Advice for Sellers
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Once you have put your home on the market for sale, there are a few simple things that you may do that make your property more attractive to potential buyers. Depending on whether you want a basic cleanup, a quick fix, or the services of a professional home stager, you can increase the purchase price of your home and facilitate a quicker sale.
The following is a list suggested improvements and maintenance for major areas of your property:
First Impression
- Perform a walk through as though you were a buyer to gage your impressions
- Depersonalize your house – give buyers a clean slate
Exterior and Interior
- Remove clutter regardless of emotional attachment
- Remove dirt, cobwebs, paint splash, etc.
- Clean and polish door hardware and handrails
- Clean wall switches and outlet covers
- Add houseplants and flowers throughout house
Exterior
- Trim trees and shrubs, remove weeds
- Wash front steps, and porch
- Make sure all exterior lights work properly and are debris-free
- Clean or replace welcome mat
- Wash windows and screens
- Repaint house - Most dramatic way to make good first impression is through paint. It gives you the best value for each dollar invested. It is relatively inexpensive improvement that gives a dramatic increase in “curb appeal.”
- Repaint or replace fences and gates
General Interior
- Clean and Wax floors shampoo carpets, drapes and blinds
- Repaint or touch up paint needed spots - Use neutral colors – whites, creams, etc
- Make sure to wash away dirt, scrape off peeling paint, patch holes, and replace damaged wood
Bathrooms
- Seal caulking around tub, shower, and toilet
- Replace old toilet seats
- Replace shower curtains
- Clean tile and repair grout
- Paint or wallpaper using neutral and light colors
- Make sure drawers and cabinets open and close properly
- Clean out medicine cabinet
Kitchen
- Clean cabinets and appliances and refrigerator interior
- Clear clutter from countertops
- Make sure drawers and cabinets open and close properly
- Make sure all appliances work properly
Home Tours
- Always be ready, keep home clean and organized
- Give the agent more time than necessary to show the space because buyers may arrive late
- Pets should be out of house, preferable off of property entirely. No need to scare off a buyer
- Pet odors should be controlled by keeping your pet in a specific area or outside
Hire the Services of a Professional Stager
- Staging is the process of preparing a home for sale, with the goal of getting the most money in the shortest amount of time possible Staged Homes sell for an average of 3% or $26,000 over list price (and as high as 50% over in some markets)
