How many times have you gone to show a house and been surprised by something? I'm often surprised by the things that a seller will leave out in their living room. Too many times I've seen drug paraphernalia, inappropriate "magazines", other junk, garbage, and even pet feces.
In one instance I even stumbled upon a huge amount of marijuana - we're talking pounds! The disturbing thing is that some sellers don't seem to care that there are going to be potential buyers walking through their house.
Many times I can predict that foreclosures or houses in particular distressed areas might not have things in order. Unfortunately I've seen my share of this stuff in upscale housing as well.
So sellers, please clean up and try to present your house like you want to sell it. Here are some tips:
1. Take down personal pictures and other family heirlooms
2. Get rid of the junk. Have a yard sale and sell things that you don't need and throw away the rest (or at least find appropriate storage)
3. Repair the "little" things that you've been putting off for later. Fix the door handles, outlet covers and such. The things that you can pick up at the hardware store and fix in a few minutes.
4. Make sure that your closet isn't hiding something potentially embarrassing or offensive - you know what I mean. Make sure this stuff is hidden from view and not just behind the closet door.
5. Secure your valuables. Renting a storage unit or safety deposit box is a good idea.
6. Clean, take out the garbage, vacuum and plug in an air freshener. Hire a cleaning company if you have to, it will likely save you money by bringing higher offers.
7. Make sure the outside of the house looks nice too. Some buyers won't even want to see the inside if the outside is a mess.
-katie4homes
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