Whether you’re planning to sell your home in the next few months or just studying up for that eventuality, there’s no time like now to prepare. If buying a house seems complicated, selling involves even more responsibilities and expenses.
How to Prepare Your Home for Showing
OUTSIDE: Trim all shrubs. Pull all weeds. Flowers planted. Leaves raked. Water lawn to keep green. Pick up and discard or store all implements, materials and debris that are not part of the lawn decor. All windows washed. Garage should be swept, neat and tidy. During the winter, all walks and drives should be shoveled and salted.
LIGHTING: Open all shades and draperies during the daylight hours. Replace all burned out light bulbs with the maximum light producing bulbs. Turn on all lights throughout the house and basement prior to showing the house.
STORAGE: All clothing, shoes, hats, accessories, tools, papers, magazines, books and personal items not contributing to the decor of the room should be stored in closets or dressers. All closets should be tidy, neat and clean. Basement storage areas should be neatly arranged. Kitchen counters should be clean and free of any articles not contributing to the decor of the room. All magazines, books, ashtrays, food, bottles, containers, boxes, cans, toys, hobby accessories, tools, dishes, cookware, etc. should be stored in the proper cupboards or closets or storage areas.
CLOSETS: The interiors of all closets should present an organized, tidy and uncluttered appearance. All unneeded or unused items should be discarded. Display your storage and utility space by removing all unnecessary accumulations in attic, stairways, basement, closets and garage.
BASEMENT: Should be neat, clean, dry and tidy. All materials and tools should be stored on shelves or in cabinets. Discard as much unneeded material as possible prior to showing the house to prospective purchasers.
WINDOWS: All windows should be spotlessly clean inside and out. All window sills, as well as any space between the window and storm window should be spotlessly clean and free of any flaking or loose paint. All windows should be in good repair with no cracks. Screens should be clean and in good condition, free of rust and holes. Any paint on glass should be removed with a razor blade prior to cleaning.
FIXTURES: All bathroom and kitchen fixtures and counters should be sparkling clean. Polish chrome faucets and handles in the tub and sinks. All sinks, tubs, toilets and counters should be clean.
FLOORS: All flooring should be clean and waxed if necessary. All carpeting should be very clean regardless of its age. If the carpeting has not been steam cleaned for more than two years, now is the time to do it. Basement floors should be swept and mopped.
DOORS: All doors should be free of scotch tape, posters, decals, or stickers. All door handles should be clean and in good repair.
CERAMIC TILE: All joints between tiles should be clean and white. Use DAP bathroom tile sealer to reseal the joint between bathtub and wall and floor.
WALLS: All walls should be clean and free of gouges, scratches, smudges, scotch tape, posters, thumbtacks, etc. Walls should only have decorative items. Posters and paper pictures taped to walls should be removed and all evidence of the tape markings removed.
ODOR: Nothing smells better than fresh air. On warm days, have your windows open and shades up. Make your home feel and smell bright, fresh and clean and you will have a faster sale. KEY POINT: Make very sure that there are absolutely no pet odors.
Getting Top Dollar for Your Home
Like all sellers, you'd like to command a high price for your home—and every buyer would like to pay as little as possible. The sale depends on many factors, including market conditions, your home's desirability, and how quickly you want to sell. In most real estate transactions, sellers and buyers meet somewhere in the middle—but there are ways to tip the balance in your favor.
Get the facts.
Don't spend money on a formal market appraisal. The best way to determine the value of your house is to get three comparative market analyses from three agents specializing in your area. Not only will the agents take recent sales data and your home's attributes into account, they also will factor your neighborhood into the equation.
Set your price judiciously.
Typically, if you set your price 5 percent to 10 percent above market price, you are likely to end up with an offer close to your home's true value. Also try calculating the cost per square foot of your house compared to homes already on the market (divide list price by square footage of livable space). If your house has more features or other desirable qualities, you may want to set a higher price. Finally, follow an old retail maxim for hooking buyers: Set your price just under a whole number, such as $229,900 rather than $230,000.
Don't waste time.
The longer a house sits on the market, the less likely you are to get the best price. Put your house on the market during the spring or fall, when the most buyers are looking; avoid the seasonal slow periods of mid-summer and mid-winter. Remember, you're paying property tax, insurance, and other costs while you're selling. If you've already bought your next home, expenses can quickly add up.
Have your house inspected.
A pre-sale evaluation from a qualified home inspector can save both money and heartache. You'll end up with a list of repairs you can address before you sell. The last thing you want is a surprise during the buyer's home inspection that will force you to lower the price or make costly, last-minute repairs before closing. A comprehensive home inspection combined with a home warranty reassures buyers that the property is in good condition and that certain repairs will be covered by insurance.
Make your home a model home.
Your goal is to dazzle buyers willing to pay for a home in mint condition. Paint, floor polish, new light fixtures and fresh bedding plants are inexpensive ways to take your home from plain to profitable. Or offer an appropriate allowance (for re-carpeting, wallpapering, or painting) to a buyer who likes everything but your taste in decor.
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