Prepare your property - Smart sellers will start here first.
- First impressions are so critical …how many times would a potential buyer not give a home a chance simply because the yard wasn’t mowed and trimmed? Believe it or not – many times! This happens before they get out of their car. You didn’t even have a chance to show them any features of your home.
- Curb Appeal. Make the first thing potential buyers say is…WOW! Be sure the grass is cut, flowers are planted, fresh mulch is used, and bushes are trimmed. If it’s winter – remove the ice and snow from the walkways and driveway. Does your home need a fresh coat of paint or maybe a good power wash will make it look new again. And, if you have pets, don’t leave any
evidence on the yard.
- Clean up. It’s a great time for a really deep clean. Vacuum the entire house, even under the furniture. Scrub the floors, windows and doors. Scrub the kitchen and bathrooms. Wash or power wash the exterior of your home and garage. Wash the outside of your windows too. Fix the obvious flaws – caulk the cracks and holes, touch up the paint nicks, fix anything the buyer
will find when they check out your home. Believe me they will look everywhere.
- Neutralize. If you have a choice for colors and the time to change, choose neutral colors for your walls and floor coverings.
- Closets need attention. Organize all of your closets and try to show how much storage space is available to the buyers.
- Hide the clutter and rearrange. Pack up all the knickknacks, especially the personal items, and other non-vital decorations to avoid the cluttered look. Buyers need help imagining their belongings in your home, not your belongings. Simplify the furnishings so that it’s very easy to see what the room is supposed to be used for. For instance no TV stands in the dining room and the living room isn’t an office, etc. Remove extra furniture so that rooms look more spacious – less is always better.
Find out the current value of your property - we can help with this.
- Get a Current Market Appraisal from your local real estate agent. They know the area and have access to information on recent sales.
- Research prices of comparative properties using the internet, local papers and real estate publications.
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