Sellers

Information for Sellers

There are many factors that affect the marketability of your home. Here we will give you a few pointers to improve your chances of getting top dollar for your home and shortening the length of time it is on the market.

When it comes to the exterior, curb appeal is everything. Make sure your yard is neat and tidy to make the first impression favorable. Cut the grass and trim the hedges and shrubs. Add some fresh plantings to brighten up the home. Put away lawn equipment and outdoor items or arrange them to look neat organized. Your front door is one of the first things a potential buyer will see. If it is faded or shows signs of needing repair, clean it, stain it, or paint it. While you're at it, do the same with the back door and garage door. Repainting the entire exterior of your home is a fairly expensive venture, and really unnecessary unless the walls have bad blistering or peeling. But you can do wonders by simply painting window sashes, trim, and shutters. Fix any broken windows or screens, and wash them for a bright, sparkling appearance. Test the entry light and the doorbell. It's the little things that matter. Remove any junk in your front, side or back yard and clean out the garage!
It is a fact, clean houses sell a lot easier than cluttered or dirty ones. You will want to open drapes and angle blinds to brighten rooms. This gives the house a friendly glow. To make rooms seem warmer and brighter turn on the lights in the house.
If you are thinking about painting, go with white, off-white, or beige walls to make a room look bigger and lighter. Also, these neutral colors will go with the new buyer's furnishings. Painting the inside costs very little, gives a "new home" smell, making a huge difference in buyer perception.
You can make rooms seem larger and uncluttered by removing some of the furniture. Clean out all the closets to make them look bigger. Store seasonal clothes in the basement and neatly arrange everything that's left. Have a garage sale with all your excess items to free up space. Clean all your windows and mirrors so they sparkle. If the carpeting looks dirty, shampoo it. If it is worn or dated, consider replacing it. Your home will sell faster and you will probably recover the cost.
A dirty bathroom will stop a sale in it's tracks. Polish the tub, toilet, sink, and fixtures. Clean the tile and grout and regrout if necessary. Put out fresh towels and a new bar of matching colored soap when the house is to be shown.
When it's time to show your home, all your hard work will pay off in a faster and easier "sell".
And when it comes to the "Showing". . . Before a prospective buyer walks in the door, clear out the kids, their toys, the cat, and the dog. Remove distractions like the radio, TV, stereo. Turn on all your lights and open drapes or blinds even if it is daytime.
Many buyers feel like they are intruding when the owners are present so they tend to hurry away, or do not ask the questions they'd like to ask the Realtor. If you "disappear", your absence will put buyers at ease, and give them a chance to spend more time looking at your house, its advantages and how they would see themselves living there.
Let your home be shown even when you are not there. If you don't, you will be limiting possible showings. Always keep your house ready for showing.

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