Sarah Flynn Tudor
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No matter what your reasons are to sell, remember
that now is no time to dawdle, the process of preparing a home
for sale can take a month or more. So, here's how to start:
1. Take a Fresh Look at Your Home
Your home looks great to you, but a buyer wants
to see it as he and his family will be living in it -- so take fresh
look at your dwelling. Hop in your car, drive
around the block, and then scrutinize your home as a prospective buyer
will see it for the first time. First, consider what's
called "street appeal;" does it need washing or painting?
Does the driveway need repair work? Is the landscaping in good shape?
Remember, be very critical; your buyer will be.
Next, pull into the
driveway and take a good, hard look. Is the yard neat and
trimmed? What about the view from the front yard? Then,
walk inside and size up the interior as though seeing it for the first
time; take a tour and imagine what your real estate agent
might say about each room, look into cabinets, open doors, check out
the bathroom.
Then, make a mental
note of the things that might put off potential buyers,
along with another list of the things that first attracted you to the
dwelling. Remember, the home's become a great place for you, but a new
buyer will see things that you don't.
2. Clean Out the Clutter Before You Start to
Sell
Before putting your
home on the market, get rid of clutter in every area --
closets, attic storage, kitchen cabinets, drawers, bath vanities,
shelves -- everywhere. Remember, this is no time to be sentimental: if
you don't use it, lose it. Potential buyers are seriously put off by
clutter, and most of us drag a lot more things through life than we
really need.
Also, don't forget the
furniture and fixtures when getting rid of clutter -- most
of us put too much in too little space, which makes a buying prospect
think your home is too small.
Then, have a great
moving sale with all the stuff you've collected and
use the proceeds for paint or whatever other materials you need for
repair projects. If you just can't bear to part with some
possessions, store them in the attic or some other place that's out of
sight to a potential buyer.
3. To Sell, Sell, Sell -- Clean, Clean, Clean
After you've cleared out the clutter, it's time
to really clean. Have the carpets professionally cleaned, strip and
polish the floors, scour the bathrooms, go over the laundry room,
polish the furniture, scour out the cabinets, wash the windows and
window coverings, and spiff up the ceiling fans and kitchen
appliances. In short, clean everything.
Don't forget the
exterior; paint or pressure wash everything that needs the
work. Remember, this is a ceiling-to-floor, roof-to-foundation
clean-up project.
4. Get More for Your Home: Repairs Pay Off
After you've cleaned the place to within an inch
of its life, the next project is making all
the repairs necessary to attract a buyer.
So, patch up the roof, touch up all the paint,
repair the screens, spruce up the porch framing, and make your entry
area really shine. Don't forget to water the lawn and landscape beds,
and take the time to trim, mow, edge and get rid of sick or dying
plants. Inside, fix the grout in the bathrooms and on tile floors,
adjust any doors that need it, fix any scratches on the walls, cover
any stains, and be sure to fix any plumbing problems. Remember,
do what your home needs before the first buyer appears at your door.
Also, it's a good idea to get all this done
before getting the real estate broker to make the first listing -- a
good agent will advise you on what needs to be done. Also, if you have
friends willing to be brutally honest about what your home needs to
sell, invite them to assess the fix-up needs.
There is, however, an alternative to the sweat
equity you get from a total fix-up --but it carries a price. An
"as-is" sale keeps you from doing all this work, but a buyer
will assess about twice the price you would have paid for the repairs.
Then, the buyer will deduct that amount from your asking price before
making an offer.
5. Putting Your Home on the Market: Show It to
Sell It
After you've, cleaned, shined, mowed, and
generally whipped your property into shape, it's time to attract a
buyer.
Regardless of who markets your home, you or a
broker, there are other, small things you must do to attract buyers.
For example, even if it's bright daylight, open the blinds and turn on
the lights. Also, open all the interior doors to make the home appear
more roomy. Be sure to remove all your kids and pets -- they're cute,
but a prospect wants to see your home, not your pride and joy. In
addition, make sure you pet's litter pan is clean so the home smells
clean and fresh, not like air freshener. Remember, you
need to make sure your home is available to be seen by a prospective
buyer with as little notice as possible. That means less
than an hour, or even five minutes, if possible.
6. Get a Sense of the Market
Before you put your
home on the market, take a weekend day to check out the competition:
homes with similar prices and in similar neighborhoods. Remember, you
don't have to go out and buy new furniture just to look like that
beautiful new model in the new development -- what you want is the
feel of that new model -- clean, uncluttered, and fresh.
Remember, after location, the most important
item a buyer is a well-maintained home. Many flaws can be overlooked
if the buyer knows he can move in without a lot of trouble and expense.
Information provided by
The American Homeowners Association, Copyright© 1996
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Sarah Flynn Tudor - Realtor
Willis Allen Company Real Estate
1131 Wall Street ~ La Jolla, CA 92037
Office: 858.459.4033 ~ Direct: 619.813.6609
Fax: 858.459.1425
Email: studor@willisallen.com
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