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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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