THINKING ABOUT SELLING???
In today's competitive real estate market, how can you get your home sold and get as much money as possible? What you do or don't do will affect the final price.So, what can you do to get the most money possible? Most people who are looking to purchase a home want one that is CLEAN and in good condition. Moving itself is a lot of work, no one wants to have to also clean and fix up the house before or as soon as they close the sale - unless of course they have purchased a foreclosure or a property with an extremely low price.
First you must look at your home, inside and out from the buyers eyes, being as objective as possible. Curb appeal is number one - when a potential buyer drives up to your house do they like what they see? Is the landscape appealing? or do they see lots of weeds in the flower beds, bare spots where there should be grass, falling down fence? It is important to mow and edge your lawn regularly. Use weed and feed, water regularly if possible. Keep flower beds free of weeds, trim around base of trees, walls and fences. Replace any broken stepping stones, replace or remove dead plants, shrubs, trees. If you need color, plant some bright flowers near the front door or put a pot of bright colored flowers at the door - make the entry clean and cheerful.
Okay, the buyers have pulled up in front of the house, what else can you do to make the outside appealing? Clean around trash bins/cans, haul away rubbish, clean up pet droppings in the yard, paint or clean the front door, polish the door hardware (handle), paint or replace the house numbers, make sure the doorbell works, clean oil stains from driveway, patch and reseal driveway if needed. Make sure the outside lighting is clean and functional, gutters are clean and not leaking.
Make the house light and bright. Put 100 watt bulbs in the carport/garage and porch. Open blinds/verticals, let the light in. Light makes a room seem larger. Clean and wash windows and screens. Step through your front door - what do you see? Do the rooms look dark and dreary or cluttered? If they seem a little like that to you, it will look a lot like that to a buyer. Be sure to "declutter" your rooms. If the room is cluttered it will look small, crowded and the buyer may decide the house is too small for them. You may have to remove and store some furniture for a while. A clean, light and bright room helps the buyer visualize their furniture and "stuff" in your home, the buyer will linger, this is a good sign!
The two main areas of a home that are of biggest concern, especially to a woman, is the kitchen and baths. The kitchen should sparkle - dishes clean (or inside the dishwasher), food out of sight, pantries and cupboards at least somewhat organized. Clean appliances, range hood & light bulb, nothing worse than touching the range or hood and getting grease or dirt on the hand. Eliminate cooking odors. It is always nice to have fresh bread or cookie smell in the kitchen. Or put a couple cinnamon sticks and water in a pot and simmer on the stove for a little while. Clean light fixtures, keep the floor clean. Clean out or organize and declutter under the sink.
Keep BATHROOMS spotlessly clean. (I know, you may have to send your kids to the neighbors to use the bathroom. haha). Shine mirrors, empty wastebaskets, keep fresh clean towels on the racks, clean shower door, lubricate track if needed. Remove all soap residue, mildew and mold from sink, tub and shower (a little bleach in soapy water can get rid of the mildew). Remove stains from sink, tub and toilet, remove lime deposits. Fix any leaky faucets. Replace torn/moldy shower curtains, clean tile grout, make sure the toilets flush properly, replace mechanism if necessary. Clean exhaust fan, replace if noisy.
Another important part of a house, especially to a woman, is closet and storage space. Keep closets clean and free of clutter. Throw out or pack away non-essentials - less is more when it comes to closet space. If the closet is full or cluttered the buyer thinks there is not enough room for their clothes and shoes. If possible, put some form of organization in your closet, e.g. all pants together, shirts together, etc. Adjust/repair sliding doors, lubricate sliding door hardware. Be sure to eliminate any mildew odors.
Most men need a place to "tinker" or a place to put their "stuff". The garage is usually what is important to the man. Keep the area clean and uncluttered. Hang up and put away tools, clear away any cobwebs. Remove oil/paint stains from the floor. Adjust tension rod to eliminate sag from the overhead garage door. Lubricate/adjust/repair garage door opener. Again, here less is more - if the garage is not crowded, is clean, light and bright (100 watt bulb) it will appeal to the buyer. I've seen garages I didn't even want to step into because of the way it looked. The extra work and cleaning will pay off.
In Florida two large costs in a home are the roof and air conditioner. You will want to be sure the roof is clean (no mold and mildew on shingles or tiles), the air conditioner should have a new filter, clean the intake vent, remove any items on or close to it.
Now I'm sure you are exhausted just thinking about all the work you may have to do, but I have a few final points that can make the difference between selling your home or just having a lot of people looking but making no offers. Some of these things only take cleaning, others may cost some money. Clean especially around doors, windows, light switches, baseboards, chair rails. Make sure doors open and close smoothly, clean for cobwebs in all corners, use area rugs where needed, make beds and fluff pillows, remove or pull back dark curtains, wash lace curtains, have draperies cleaned, fix any scratches in wooden floors, replace worn flooring/carpet, empty wastebaskets. Lubricate window slides (soap for wooden/silicone or candle for metal). Start packing your personal items not being used, e.g. books, pictures & photos, this will help make the house seem cleaner and larger. Most of this is just common sense, but sometimes we may need to be reminded of some things.
I can promise you that you will have a much better chance at selling - quicker and for more money if you do these things. If you were looking to purchase a home, wouldn't you like to see one that has been well maintained and is clean?
Labels: preparing to sell your home, selling, tips to sell
posted by St Lucie Homes on the Treasure Coast @ 1/06/2008 03:33:00 PM
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