|
It's
time to get your house into "showing and selling" condition. Most of
us don't keep our homes in the condition it would need to be in to
sell. Over the years those boxes in the corner of the garage just seem
to multiply on their own. Things have broken that we just never get
around to fixing and some things have just worn out. We just accept
the fact that they will always be this way. It is this frame of mind
that you have to break out of in order to get your house ready to
show. How your house looks will have an immense impact on how quickly
it sells and whether or not you get full market value for it.
First impressions are very important and you only get
to make one. Approach your property from the buyer's standpoint. What
needs to be changed to make a good first impression? This may mean
that all you do is prune the trees and shrubs. On the other hand, it
may mean that you completely repaint the house, inside and out. Do a
"curb to door" check. Give the potential buyers a clear path to enter
the home. The fewer obstacles between the buyer and the true appeal of
your house the better. Keep in mind that over time we become
accustomed to our surroundings. What's normal for you may be
detrimental to the buyer.
Make your house look as
spacious as possible. Organize your closets and kitchen cabinets, and
if you have things stored in the attic or basement, make sure they are
presentable. If you are showing during the day, pull back your
curtains and drapes to show how bright and cheery your home is. If you
are showing at night, turn on all of the lights to create a warm and
welcoming environment for the prospective buyers.
A house that is marked with
your personality and style may be harder to sell. You might even
consider such things as removing obvious clues to your political
affiliation and tucking away any biased literature that may be
visible. This will reduce distractions and help the buyers to
visualize the home as their own.
Increasing your home’s
appeal
Remember the 60-second
rule: That’s all the time you have to create a winning
first impression. Here are some simple to significant ways to
maximize your home’s appeal.
Exterior
- Keep the grass cut and remove all yard clutter.
- Weed and apply fresh mulch to flower beds.
- Apply fresh paint to wooden fences.
- Tighten and clean all door handles.
- Clean windows inside and out.
- Powerwash home’s exterior.
- Ensure all gutters and downspouts are firmly attached and
functioning.
- Paint the front door.
- Buy a new welcome mat.
- Place potted flowers near the front door.
Interior
- Evaluate the furniture in each room and remove anything that
interrupts “the flow” or makes the room appear smaller.
- Consider renting a storage unit to move items off-site.
- Clean and organize cabinets, closets and bookshelves.
- Clean all light fixtures and ceiling fans.
- Shampoo carpets.
- Remove excessive wall hangings and knickknacks.
- Repair all plumbing leaks, including faucets and drain
traps.
- Make minor repairs (torn screens, sticking doors, cracked
caulking).
- Clean or paint walls and ceilings.
- Replace worn cabinet and door knobs.
- Fix or replace discolored grout.
- Replace broken tiles.
- Replace worn countertops.
- Special details for showings.
- Turn on all the lights.
- Open all drapes and shutters in the daytime.
- Keep pets secured outdoors.
- Buy new towels for bathrooms.
- Buy new bedding for bedrooms.
- Replace old lamps or lampshades.
- Play quiet background music.
- Light the fireplace or clean out the ashes and light a
candelabrum.
- Infuse home with a comforting
scent, such as apple spice or vanilla.
- Set the dining room table for a fancy dinner party.
- Vacate the property while it is being shown, indeed it would be
better if you vacated the home entirely...
Try Not to be Home
Homebuyers will feel
like intruders if you are home when they visit, and they might not
be as receptive toward viewing your home. Visit the local coffee
house, yogurt shop, or take the kids to the local park. If you
absolutely cannot leave, try to remain in an out of they way area of
the house and do not move from room to room. Do not volunteer any
information, but answer any questions the agent may ask.
Showing the House
Your house
should always be available for show, even though it may occasionally
be inconvenient for you. Let your listing agent put a lock box in a
convenient place to make it easy for other agents to show your home
to homebuyers. Otherwise, agents will have to schedule appointments,
which is an inconvenience. Most will just skip your home to
show the house of someone else who is more cooperative.
Most agents will call and give you at least a
couple of hours notice before showing your property. If you refuse
to let them show it at that time, they will just skip your house.
Even if they come back another time, it will probably be with
different buyers and you may have just lost a chance to sell your
house.
Lighting
When you know
someone is coming by to tour your home, turn on
all the indoor and outdoor lights –
even during the day. At night, a lit house gives a "homey"
impression when viewed from the street. During the daytime, turning
on the lights prevents harsh shadows from sunlight and it brightens
up any dim areas. Your house looks more homey and cheerful with the
lights on.
Fragrances
Do not use scented
sprays to prepare for visitors. It is too obvious and many people
find the smells of those sprays offensive, not to mention that some
may be allergic. If you want to have a pleasant aroma in your house,
have a potpourri pot or something natural. Or turn on a stove burner
(or the oven) for a moment and put a drop of vanilla extract on it.
It will smell like you have been cooking.
Pet Control
If you have pets,
make sure your listing agent puts a notice with your listing in the
multiple listing service. The last thing you want is to have your
pet running out the front door and getting lost. If you know someone
is coming, it would be best to try to take the pets with you while
the homebuyers tour your home. If you cannot do that, It is best to
keep dogs in a penned area in the back yard. Try to keep indoor cats
in a specific room when you expect visitors, and put a sign on the
door. Most of the time, an indoor cat will hide when buyers come to
view your property, but they may panic and try to escape.
The Kitchen Trash
Especially if your
kitchen trash can does not have a lid, make sure you empty it every
time someone comes to look at your home – even if your trash can is
kept under the kitchen
sink. Remember that you want to send a positive
image about every aspect of your home. Kitchen trash does not send a
positive message. You may go through more plastic bags than usual,
but it will be worth it.
Keep the House
Tidy
Not everyone makes
his or her bed every day, but when
selling a home it is recommended that you develop the habit.
Pick up papers, do not leave empty glasses in the family room, keep
everything freshly dusted and vacuumed. Try your best to have it
look like a model home – a home with furniture but nobody really
lives there.
I can save you time and
money by providing an objective and expert opinion on what needs to be
changed or improved. I know what the buyers are looking for because
they are in the marketplace everyday. I will perform an analysis of
the entire property and, taking into account the state of the market
in which you are selling your house, point you to the changes that
need to be made in order to sell it for the most amount of money and
as quickly as possible.
|
separated by commas and click-on Search:
Asheville Real Estate
|
Asheville NC Real Estate MLS Property Search in All 9 Counties
