Properly
preparing your home for sale can make the difference between a quick
sale
at full price, and a home that sits unsold for months. The first order of
business is to forget your emotional attachment to your home and look at it
through the eyes of a potential buyer. Be impartial, and recognize the
weaknesses
of your home. How does it stack up? Remember, potential buyers are going to be
viewing lots of other homes, and if yours doesn't stand out, it will be much
more difficult to sell...
Buyers buy what they see. Here are five easy and effective tips
to help you sell your home quickly and for full price.
1. Clean and Declutter
A messy and cluttered home may sell, but it’s likely not
going to command top dollar and you can forget about a bidding war. Buyers want to be able to picture themselves living
in the home. A messy home just isn't inviting. Set aside some time for you (and
the family) to clear up the mess around the house. For example: excess personal
photos, most throw rugs and children’s toys should be set aside. Items other
than small appliances should be kept off the counter, just as items other than
computers should be removed from desks in home offices. Once the major clutter
is cleared away, do as much cleaning as possible. This means washing and
polishing the floors as needed and making sure windows, mirrors and fixtures
are squeaky clean.
2. Don’t forget to take care of the outside of your house
Well-groomed,
healthy looking lawn, trees, shrubs, and flower beds. Check your driveway and
clean any oil stains with cleaning solutions, and move any old vehicles,
trailers, or boats off the premises to a storage facility. Replace or repair
any loose or missing roof shingles or tiles. If needed, replace or repaint the
mailbox.Your front door is a focal point of potential buyers. Make sure it is
scrubbed clean or completely refinished if necessary. Fix any broken windows or
screens. Completely repainting the exterior of your home may be necessary if it
is peeling or blistering, but often simply doing the trim, window sashes,
shutters, and garage door is sufficient. Remove any political or other signs. Now
do the same to the side and rear yards. Remove all debris, junk, and
clutter.
Clean and neatly arrange any lawn furniture, barbecues, etc.
3. Paint the interior and clean the carpets
If
the interior hasn't been painted in several years, you should probably do it.
A
fresh coat of white or off-white paint will make the place look
bigger
and lighter, and give it a "new" smell. Be sure to pick a neutral
colour that will appeal o most buyers.
It doesn't cost that much, and makes a big
difference in buyer perception. If not, do a thorough job of touch-up painting.
Have the carpet cleaned. If it is worn, replace it. This is a fairly big cost,
but it
makes
a huge difference in how the home shows. You should more than make up
for
the expense with a faster sale at a higher price.
4. Leave pets at a neighbours house or pet sitter
If
you have pets, you may have pet odours, whether you notice them or not. About 25% of prospective buyers will not
consider a home with pets in it - either because they have allergies, or simply
think it is dirty. Plus, a dog barking, sniffing, and scratching makes a potential
buyer feel uncomfortable and cause them to leave the showing early which would
decrease the likelihood of them putting in an offer.
5. Depersonalize your home
Remove
personal pictures from the walls and
clean off the magnets from the refrigerator, and box up any other personal
nick-knacks. Remember the goal is to create a blank canvass so that they buyer
can picture themselves in the home. Clean out the closets to make them look
bigger. Store out of season clothes and neatly arrange what's left.
Author: Raine Laing, MBA | Sales Representative
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