Selling
Tips for Your Home - Lake Tahoe Home Sellers Guide
The following information is designed to assist you in preparing
your home for buyers to view. For more detailed information
about your property, getting a Market Evaluation and determining
the best price for your home, call Christy Curtis at (530) 587-2856,
or contact Christy Curtis online.Click Here to Receive a FREE
Market Evaluation
Preparing Your Home to "Sell"
No matter what your reasons are to sell, remember that now is
no time to dawdle, the process of preparing a home for sale
can take a month or more. So, here's how to start:
1. Take a Fresh Look at Your Home
Your home looks great to you, but a buyer wants to see it as
he and his family will be living in it -- so take fresh look
at your dwelling. Hop in your car, drive around the block,
and then scrutinize your home as a prospective buyer will see
it for the first time. First, consider what's called "street
appeal;" does it need washing or painting? Does the driveway
need repair work? Is the landscaping in good shape? Remember,
be very critical; your buyer will be.
Next, pull into the driveway and take a good, hard look.
Is the yard neat and trimmed? What about the view from the front
yard? Then, walk inside and size up the interior as though
seeing it for the first time; take a tour and imagine what
your real estate agent might say about each room, look into
cabinets, open doors, check out the bathroom.
Then, make a mental note of the things that might put off
potential buyers, along with another list of the things
that first attracted you to the dwelling. Remember, the home's
become a great place for you, but a new buyer will see things
that you don't.
2. Clean Out the Clutter Before You Start to Sell
Before putting your home on the market, get rid of clutter
in every area -- closets, attic storage, kitchen cabinets,
drawers, bath vanities, shelves -- everywhere. Remember, this
is no time to be sentimental: if you don't use it, lose it.
Potential buyers are seriously put off by clutter, and most
of us drag a lot more things through life than we really need.
Also, don't forget the furniture and fixtures when getting
rid of clutter -- most of us put too much in too little
space, which makes a buying prospect think your home is too
small.
Then, have a great moving sale with all the stuff you've
collected and use the proceeds for paint or whatever other
materials you need for repair projects. If you just can't
bear to part with some possessions, store them in the attic
or some other place that's out of sight to a potential buyer.
3. To Sell, Sell, Sell -- Clean, Clean, Clean
After you've cleared out the clutter, it's time to really
clean. Have the carpets professionally cleaned, strip and polish
the floors, scour the bathrooms, go over the laundry room, polish
the furniture, scour out the cabinets, wash the windows and
window coverings, and spiff up the ceiling fans and kitchen
appliances. In short, clean everything.
Don't forget the exterior; paint or pressure wash everything
that needs the work. Remember, this is a ceiling-to-floor, roof-to-foundation
clean-up project.
4. Get More for Your Home: Repairs Pay Off
After you've cleaned the place to within an inch of its life,
the next project is making all the repairs necessary to attract
a buyer.
So, patch up the roof, touch up all the paint, repair the screens,
spruce up the porch framing, and make your entry area really
shine. Don't forget to water the lawn and landscape beds, and
take the time to trim, mow, edge and get rid of sick or dying
plants. Inside, fix the grout in the bathrooms and on tile floors,
adjust any doors that need it, fix any scratches on the walls,
cover any stains, and be sure to fix any plumbing problems.
Remember, do what your home needs before the first buyer
appears at your door.
Also, it's a good idea to get all this done before getting the
real estate broker to make the first listing -- a good agent
will advise you on what needs to be done. Also, if you have
friends willing to be brutally honest about what your home needs
to sell, invite them to assess the fix-up needs.
There is, however, an alternative to the sweat equity you get
from a total fix-up --but it carries a price. An "as-is"
sale keeps you from doing all this work, but a buyer will assess
about twice the price you would have paid for the repairs. Then,
the buyer will deduct that amount from your asking price before
making an offer.
5. Putting Your Home on the Market: Show It to Sell It
After you've, cleaned, shined, mowed, and generally whipped
your property into shape, it's time to attract a buyer.
Regardless of who markets your home, you or a broker, there
are other, small things you must do to attract buyers. For example,
even if it's bright daylight, open the blinds and turn on the
lights. Also, open all the interior doors to make the home appear
more roomy. Be sure to remove all your kids and pets -- they're
cute, but a prospect wants to see your home, not your pride
and joy. In addition, make sure you pet's litter pan is clean
so the home smells clean and fresh, not like air freshener.
Remember, you need to make sure your home is available to
be seen by a prospective buyer with as little notice as possible.
That means less than an hour, or even five minutes, if possible.
6. Get a Sense of the Market
Before you put your home on the market, take a weekend day to
check out the competition: homes with similar prices and
in similar neighborhoods. Remember, you don't have to go out
and buy new furniture just to look like that beautiful new model
in the new development -- what you want is the feel of that
new model -- clean, uncluttered, and fresh.
Remember, after location, the most important item a buyer is
a well-maintained home. Many flaws can be overlooked if
the buyer knows he can move in without a lot of trouble and
expense.
Contact Christy Curtis Today!
Information provided by The American Homeowners
Association, Copyright© 1996
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