You’ve heard it all before…. You have to get your home ready to sell BEFORE even one prospect walks though the door… True enough… The question is this: “Do you know WHAT you need to do to get your home ready to sell?” Here are some of my Top 10 Tips for you!
Curb Appeal Gets Them Through the Door! Without positive curb appeal, you may loose them before they even see your house! You need to make sure you keep your lawn and shrubs trimmed, weeds pulled and exterior paint looking good. Make sure you have pressure washed your house recently. Quick spruce ups are repainting your porch, dumping fresh mulch and planting seasonal flowers. It’s amazing how a little work on your exterior can make a major difference!
Your choice of Paint will make a major difference! Keep the paint neutral, in all the rooms. Whatever you do, don’t custom paint each room with a different color scheme. What you might love, may seem very overwhelming and oppressive to someone else. I have been in many homes where the paint job was a make it or break deal killer. Most Sellers are not inclined to repaint once they get a contract, and that can be the single biggest thing to keep them from getting a contract. A fresh coat of paint will make a home look fresher, bigger and brighter!
It is very important to Make Repairs before prospective Buyers visit! Things like leaky faucets, dirty or cracked windows, half finished projects and scarred flooring can put your home at a disadvantage. Buyers typically value these repairs at a higher rate than is realistic and they can use it as a bargaining tool against you. In addition to making the needed repairs, I recommend having your own inspection performed by a licensed Home Inspector. If you are not sure as to the pros and cons of your house, having an unbiased opinion beforehand is your best bet! If you are in the North West area of Georgia, my primary home inspector is Allen Eastis – 770-241-9394. He does a great job, is very reasonably priced (starting at $250) and is not an “alarmist.” Some inspectors make a big deal out of every little thing, that can be troublesome in itself.
Rearrange your furniture for easy access to each room. Make sure each room has a purpose, and that it is the best used purpose of the room. Using a bedroom as a storage room will confuse people and limit their imagination. You can put extra furniture in storage, pack up unused personal possessions and pack and stack them nicely. So many homes that I see have tons of junk in their unfinished basement. Although that is a great place to store your stuff, most Buyers will be put off by all the clutter and junk. They will have a very hard time believing you could/would be ready to move in a reasonable period of time with all that clutter. No matter what, in this market, you have to be ready to move in 30 days or less if the right offer comes in!
This rolls into Packing Up! The more you pack up now, the less people have to see your personal stuff. When showing your home, you want them to be able to picture themselves and their family in your home. If your personal possessions are all over, it makes it more difficult for them to imagine themselves there. Also, the more you have, the smaller each room looks. Remember: Less is More!
Make sure to Organize the stuff you do leave in the house! Having everything organized and clutter free is actually less stressful for a prospective Buyer. People actually take on the mood of the house when they walk in. If it is messy, things strewn around and unkempt, that is how the house is perceived to have been taken care of. That is not going to go far in the perceived value. Even if you are just having a “bad day” and it is not the norm, you never get a second chance to make a good first impression.
Clean, clean, clean… and then keep it clean! If you clean every inch of your home, and them keep it that way, you will have a much better chance of selling your home quickly, for the best possible price. Your competition is stacked up out there! Even foreclosures are coming in cleaner than in the past. They are all competing for the Buyer’s dollars and know that a clean house sell faster! If the carpet is stained, replace it! Most Buyers will ask for it anyway. Make sure it smells good! If you don’t have time to bake (what… no time?), get the Apple Pie scented wall plugs so they feel welcomed immediately. Just make sure it is not an overwhelming masking scent. They will wonder what you are trying to hide.
Lighten up! Make sure you open the blinds and curtains before you go to work in the morning! If you know someone is coming in to look, leave the lights on! A warm glow in the evening is always more welcoming than darkness. The more open and light, the more people like it!
Keep the temperature comfortable to Buyers! If it is summer, keep it cool… if winter, keep it warm! If the house is vacant, still keep the temperature right. If winter, keep it up to 65 degrees, if summer, 75 is good. Remember: if they are uncomfortable for any reason in a home, they place the blame on the home, not themselves.
Last but not least… although we’ve addressed this already… keep the house in immaculate condition! I know it can be inconvenient and tiresome, it will payoff in the end!
Good luck with selling your home! If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at 404-441-9986! My website is www.GenerationsRealtyGroup.com … You can email me at Darcy@GenerationsRealtyGroup.com as well! We have lots of other info on our website for you to see! Blessings to you and your family!
~~Darcy Perry
Keller Williams Across Atlanta
Hiram, GA 30141
