key information for home sellers to remember
Home Seller's Corner
Your house is too small. Your house is too big. It’s in the city and you want to live in the country, or it’s in the country and you want to live in the city. Whatever reason there is, you want a ‘for sale’ sign in your front yard. You probably will never sell anything more valuable than your home. This means you’ll want to get the most from your long-term investment.
PREPARING TO LIST YOUR HOME
The first step in getting your home ready to sell is to “de-personalize” it. A house can be a place to eat, sleep, park your car and put all your “stuff” (including other family members). A home is where you feel comfortable, warm, safe and protected. A home is where you live.
De-personalizing your home allows a potential buyer to perceive your house as their potential home. Removing family elements such as photos, sports trophies, collectible items, knick-knacks and souvenirs allows the buyer to picture it with his “stuff”, thereby putting his “brand” on the home. You might want to store these prized family items in an air-conditioned storage.
TIME TO START DECLUTTERING: INTERIOR
Part of preparing a house for sale is removing the “clutter.” Through the years, you’ve amassed a significantly large quantity of “stuff.” Remember when you first looked at your new home? You opened the cabinets, pulled the drawers and opened closet doors. Your buyers will be doing the same thing, so getting rid of the extra stuff that has gathered over the years will help your house look ready for its next owner. Areas especially vulnerable to attacks of opening and examining are:
KITCHEN
Clean out the pantries, cupboards and shelves – keep trash cans hidden and of course emptied.
ODOR CONTROL
For those who smoke, you might want to minimize smoking indoors while trying to sell your home. You also could purchase an ozone spray that helps to remove odors without creating a masking odor.
PLUMBING & FIXTURES
Check all fixtures to make sure they turn easy and that faucets do not leak. The fixtures should look as shiny and new as possible.
CLOSETS
- Closets are great places for accumulating “stuff”. Extra clothes, shoes and accessories that may not have seen daylight for sometime can all be boxed and placed in storage.
- Cleaning this space out also makes your closets look bigger – a huge item on any buyer’s list.
WINDOWS & DOORS
- Check all windows and doors to make sure they open easily and without noise.
- Invest in a can of WD-40 and spray all the hinges to ensure that each opens smoothly.
- Check your windows for cracked or broken windowpanes.
- Of course, cleaning your windows will also help bring more light into each room.
CARPET & FLOORING
- Unless your carpet appears old and worn, or is definitely an outdated style, hiring a good carpet cleaner may be all you need.
- If you choose to replace the carpet, find something inexpensive in a fairly neutral color.
CEILINGS, WALLS, & PAINT
- Check your walls and ceilings for water stains. Sometimes old leaks leave stains, even after the leak has been repaired. If you should find a leak, of course have it repaired.
- Painting can be your best investment when selling your house. A neutral color – beige, cream, ivory or standard off-white will allow your buyers to picture your house with their color schemes. It also adds brightness to the rooms and makes them appear more spacious.
STORAGE AREAS
- These are favorite places for “stuff” to gather. Like magnets, basements, garages, attics and sheds attract whatever doesn’t go into the living room, bedrooms, closets or kitchen. This might be the perfect time to have that garage sale you’ve been putting off. Cleaning up and cleaning out will dramatically enhance your selling efforts.
FURNITURE CLUTTER
- A room can look overcrowded if you have it full of furniture. That big over-stuffed sofa or your favorite worn, but comfortable recliner may need to find a temporary home when showing your house to prospective buyers. Again, remember, the buyer wants to envision his or her own favorite pieces in the house.
- You may want to tour some builder’s models to see how they place furniture in the model homes. You can then get an idea of how to place your own furniture to provide the maximum effect – getting an offer.
DECLUTTERING YOUR HOME EXTERIOR
Cleaned out closets and cabinets, washed windows, new paint on the walls and freshly cleaned carpets, along with shiny new faucets and replaced light bulbs – the inside of your home sparkles as it entices potential buyers to “take a look”. But we’re not quite finished. Before the buyer steps over the threshold, will he or she need to walk through the un-mown grass, step over the kid’s bicycles or dodge the game of kick ball being played on your front lawn? Your potential buyer’s first impression of your house will be based on his or her view of the house from the inside of their agent’s car. So, it’s back to work! Take a walk across the street and take a good look at your house. Look at the houses nearby to see how they compare to yours. If yours already looks better, then you are several steps ahead of the game.
