f
you are thinking of selling your home, chances are you're caught up in a
mass of emotions. You may be looking forward to moving up to a new home or
facing the uncertainty of a major move across country. You may be
reluctant to leave your memories behind or eager to start new and exciting
adventures. Remember, I am here to help you with any of your needs. Call
or e-mail me today!
Introduction
- Emotion vs. Reason
When
conversing with real estate agents, you will often find that when they
talk to you about buying real estate, they will refer to your purchase as
a "home." Yet if you are selling property, they will often refer
to it as a "house." There is a reason for this. Buying real
estate is often an emotional decision, but when selling real estate you
need to remove emotion from the equation.
You
need to think of your house as a marketable commodity. Property. Real
estate. Your goal is to get others to see it as their potential home, not
yours. If you do not consciously make this decision, you can inadvertently
create a situation where it takes longer to sell your property.
The
first step in getting your home ready to sell is to
"de-personalize" it.
De-personalize
the House
The
reason you want to "de-personalize" your home is because you
want buyers to view it as their potential home. When a potential homebuyer
sees your family photos hanging on the wall, it puts your own brand on the
home and momentarily shatters their illusions about owning the house.
Therefore, put away family photos, sports trophies, collectible items,
knick-knacks, and souvenirs. Put them in a box. Rent a storage area for a
few months and put the box in the storage unit.
Do
not just put the box in the attic, basement, garage or a closet. Part of
preparing a house for sale is to remove "clutter," and that is
the next step in preparing your house for sale.
Removing
Clutter, Though You May Not Think of it as Clutter
This
is the hardest thing for most people to do because they are emotionally
attached to everything in the house. After years of living in the same
home, clutter collects in such a way that may not be evident to the
homeowner. However, it does affect the way buyers see the home, even if
you do not realize it. Clutter collects on shelves, counter tops, drawers,
closets, garages, attics, and basements.
Take
a step back and pretend you are a buyer. Let a friend help point out areas
of clutter, as long as you can accept their views without getting
defensive. Let your agent help you, too.
Kitchen
Clutter
The
kitchen is a good place to start removing clutter, because it is an easy
place to start. First, get everything off the counters. Everything. Even
the toaster. Put the toaster in a cabinet and take it out when you use it.
Find a place where you can store everything in cabinets and drawers. Of
course, you may notice that you do not have cabinet space to put
everything. Clean them out. The dishes, pots and pans that rarely get
used? Put them in a box and put that box in storage, too.
You
see, homebuyers will open all your cabinets and drawers, especially in the
kitchen. They want to be sure there is enough room for their
"stuff." If your kitchen cabinets, pantries, and drawers look
jammed full, it sends a negative message to the buyer and does not promote
an image of plentiful storage space. The best way to do that is to have as
much "empty space" as possible.
For
that reason, if you have a "junk drawer," get rid of the junk.
If you have a rarely used crock pot, put it in storage. Do this with every
cabinet and drawer. Create open space.
If
you have a large amount of foodstuffs crammed into the shelves or pantry,
begin using them - especially canned goods. Canned goods are heavy and
you don't want to be lugging them to a new house, anyway - or paying a
mover to do so. Let what you have on the shelves determine your menus and
use up as much as you can.
Beneath
the sink is very critical, too. Make sure the area beneath the sink is as
empty as possible, removing all extra cleaning supplies. You should scrub
the area down as well, and determine if there are any tell-tale signs of
water leaks that may cause a homebuyer to hesitate in buying your home.
Closet
Clutter
Closets
are great for accumulating clutter, though you may not think of it as
clutter. We are talking about extra clothes and shoes - things you
rarely wear but cannot bear to be without. Do without these items for a
couple of months by putting them in a box, because these items can make
your closets look "crammed full." Sometimes there are shoeboxes
full of "stuff" or other accumulated personal items, too.
Furniture
Clutter
Many
people have too much furniture in certain rooms - not too much for your
own personal living needs - but too much to give the illusion of space
that a homebuyer would like to see. You may want to tour some builders'
models to see how they place furniture in the model homes. Observe how
they place furniture in the models so you get some ideas on what to remove
and what to leave in your house.
Storage
Area Clutter
Basements,
garages, attics, and sheds accumulate not only clutter, but junk. These
areas should be as empty as possible so that buyers can imagine what they
would do with the space. Remove anything that is not essential and take it
to the storage area.
Or
have a garage sale.
Fixing
Up the House Interior
Plumbing
and Fixtures
All
your sink fixtures should look shiny and new. If this cannot be
accomplished by cleaning, buy new ones where needed. If you don't buy
something fancy, this can be accomplished inexpensively and they are
fairly easy to install. Make sure all the hot and cold water knobs are
easy to turn and that the faucets do not leak. If they do, replace the
washers. It is not difficult at all.
Check
to make sure you have good water pressure and that there are no stains on
any of the porcelain. If you have a difficult stain to remove, one trick
is to hire a cleaning crew to go through and clean your home on a one-time
basis. They seem to be wonderful at making stains go away.
Ceilings,
Walls and Painting
Check
all the ceilings for water stains. Sometimes old leaks leave stains, even
after you have repaired the leak. Of course, if you do have a leak, you
will have to get it repaired, whether it is a plumbing problem or the roof
leaks.
You
should do the same for walls, looking for not only stains, but also areas
where dirt has accumulated and you just may not have noticed. Plus, you
may have an outdated color scheme.
