ADVICE TO HELP YOUR HOME
SELL QUICKLY - - Page 1
Will Rogers
once said, "You never get a second chance at a first impression." While Mr. Rogers was talking about people, it is
also applicable to houses, especially when they are on the market for sale.
It
is important to make certain that the first impression is a favorable one. That's the purpose
behind this Market Preparation Guide: it's simply "Advice
to help your home sell quickly".
If you
have ever been in model homes, you know how good they look.
The thought might have even crossed your mind that you'd like to have not
only the home but all the furniture, the pictures, the flower arrangements, and even the
knick-knacks on the shelves.
There
are some individuals who really know how to make a home look its best without spending a
lot of money. There are things that can be
done to give it that "model home" look so prospective buyers will want it and
everything else in the house that you're willing to sell.
When
homes have this kind of appeal, they sell quickly and usually for the highest price
possible. Another interesting characteristic
of homes that look this good is that usually the transaction is remarkably free of
problems.
What
more could you want than to get your home sold for top dollar in short order without any
hassles? If you'll read through this brochure
and use some of the suggestions before you put the property on the market, you'll be on
your way to one of these successful sales.
One word of
warning though...don't wait to see if the house will sell first before implementing these
ideas. Once you do decide to do something,
don't do just the easy ones or just the bare minimum.
The
property needs to look good from the street, up the sidewalk, on the front porch,
throughout the house, in the darkest closets, and even in the attic. You definitely want to give the impression of a
well cared for home.
You
want the prospective buyer to feel that this home is quality all the way through, not just
on the surface.
You'll
never have more activity on the home than you will in the first three to four weeks of the
listing. The reason is simple: there are
buyers out there who have seen everything available and for one reason or another, haven't
bought. They are just waiting for something
new to come on the market.
Agents
are just as anxious. When that new property
does hit the market, buyers and agents both will scramble to look at it. It is common knowledge that the property will
usually sell for the highest price during this time.
After the initial surge of interest, the only people to look at it will be
those buyers new to the marketplace.
Besides
all of the reasons listed above, competition is fierce.
Don't be naive with every other home that is currently for sale: new and
pre-owned, your area and other areas, those listed with agents and those trying to sell
themselves. You are even competing with the
foreclosures in the market.
Homes
have proven to be one of the best investments for individuals. They have outpaced inflation and in many cases,
had exceptional rates of return. Experienced
investors who have rented out a property for long periods of time, know that to get the
highest price for the property, the property has to look
good.
You
have to appeal to owner occupants who will pay the highest price for the property because
they are going to live there.
Typical
buyers put all of their savings into the down payment and closing costs and don't have
anything left over to improve the home such as replacing the shag carpet. Those buyers will just have to live with that
carpet until they can afford to replace it.
If
buyers have a choice of two comparable properties similar in price, they'll choose the one
in the best condition. Just as on the other
hand, if two properties are similar in condition, the buyers will choose the one that is
less money.
Drive
- up Appeal
One of
the frustrations a professional agent has to deal with is after having made an appointment
on a home that will meet the buyer's requirements, driving up in front of the home and
having the buyer say, "I don't want to look at this.
I don't like the looks of the front."
It
takes a lot to overcome a statement like that, so the first place we're going to start is
with the front of the house. Stand at the
street and look at the house. If all you can
see are trees and shrubs, you have some yard work to do.
Landscaping
is to enhance the home, not hide it. One of
the easiest things to do is trim the shrubs that are overgrown. They should be lowered to a height near the bottom
of the windows. If there is ivy growing on
the side of the home, get it off.
If
there are branches hanging low in the yard, you'll need to prune them. A simple rule of thumb is to have all the limbs
high enough so that you can walk under the tree.
The next
thing on the list is to clean out the flower beds and make them look good. This means getting all the weeds out and having a
distinct border between the beds and the yard.
Everyone
dreams of a "Home & Garden" type home with flowers in the beds. Why don't you invest in a few flats of flowers
such as petunias or periwinkles that will last the entire growing season and will add
color and beauty to the front of your home?
You
might even consider putting some nice looking flower pots on the porch with some red
geraniums or some other blooming plants in them.
Next,
take a look at the front door and the area around it.
If you paint nothing else, at least give it a fresh coat of paint.
If the
doorbell is broken, replace it. Wash the mail
box. Keep the porch swept. Get an attractive mat for people to wipe their
feet.
The Absolute
Basics
Start
by airing out the home. You are the last
person to notice any peculiar odor in your home that may be blatantly obvious to visitors. Go on a search to find the offender. It may be a kitty litter box or a dog bed. It might even be a mildewed shower.
Next,
wash all the windows in the house, inside and out. While
you're at it, clean the window sills and the bottom of the window jambs, and wash the
blinds.
If it
has been over a year since you've had the carpets cleaned, now is the time to do it. The bare floors should also be waxed or polished,
even if they're supposed to be "no wax."
Put
bright light bulbs in every socket made for a bulb.
Buyers like bright and cheery so you have to keep it from looking like a
dungeon. You'll also want to keep the drapes
and shades open during the day, even if you're not in the habit, because it will make the
property look better.
The
next item on the required list is to clean out all of the closets, cabinets, and drawers. Get rid of things you haven't used in the past
five years and pack up everything that you haven't used in the last year.
Do it
without conscience or remorse. You're going
to have to do it anyway when you move. The
main reason is that it will make the storage space look larger. Surely, you don't want to pay a mover to haul
things that you never use.
Closets
should look as they have enough room to hold additional items. You might need to box up off-season clothes to
make it look that way. Get everything off the
floor and don't have the shelves piled to the ceiling. (continued)
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