.

• Sort it by “Keep, Donate, Toss, Sell at a Garage Sale”
• Place your Keep items in storage boxes
• Take your Donate items to a local donation center
• Put the Toss items in the garbage (don’t get second thoughts!)
• Plan a Garage Sale; whatever is not SOLD either Toss or Donate!

Rearrange Bedrooms & Kitchen Cabinets

Buyers do like to “snoop” and will open closet doors and kitchen cabinets. You want the buyer to imagine her things neatly organized. If you keep you things organized, it will also send a message that you probably also take well care of the rest of the house!

• Neatly stack dishes, line up glasses, have handles face the same way, etc.
• Turn cans with the label to the front, alphabetize spice jars
• Hang pants, shirts, dresses together, facing the same direction
• Line up shoes

Take Care of Minor Repairs

• Patch holes in walls
• Replace cracked floor or counter tiles
• Fix leaky faucets
• Fix doors that don’t close properly and drawers that jam
• Consider painting your walls neutral colors
• Replace burnout light bulbs
• Replace any worn out beddings

If you want to keep your window coverings, light fixtures, or favorite appliances remove them now! If you have a chandelier that once belonged to your grandmother, take it down. What the buyer doesn’t see, she won’t want it.

Make Your House Squeaky Clean!

It’s important that the house is clean and organized during the entire selling process. There is nothing more deterrent for a prospective buyer to walk into a smelly and messy house.

• Wash windows inside /out
• Clean out cobwebs
• Re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks
• Polish chrome faucets and mirrors
• Clean out the refrigerator
• Vacuum daily
• Dust furniture, ceiling fan blades and light fixtures
• Bleach dingy grout
• Replace worn rugs
• Hang up fresh towels
• Clean out and air out any musty smelling areas. Odors is a no-no
• Pressure wash and spray down sidewalks and exterior

When you are done, go outside and re-enter the house. Stand there and see if you want to go inside. Is the house welcoming? Stand and look at each room as it would look to a buyer. Examine how the furniture is positioned; is everything leveled? The process may seem overwhelming at first, but doing it in a systematic manner will help, and will be well worth all your efforts!