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Tips - Getting the Best Price for Your Home
Is My Home Ready to Sell?
Your relationship with your Realtor is a partnership. While he or she markets your property and screens potential buyers, it's up to you to give your home a simple, inexpensive sprucing up that can go a long way toward a speedy sale.
Here are some hints to help you get top market value:
Before Showings
- First Impressions
The exterior of your home often determines how buyers will view the interior, so:
- Make sure your front entrance is clean and inviting
- Paint or replace your front door if it's faded or worn
- Cut lawns
- Trim shrubs and lawns
- Pick up any litter
- Clear walk and driveway of leaves
- Repair gutters and eaves
- Touch up exterior paint
- Beauty is More than Skin Deep
Buyers often see the surface condition of your home as a sign of what's underneath, so:
- Keep windows and floors clean
- Replace faded wallpaper and glue any areas that have come away from the wall
- Repair worn woodwork
- Repaint scarred or dirty walls in a neutral color
- Steam clean carpeting or replace it if necessary
- Repair loose knobs, sticking doors and windows,warped cabinet drawers, broken light switches and other minor flaws
- Check and repair caulking in bathrooms and showers
- Oil squeaky doors
- Replace burned out lights
- Repair leaking taps and toilets
- Clean washer, dryer, and tubs
- Clean furnace
- Clean fridge and stove
- Clean and freshen bathroom
- Accentuate the Positive
Try to see your home with a fresh perspective and arrange each room to bring out its best attributes, including:
- Open draperies and curtains to let the light in during the showing
- Remove all unnecessary clutter from your attic, basement and closets to better display spacious rooms (consider storage or a garage sale to dispose of extraneous items)
- Arrange all your room neatly and remove excess furniture
- Keep fresh, clean towels in the bathroom
- Use candles or air fresheners to make the room smell pleasant
- Put Your Home in the Best Light
Strategically lighting your home, even during daytime showings, can create a cozy mood and highlight positive attributes of each room, so:
- Avoid the use of overhead lighting that makes rooms look washed out and lifeless
- Be creative and arrange lamps to help smaller rooms seem larger, and large rooms seem more intimate
- Use lighting to highlight the "living areas" of your home, such as a pair of chairs near a fireplace, or a table in a breakfast area
- Put the spotlight on the strengths and potential of your home
- Create the right mood and atmosphere given the room's function, color scheme, etc.
- Accent the positive aspects and unique features of each area of your home During Showings
- Leave the Selling to the Professional
Buyers often feel uncomfortable in the presence of a homeowner, so:
- Try not to be present during showings & inspections
- If you are home, never apologize for the appearance of your house
- Only your Realtor should discuss any objections and subjects like price, terms, possession and other factors with the buyers
- Keep the Disturbances Down
Potential homebuyers have a lot to take in, so minimize distractions.
- Play classical, jazz or soft rock music, but keep the volume low
- If possible, turn off the ringer on your phone during showings
- Keep cats, dogs, litter boxes and feeding dishes out of the way-preferably out of the house
- Create a Homey Atmosphere
A buyer tries to picture themselves and their family living in your home, so:
- Create a pleasant aroma by baking cookies or bread, or placing cornmeal in a pie plate in a warm oven on the day of the showing
- Keep the heat or air conditioner at a comfortable level
- If you have a fireplace, light it during wintertime showings
- Open drapes in the daytime
- Turn on lights-especially outside for evening showings
- Have Records Available
Even if a buyer doesn't study them, having records available can make it clear you are conscientious and have nothing to hide.
- Have copies of your gas, electric and water bill from the last 12 months available
- Be ready to show all home improvement and repair bills
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