When Ted gets ready to place your home on the market, he will go through your house together with you. In the meantime, here are some "handy hints" for you to think about. If you follow the guidelines below, you will have an advantage over the competition already on the market. It is very important that your home shows well. Here are some ideas to help make that happen!
1. Clear all unnecessary objects from furniture throughout the house. Keep decorative objects on the furniture to a minimum.
2. Clear all unnecessary objects from the kitchen countertops. If it hasn't been used for several months . . . put it away! Clear the refrigerator fronts of messages, pictures, etc. If the kitchen is clear, the prospective buyers will mentally begin to move their own things into your kitchen!
3. In the bathrooms, remove any unnecessary items from the vanity tops, tubs, shower stalls and commode tops. Keep only your most needed cosmetics, brushes, perfumes, etc. in one small group on the counter. Small cosmetic trays are attractive. Coordinating towels are a nice touch.
4. Rearrange or remove some of the furniture if the room seems full. When it comes to selling, we need to make the rooms appear larger by having a balanced amount of furniture in them.
5. Take down or rearrange potentially objectionable, distracting or excessive pictures/objects on the walls. Patch and paint if necessary.
6. Review the house inside room-by-room:
. . . Paint any room needing attention
. . . Clean carpets or drapes if necessary
. . . Clean windows
. . . Check for odors - cat litter boxes, heavy spice odors and smoking odors hurt showings
7. Leave on certain lights during the day. During showings, turn on all lights and lamps.
8. Have your FM stereo on during the day playing some soft music for all the showings.
9. Have a lock box on the property. Most agents will not take time to show a property which does not have a lock box. Ted will furnish the electronic lock box and explain its use.
More Tips for Selling your Home
Outside is every bit as important as the inside. It's the first thing the buyer sees when driving up. Be sure his entire experience is pleasant ~ from the car to the front door!
1. Go around the perimeter of the house and move all garbage cans, discarded wood scraps, extra building materials, etc., into the garage.
2. Check gutters and/or roof for excessive corrosion, wood rot or water damage. Make sure gutters are free of debris.
3. Inspect all plants . . . prune bushes and trees. Keep plants from blocking the windows. Keep low tree limbs from blocking the view of the home from the street.
4. Weed all planting areas. Keep your lawn freshly cut and fertilized. Remove any dead plants or shrubs.
5. Clear patios or decks of all small items, such as small planters, flower pots, charcoal, barbeques, toys, etc. (Put them in garage)
6. Check the paint condition of the house - especially the front door and trim. "Curb appeal" is very important!
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