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Preparing Your Home for The Sale!
Pricing your home correctly is very important, preparing your home for showing
is almost just as important. I use the analogy of a used car lot. You never see
a dirty car for sale in a used car lot. They usually wash the cars daily. This
simple act can add thousands to the value of a car.
First
impressions: We
all know how very important first impressions are. When a prospect first sees
your home they will form an opinion within 15 seconds!! This is why curb appeal,
and the way your home appears when the prospect first enters, are so crucial.
Most of the following are common sense measures that cost little, but can make a
huge difference to the way your home appears.
The front and back yard should be kept as short as is practical. In hot areas of
the country cutting grass to short will create brown spots. So use discretion
when mowing.
Make sure there are some pretty flowering plants in the front yard at all times.
If you are genuinely too busy to take care the yard yourself, either try to get
some one to help, or even hire help if need be. If you live in an area that is
very hard on plants, artificial flowers could be used. The ones made today, are
very difficult to tell they are not real.
Wash the front door and surrounding areas. If the house needs it, have it
pressure washed. This can make a huge difference to the appearance, (remember
the car lot). If there is a suitable area, have hanging baskets of either
flowers, or ferns. Again these can be artificial if you do not have a green
thumb.
Next comes the entrance way. Whether you have a large lobby, or the front door
opens straight into a family room, the prospect should be greeted by a light and
airy space. When there are prospects coming to view your home, make sure it is
as light as possible. Make sure the windows are clean. Turn all the lights on in
every room. Open as many drapes and blinds as you can, to let natural light in.
Again flowers in various locations will help. These are nice to look at and also
add a pleasing fragrance.
Talking of fragrance… the three senses that will be most used when the
potential buyer enters your home are sight, sound and smell. A pleasing aroma in
you home is especially important. A house with owners that smoke indoors, or
with pets that stay indoors most of the time, can be a huge turn off to non -
smokers, and even prospects that have pets may not be impressed if they can
detect yours. Have the carpets cleaned, and if weather permits open doors and
windows. The old trick of baking bread or cookies in the oven does have some
merit.
The kitchen is probably the most crucial room to have right. Put away such items
as blenders, mixers, and any other gadgets you can, to create as much counter
space as possible. Have the oven and fridge as clean as possible.
Once you have decided to put your home on the market, start packing!! Get some
packing cases, go around and start packing. Pack away everything you do not need
to use in your home day to day. Depersonalize your home as much as you can. This
includes most of your family pictures. The more there is of you in the house,
the harder it will be for a potential buyer to imagine themselves living in your
home.
Layout the dining room table as though you are expecting people to dinner. This
gives an inviting appearance.
Bedrooms are very close to the kitchen as far as making an impression. They need
to be spotless, carpets cleaned; again flowers and a nice aroma will do wonders.
Closets should be organized. Mirrors placed in the right area can increase the
feeling of space. Try to store clothes you will not need for awhile. If you have
louver doors, make sure these are working properly, and not sagging. A prospect
will be looking for proper house maintenance, if a door is hanging loose, what
other neglect will there be? This is what will be running through the buyers
mind.
The above may seem like a lot of work, and it is. Selling a house is hard work.
But by making sure your home is ready to sell, you will add value, and increase
greatly the chances of a quick sale.
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