How Do We Get Our Home Ready?
A house that shines on the surface will sell faster than its neighbor,
even though both are structurally well maintained. From experience,
we know that a clean and polished house appeals to more buyers and
will sell faster and for a higher price. Additionally, we have found
that buyers feel more comfortable purchasing a well-cared for home
because if what they can see is well maintained, what they can't see
has probably also been maintained.
Three of the Most Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Getting Your Home Ready...
1. How Much Should We Spend?
In preparing your home for the market spend as little as possible.
Buyers will be impressed by a brand new roof, but they aren' t likely
to give you enough money to pay for it. There is a big difference
between making minor and inexpensive polishes and touch-ups to
your house, such as putting new knobs on cabinet and a fresh coat
of neutral paint in the living room, and doing extensive and costly
renovations, like installing a new kitchen.
2. If Curb Appeal is so Important How
Can We Maximize it?
Before putting your house on the market, take as much time as necessary
and as little money as possible to maximize its exterior and interior
appeal.
Enhance your home' s exterior and curb appeal by:
- Trim hedges, weeding lawns and flowerbeds, and
pruning trees regularly
- Check the foundation and all outside concrete
for cracks and crumbling
- Inspect doors and windows for peeling paint
- Clean and align gutters
- Inspect and clean chimney
- Repair and replace loose or broken roof shingles
- Repair and repaint loose siding and caulking
- Keep sidewalks clear of snow and ice
- Brighten the front door with pots of colorful
flowers
- Re-seal an asphalt driveway
- Keep your garage door closed
- Stow RV' s and other vehicles somewhere else while
home is on the market
- Apply a fresh coat of paint to the front door
3. What about our Interior?
Enhance your home' s interior by:
- Give every room in the whole house a thorough
cleaning as well as removing all clutter
- If you are busy elsewhere, hiring a cleaning
service to come in every few weeks is also a good idea
- Clear kitchen countertops as much as possible
- Repaint walls if needed and paint brightly colored
walls with a neutral paint
- Repair cracks, holes or damage to drywall, wallpaper,
paint and tiles
- Replace broken or cracked windows, moldings and
other woodwork
- Inspect and repair the plumbing, heating, cooling
and alarm systems
- Repair dripping faucets and showerheads
- Buy showy new towels for bathrooms for showing
purposes only
- Spruce up kitchen with new cabinet knobs and/or
a fresh coat of neutral paint
4. Seven
Strategies for Success
Preparing for Showings:
- So that the "on the market" period is less stressful
and disruptive, design a plan whereby your family can pick up
the house in 15 minutes
- Leave all the lights on. Lights add a different
dimension to your interior and make the house feel brighter and
"alive"
- If you have a stereo, leave nice background
music on and turned low
- Fragrant devices such as candles or potpourri help
to create a refreshing smell. Smell is one of our strongest
senses, use it to your advantage!
- Many people love pets but they can be a distraction.
Create a plan to keep them out of the way.
- Leave the house! Even it is just for a walk.
Buyers don' t feel free and comfortable to truly look at the home
with the sellers present. Most importantly, a savvy buyer knows
how to make the right statements and pose the right questions that
may jeopardize your negotiating power. Leave that to us!
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