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Tips for Making Your Home More Marketable
10
Ways to Make Your House More Salable
1.
Get rid of clutter. Throw out or file stacks of newspapers and
magazines. Pack away most of your small decorative items. Store
out-of-season clothing to make closets seem roomier. Clean out
the garage.
2.
Wash your windows and screens to let more light into the interior.
3.
Keep everything extra clean. Wash fingerprints from light switch
plates. Mop and wax floors. Clean the stove and refrigerator.
A clean house makes a better first impression and convinces buyers
that the home has been well cared for.
4.
Get rid of smells. Clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate cooking
odors, smoke, and pet smells. Open the windows.
5.
Put higher wattage bulbs in light sockets to make rooms seem brighter,
especially basements and other dark rooms. Replace any burnt-out
bulbs.
6.
Make minor repairs that can create a bad impression. Small problems
such as sticky doors, torn screens, cracked caulking, or a dripping
faucet may seem trivial, but they’ll give buyers the impression
that the house isn’t well maintained.
7.
Tidy your yard. Cut the grass, rake the leaves, trim the bushes,
and edge the walks. Put a pot or two of bright flowers near the
entryway.
8.
Patch holes in your driveway and reapply sealant, if applicable.
9.
Clean your gutters.
10.
Polish your front doorknob and door numbers.
5
Ways to Speed Up Your Sale
1.
Price it right. Set a price at the lower end of your property’s
realistic price range.
2.
Get your house market ready for at least two weeks before you
begin showing it.
3.
Be flexible about showings. It’s often disruptive to have
a house ready to show on the spur of the moment, but the more
often someone can see your home, the sooner you’ll find
a seller.
4.
Be ready for the offers. Decide in advance what price and terms
you’ll find acceptable.
5.
Don’t refuse to drop the price. If your home has been on
the market for more than 30 days without an offer, be prepared
to lower your asking price.
7
Steps to Prepare for an Open House
1.
Hire a cleaning service. A spotlessly clean home is essential;
dirt will turn off a prospect faster than anything.
2.
Mow your lawn, and be sure toys and yard equipment are put away.
3.
Serve cookies, coffee, and soft drinks. It creates a welcoming
touch. But be sure the kitchen has been cleaned up; use disposable
cups so the sink doesn’t fill up.
4.
Lock up your valuables, jewelry, and money. Although the real
estate salesperson will be on site during the open house, it’s
impossible to watch everyone all the time.
5.
Turn on all the lights. Even in the daytime, incandescent lights
add sparkle.
6.
Send your pets to a neighbor or take them outside. If that’s
not possible, crate them or confine them to one room (a basement
or bath), and let the salesperson know where to find them.
7.
Leave. It’s awkward for prospective buyers to look in your
closets and express their opinions of your home with you there.
10
Ways to Make Your Home Irresistible at an Open House
1.
Put fresh or silk flowers in principal rooms for a touch of color.
2.
Add a new shower curtain, fresh towels, and new guest soaps to
every bath.
3.
Set out potpourri or fresh baked goods for a homey smell.
4.
Set the table with pretty dishes and candles.
5.
Buy a fresh doormat with a clever saying.
6.
Take one or two major pieces of furniture out of every room to
create a sense of spaciousness.
7.
Put away kitchen appliances and personal bathroom items to give
the illusion of more counter space.
8.
Lay a fire in the fireplace. Or put a basket of flowers there
if it’s not in use.
9.
Depersonalize the rooms by putting away family photos, mementos,
and distinctive artwork.
10.
Turn on the sprinklers for 30 minutes to make the lawn sparkle.
SOURCE:
REALTOR Magazine
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