Preparing your home to sell
So, you've decided to sell. But before you post a sign, take care of a few housekeeping issues. First, remember all of those projects you thought you would do shortly after moving in? Take a look at that list and see which ones need to happen to make your place more saleable. Or better yet, ask us to come over and give you a professional opinion. A little paint here. A little pruning there. In short, what would it take for you to buy your home all over again?
Here's a helpful checklist for preparing your home for the market:
+ Start with the street view: Is the lawn trimmed and edged? How does the entrance look? Can you brighten the first impression with flowers?
+ Inside: How does it look? Is the paint bright and clean? How about the carpeting - is it good looking, plush? An investment in fresh paint and new carpeting often pays for itself in a higher price and quicker sale.
+ Atmosphere: Is it cheerful, warm? Open draperies, light the fireplace (in winter), turn lights on, put flowers on a table. It all creates a welcoming feeling.
+ Inner space: Does it feel spacious? Do the closets have lots of room? Keeping ornaments to a tasteful minimum and organizing the closets helps the prospective buyers imagine themselves living there.
+ Kitchen and bathrooms: Are they inviting? Do they sparkle? Small things like fresh caulking can create an impression of cleanliness and care.
+ The works: Does everything work the way it's supposed to? Minor repairs to fix things like leaky faucets and loose doorknobs will contribute to good feelings about your home.
+ Home stager: If some or all of the items on this checklist are overwhelming, consider enlisting a professional home staging consultation.
Major repairs and other considerations:
When a bank stands behind a house through a mortgage, it wants the house to be whole. Therefore, the bank will not finance a house with roof problems or dry rot resulting from faulty siding. And the Department of Environmental Quality will not let a homeowner rest until their underground oil tank is cleaned up. That said, it makes sense to take care of these issues before your home goes into escrow. In fact, it is ideal to initiate an inspection upfront and take care of these issues before putting your house on the market. Help the buyer love your home by making it as problem-free as possible.
Formula for a successful showing:
a. Best if you can be away so the prospective buyer doesn't feel uncomfortable intruding into your life.
b. If you are there, keep conversation to a polite minimum, TV or music off and pets out of the way.
c. Never discuss price, terms, possession and other contractual topics with the buyer; trust us to bring negotiations to a favorable conclusion.
d. Expect the unexpected: Sometimes the right buyer appears at the wrong time. Please be flexible and take advantage of the potential opportunity for a sale by allowing your home to be shown on short notice.
Pricing your home
How much should you ask for your home? We'll provide a comparative market analysis of homes in your neighborhood with qualities similar to yours. Then, with a little number crunching combined with a lot of intuition and experience, we'll make a price recommendation. Of course, you have something to say about the price. The comparative market analysis simply provides a benchmark for the discussion.
Selling in a buyer's market
Those days of putting a property on the market for an aggressive price, receiving multiple bids, getting more than you expected, and having a signed contract in place within days or weeks are over. In fact, local data suggests that the average amount of time it takes to sell in today's market is just over two months.
Before putting your home up for sale in this market, go through this checklist:
+ Get your home inspected. This is something that buyers typically initiate after a sale is pending. To avoid any surprises, hire an inspector before your home is even on the market. We can recommend several stellar home inspectors with whom we have worked over the years.
+ Curb appeal. A buyer's market is very competitive - that's why you want to be certain your home is visually appealing and in good repair. A few exterior considerations:
· New paint - Paint the whole house if it needs it, or just the trim shutters and door to freshen things up
· Clean entryway - Sweep, pressure-wash and polish as needed. Clean the windows and glass.
· Lush landscaping - New mulch, sharp edging, a healthy lawn and fresh flowers, potted or in the ground.
+ Set and understand your price. While you do not want to undervalue your home, many of today's sellers won't make as much as their neighbors who sold last year. And overpricing your house in order to leave "wiggle room" for negotiating is never a good idea. If you absolutely must gross a certain amount and find out that comparable properties aren't selling for that, you may have to reconsider the price or remain in your home until the market improves.
+ Clear out the clutter. Remove excess items from the surfaces, throw out the junk and make your walk-in closet walk-in accessible.
+ Relocation assistance. Are you moving for a job? If so, your employer may offer some resources for making your home sale easier. Contact your human resources department.
+ Stay attuned to market conditions. Be aware of what is happening with prices and home sales in your neighborhood. Stay on top of mortgage and finance rates.
