Preparing Your Surfside Home to
"Sell"
No matter what your reasons are to sell, remember
that
now is no time to dawdle, the process of preparing a home for
sale can take a month or more. So, here's how to start:
1. Take a Fresh Look at Your
Home
Your home looks great to you,
but a buyer wants to see it as he and his family will be living in it
-- so take fresh look at your dwelling. Hop in your car, drive around
the block, and then scrutinize your home as a prospective buyer will
see it for the first time. First, consider what's called "street
appeal;" does it need washing or painting? Does the driveway need repair
work? Is the landscaping in good shape? Remember, be very critical;
your buyer will be.
Next, pull into the driveway
and take a good, hard look. Is the yard neat and trimmed? What about
the view from the front yard? Then, walk inside and size up the interior
as though seeing it for the first time; take a tour and imagine
what your real estate agent might say about each room, look into cabinets,
open doors, check out the bathroom.
Then, make a mental note of
the things that might put off potential buyers, along with another
list of the things that first attracted you to the dwelling. Remember,
the home's become a great place for you, but a new buyer will see things
that you don't.
2. Clean Out the Clutter Before
You Start to Sell
Before putting your home on
the market, get rid of clutter in every area -- closets, attic storage,
kitchen cabinets, drawers, bath vanities, shelves -- everywhere. Remember,
this is no time to be sentimental: if you don't use it, lose it. Potential
buyers are seriously put off by clutter, and most of us drag a lot more
things through life than us really need.
Also, don't forget the furniture
and fixtures when getting rid of clutter -- most of us put too much
in too little space, which makes a buying prospect think your home is
too small.
Then, have a great moving sale
with all the stuff you've collected and use the proceeds for
paint or whatever other materials you need for repair projects.
If you just can't bear to part with some possessions, store them in
the attic or some other place that's out of sight to a potential buyer.
3. To Sell, Sell, Sell -- Clean,
Clean, Clean
After you've cleared out the clutter,
it's time to really clean. Have the carpets professionally cleaned,
strip and polish the floors, scour the bathrooms, go over the laundry
room, polish the furniture, scour out the cabinets, wash the windows
and window coverings, and spiff up the ceiling fans and kitchen appliances.
In short, clean everything.
Don't forget the exterior;
paint or pressure wash everything that needs the work. Remember, this
is a ceiling-to-floor, roof-to-foundation clean-up project.
4. Get More for Your Surfside
Home: Repairs Pay Off
After you've cleaned the place
to within an inch of its life, the next project is making all the
repairs necessary to attract a buyer.
So, patch up the roof, touch up
all the paint, repair the screens, spruce up the porch framing, and
make your entry area really shine. Don't forget to water the lawn and
landscape beds, and take the time to trim, mow, edge and get rid of
sick or dying plants. Inside, fix the grout in the bathrooms and on
tile floors, adjust any doors that need it, fix any scratches on the
walls, cover any stains, and be sure to fix any plumbing problems.
Remember, do what your home needs before the first buyer appears
at your door.
Also, it's a good idea to get
all this done before getting the real estate broker to make the first
listing -- a good agent will advise you on what needs to be done. Also,
if you have friends willing to be brutally honest about what your home
needs to sell, invite them to assess the fix-up needs.
There is, however, an alternative
to the sweat equity you get from a total fix-up --but it carries a price.
An "as-is" sale keeps you from doing all this work, but a buyer will
assess about twice the price you would have paid for the repairs. Then,
the buyer will deduct that amount from your asking price before making
an offer.
5. Putting Your Home on the Market:
Show It to Sell It
After you've, cleaned, shined,
mowed, and generally whipped your property into shape, it's time to
attract a buyer.
Regardless of who markets your
home, you or a broker, there are other, small things you must do to
attract buyers. For example, even if it's bright daylight, open the
blinds and turn on the lights. Also, open all the interior doors to
make the home appear more roomy. Be sure to remove all your kids and
pets -- they're cute, but a prospect wants to see your home, not your
pride and joy. In addition, make sure you pet's litter pan is clean
so the home smells clean and fresh, not like air freshener. Remember,
you need to make sure your home is available to be seen by a prospective
buyer with as little notice as possible. That means less than an
hour, or even five minutes, if possible.
6. Get a Sense of the Market
Before you put your home on
the market, take a weekend day to check out the competition: homes
with similar prices and in similar neighborhoods. Remember, you don't
have to go out and buy new furniture just to look like that beautiful
new model in the new development -- what you want is the feel of that
new model -- clean, uncluttered, and fresh.
Remember, after location, the
most important item a buyer is a well-maintained home. Many flaws
can be overlooked if the buyer knows he can move in without a lot of trouble
and expense.
Information provided by The American Homeowners Association, Copyright©
2003
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