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Consider the last time you sold a car. If you're like
most people, you probably washed it; waxed it; Armor-All'd the tires;
vacuumed the carpet; used a spot remover on the upholstery; cleaned out
the glove compartment, the back seat, the trunk, the door pockets; got
everything out of it that didn't belong there; fixed any dings or dents
in the body; filled cracks in or replaced the windshield; and possibly
even had the engine steam-cleaned.
Why not do the same for your home? This article tells
you how:
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.
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.
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 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 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-sodding, 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.
Your Home should now Look as Good as New and Ready
for the Buyer's Eye!!
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