LANDSCAPING
- Is your landscaping at least average for the neighborhood? If not, buy a few bushes and plant them.
- If you have an area for flowers, buy mature colorful flowers and plant them. Flowers add a splash of vibrancy and color, creating a favorable first impression.
- 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 to be re-sod, and you want to give it a chance to grow so that re-sod areas are not immediately apparent.
- Always rake up loose leaves and grass cuttings.
HOME EXTERIOR
- The big decision is whether to paint or not 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’s often a great investment and really spruces up the appearance of a house, adding dollars to offers from potential homebuyers
- 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 BACKYARD
- The back yard should be clean and neat. If you have a pool or spa, keep it freshly maintained and always clean.
- Dog owners – be sure to consistently keep the area clear of “debris.”
- If you have extra storage or unused furniture that is cluttering up your back porch – clear it out and freshen up the space.
- Adding flowers or plants can help liven up your backyard for potential buyers
FRONT DOOR & ENTRYWAY
- Your front door should be especially nice, 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.
- Remove anything with a personal nature, plaques, doormats, name plates, etc. The idea is again, to let your potential buyer visualize the home as theirs.
- 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. A sticky lock can cause a ‘sticky situation’.
PEt OWNER? TRY THESE TIPS
Pets create odors that you may have become used to, but are immediately noticeable to those with more finely tuned olfactory senses. If you are a cat owner, be sure to empty the kitty litter box on a daily basis. There also are 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.
WHY yOU SHOULD HIRE A REAL ESTATE AGENT
Selecting an agent is one of the most pivotal decisions when selling your home. It is important to seek advice about this important financial transaction from someone who “sells” houses for a living.
Working with professional real estate agents is beneficial for several reasons:
- They will help establish a fair asking price for your house.
- They will promote your house to other agents and list your property in multiple listing services so your house will receive maximum exposure.
- They will create, pay for and place advertising for you.
- They will schedule appointments to show your house to prospective buyers even when you are not there.
- They can weed out buyers who will not qualify for a mortgage.
- They can refer you to sources for insurance, inspections, legal counsel and financing.
- They will help negotiate with the buyer.
Important Advice To Remember:
Keep in mind, home buyers – you – need to search for a realtor the same way that home sellers do. You see, there are two “sides” to every sale. The seller’s side is represented by the listing agent. The buyer’s side is represented by the selling agent. The selling agent also is referred to as the buyer’s agent. Usually, real estate commissions are paid by the seller. For this reason, the selling agent, although representing the buyer, has certain duties to the seller. If you, as the homebuyer, want to have a real estate agent represent only your interests, you will need to hire and pay commission to your own real estate agent.
These real estate agents are generally referred to as buyer’s agents. If you call on a single classified advertisement in a newspaper, an ad in a home selling magazines or a listing on the Internet, you most likely are calling the listing agent.
HOW TO SET YOUR HOME'S ASKING PRICE
It is human nature for you to want the highest price for your home. However, to set the right price on your house, combine an objective evaluation of your property with a realistic assessment of market conditions. You are more likely to benefit by determining a fair value and sticking close to it than by asking an unrealistic figure. Under pricing can deprive you of money that’s rightfully yours. Unless rushed, aim for full market value.
Be cautious of either overpricing or under pricing if you rely on less-than-solid information. Know your competition. Learn the offering and selling prices of similar properties. Find out how long each took to sell.
Compare your home to others close in age, style, size, condition and location. Timing is all-important. If market demand is high, you should be able to increase the price. Sales prices of homes are published in local or regional sections of newspapers.
Be cautious of either overpricing or under pricing if you rely on less-than-solid information. Know your competition. Learn the offering and selling prices of similar properties. Find out how long each took to sell.
Compare your home to others close in age, style, size, condition and location. Timing is all-important. If market demand is high, you should be able to increase the price. Sales prices of homes are published in local or regional sections of newspapers.
