Preparing Your Home - DESIGNED TO SELL!
Posted by Dawn in Denver on August 2nd, 2006 | 11 Comments »When preparing your house to sell, ask yourself continuously if your house looks like someone else’s dream house. Does your home look like a model home? Houses in move-in condition are attractive to buyers. Houses that look like new usually sell the fastest and bring the best price.
With that in mind, here are a few things to consider when getting ready to sell:
Exterior
You have 60 seconds to create a good first impression! When potential buyers drive up to your home they instantly form an impression. Be sure to mow the lawn, rake leaves, trim trees and shrubs that might block light from the windows of the house. Pick up anything outside that doesn’t belong in the yard: toys, trash cans, tools, hoses and building materials. Be sure to store things neatly in a storage area. Replace broken or missing roof shingles and straighten and clean the gutters and downspouts. Repair torn screens and clean the windows. More than any other fix – up, painting your house will help improve curb appeal. If you don’t paint the entire house, you may consider painting the front door, trim, window frames and shutters. Seal or resurface the driveway and repair broken steps and walkways. Freshen up your mailbox and post with paint or a replacement. Rejuvenate the front yard with some simple landscaping. Remember, that first 60 seconds is crucial.
Clean, Clean, Clean
Walk through your front door and look at your home as if you were seeing it for the first time. Every room should be impeccably clean, scrubbed, dusted and uncluttered. Steam clean the carpets and wax the floors. Wash the walls, windows and light switches and fixtures. Clean all of your woodwork, banisters and baseboards. If t you feel this cleaning project is better left to a professional, ask www.MileHighAgent.com to recommend a cleaning service.
Entryway
The moment your potential buyers open your front door there is another 60 seconds of overall impression being formed. Make sure your entryway feels uncluttered, organized and welcoming. Use bright light bulbs in the foyer as well as throughout the house. Fill the house with a pleasant (but not overwhelming) aroma, such as berries in the summer or cinnamon in the winter.
Living Room
If the carpet is worn, replace it. Replacing carpet costs money, but you will find that you will more than recoup the cost with fewer days your home is for sale on the market as well as with increased profit when the home sells. Patch cracks and nail holes in the walls, and repaint walls in neutral colors, such as light tan, white or ivory. Keep in mind that even though you may love your peach living room, the majority of your buyers will not and your home now really belongs to your potential buyers. Take an outsiders point of view when analyzing your curtains and draperies. Replace dated or faded draperies. When showing your home, turn on most lights and lamps and open all curtains and blinds – let the light shine in!
Furniture
Spacious homes are attractive. To make your home seem more spacious, rearrange or remove extra furniture. Too much furniture and too many knick-knacks make rooms look small and cluttered. Remember that colorful toys are not furniture; be sure to stow toys and children play things neatly in their places. Keep in mind that less is more - one or two decorative items per surface are plenty.
Kitchen and Baths
These rooms should sparkle! Clear off counters, and clean all appliances and fixtures. Scrub the floors and walls. Re-caulk tubs and showers. Clean these rooms thoroughly, and be sure they smell fresh. Remove all pictures and magnets from the front of the refrigerator. Be sure your home smells clean and neutral for every showing.
Personal Items
While personal and family photos are very special to you and your family - they can be very distracting to potential buyers. www.MileHighAgent.com recommends removing the majority of personal pictures. If the removal of these pieces causes a room to seem bare, replace the photographs with neutral decorative pictures. Remember, this new look is temporary and in the best interest of a speedy sale and the safety of your family.
Closets
When removing clutter from around the house be sure to store things neatly in closets and storage areas. Potential buyers will be looking in closets and built in drawers for spaciousness so be sure your they feel like the rest of your house: organized and uncluttered. Take those things to Goodwill that you’ll have to discard anyway when you move. Organize shelves and straighten shoes. Make sure that sliding doors operate smoothly and knobs on drawers are secure.
Garage & Utility Room
Shine up the washer, dryer and water heater. Clean between and behind appliances. Take a good look at the garage to make sure cars can be easily parked in each car space. Your buyer wants to see a large, clean and organized space. Be sure clutter from room and closets make it out of the garage to the Goodwill or other charity.
Light and Bright
Do everything you can to brighten the interior. Replace wallpaper with white paint, and repaint shabby or dark walls. Be sure if you paint – lines are strait and not fuzzy or uneven. Open blinds and curtains, and replace broken windows and window seals. Always maintain a comfortable temperature inside the house, even if you are away for an extended period of time. You want your buyers to feel comfortable, relaxed and at home!