Painting
can be your best investment when selling your home. It is not a very
expensive operation and often you can do it yourself. Do not choose colors
based on your own preferences, but based on what would appeal to the
widest possible number of buyers. You should almost always choose an
off-white color because white helps your rooms appear bright and spacious.
Carpet
and Flooring
Unless
your carpet appears old and worn, or it is definitely an outdated style or
color, you probably should do nothing more than hire a good carpet
cleaner. If you do choose to replace it, do so with something inexpensive
in a fairly neutral color.
Repair
or replace broken floor tiles, but do not spend a lot of money on
anything. Remember, you are not fixing up the place for yourself. You want
to move. Your goal is simply to have as few negative impressions upon
those who may want to purchase your property.
Windows
and Doors
Check
all of your windows to make sure they open and close easily. If not, a
spray of WD40 often helps. Make sure there are no cracked or broken
windowpanes. If there are, replace them before you begin showing your
home.
Do
the same things with the doors - make sure they open and close properly,
without creaking. If they do, a shot of WD40 on the hinges usually makes
the creak go away. Be sure the doorknobs turn easily, and that they are
cleaned and polished to look sharp. As buyers go from room to room,
someone opens each door and you want to do everything necessary to create
a positive impression.
Odor
Control
For
those who smoke, you might want to minimize smoking indoors while trying
to sell your home. You could also purchase an ozone spray that helps to
remove odors without creating a masking odor.
Pets
of all kinds create odors that you may have become used to, but are
immediately noticeable to those with more finely tuned olfactory senses.
For those with cats, be sure to empty kitty litter boxes daily. There are
also products that you can sprinkle in a layer below the kitty litter that
helps to control odor. For those with dogs, keep the dog outdoors as much
as possible. You might also try sprinkling carpet freshener on the carpet
on a periodic basis.
Costs
of Repairs
Do
not do anything expensive, such as remodeling. If possible, use savings to
pay for any repairs and improvements - do not go charging up credit
cards or obtaining new loans. Remember that part of selling a house is
also preparing to buy your next home. You do not want to do anything that
will affect your credit scores or hurt your ability to qualify for your
next mortgage
Fixing
Up Outside the House
Most
real estate advice tells you to work on the outside of the house first,
but unless there is a major project involved, we believe it is best to do
it last. There are two main reasons for this. First, the first steps in
preparing the interior of the house are easier. They also help develop the
proper mind set required for selling - beginning to think of your
"home" as a marketable commodity. Second, the exterior is the
most important. A homebuyer's first impression is based on his or her
view of the house from the real estate agent's car.
So
take a walk across the street and take a good look at your house. Look at
nearby houses, too, and see how yours compares.
Landscaping
Is
your landscaping at least average for the neighborhood? If it is not, buy
a few bushes and plant them. Do not put in trees. Mature trees are
expensive, and you will not get back your investment. Also, immature trees
do not really add much to the appearance value of the home.
If
you have an area for flowers, buy mature colorful flowers and plant them.
They add a splash of vibrancy and color, creating a favorable first
impression. Do not buy bulbs or seeds and plant them. They will not mature
fast enough to create the desired effect and you certainly don't want a
patch of brown earth for homebuyers to view.
Your
lawn should be evenly cut, freshly edged, well watered, and free of brown
spots. If there are problems with your lawn, you should probably take care
of them before working on the inside of your home. This is because certain
areas may need re-soding, and you want to give it a chance to grow so that
re-sod areas are not immediately apparent. Plus, you might want to give
fertilizer enough time to be effective. Always rake up loose leaves and
grass cuttings.
House
Exterior
The
big decision is whether to paint or not to paint. When you look at your
house from across the street, does it look tired and faded? If so, a paint
job may be in order. It is often a very good investment and really spruces
up the appearance of a house, adding dollars to offers from potential
homebuyers.
When
choosing a color, it should not be something garish and unusual, but a
color that fits well in your neighborhood. Of course, the color also
depends on the style of your house, too. For some reason, different shades
of yellow seem to illicit the best response in homebuyers, whether it is
in the trim or the basic color of the house.
As
for the roof, if you know your house has an old leaky roof, replace it. If
you do not replace a leaky roof, you are going to have to disclose it and
the buyer will want a new roof, anyway. Otherwise, wait and see what the
home inspector says. Why spend money unnecessarily?
The
Back Yard
The
back yard should be tidy. If you have a pool or spa, keep it freshly
maintained and constantly cleaned. For those that have dogs, be sure to
constantly keep the area clear of "debris." If you have swing
sets or anything elaborate for your kids, it probably makes more sense to
remove them than to leave them in place. They take up room, and you want
your back yard to appear as spacious as possible, especially in newer
homes where the yards are not as large.
The
Front Door & Entryway
The
front door should be especially sharp, since it is the entryway into the
house. Polish the door fixture so it gleams. If the door needs refinishing
or repainting, make sure to get that done.
If
you have a cute little plaque or shingle with your family name on it,
remove it. Even if it is just on the mailbox. You can always put it up
again once you move. Get a new plush door mat, too. This is something else
you can take with you once you move.
Make
sure the lock works easily and the key fits properly. When a homebuyer
comes to visit your home, the agent uses the key from the lock box to
unlock the door. If there is trouble working the lock while everyone else
stands around twiddling their thumbs, this sends a negative first
impression to prospective homebuyers.
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