Ninja Guide for Sellers--Part 1

Whether the market is strong or soft, the greatest challenge for a seller has always been setting the correct price.   That price which will bring the highest net to the seller within the desired time frame.   In this two part series we'll step through the process a prudent seller must take to hit that sweet spot and still get the house sold.

Throughout this discussion it's important to remember that a ready and willing buyer will pay for the features and benefits of a home only in comparison to other homes offering similar features and benefits.   In any market, strong or slow, there are buyers waiting to making purchasing decisions but have excuded the existing inventory because it is over-priced.   Part 1 will focus on the features and benefits of what you're going to be offering to the market.

There isn't much you can do to change the structure of your home--it is what it is, so don't even thing of putting in a new kitchen. What you do have an affect on is condition and appearance.   Now a lot of people reading this will question how much money can be gained by spending money to improve the gerneral appearance of a home let alone paying to catch up on deferred maintenance prior to putting the home on the market.   Oh and by the way, everything mentioned here happens before you go live; you'll be giving away much of the benefit of doing these things after those ready and willing buyers have already seen the house.

Not enough credit is given to improving drive-up appeal.   First impression isn't just a cliche, it shows the buyer what they're getting on the outside and it also sets the stage for the inside.  You'll get repaid for the time and relatively small amount of money you spend on the exterior and landscaping.   You'l lose far more if you don't do it.

• make sure the roof is free of moss and debris.   Use a moss treatment if necessary but don't use a pressure washer as it will remove much of the granuals and an inspector will make note of it.  Clean out the gutters.
• lightly pressure wash the siding and facia boards.   This will remove loose dirt on the exterior that has made it look like it needs a paint job.
• place an emphasize on sprucing up the landscaping.  Have yard maintenance guys come in and trim and thin out hedges, trim scrubs away from the siding, edge the lawn, pull weeds and bring in beauty bark.  Remove weeds from driveway and sidewalk cracks.  (Applying RoundUp 2-3 weeks prior to this will make this a much easier task.)  Apply weed-n-feed, water at night and mow twice a week to get the grass growing green.
• paint the exterior only if necessary; a lot of times just re-painting the trim can do the job. (Remember, we're trying to focus on the best use of dollars and time.)
• Consider the use of container planting on the walk up to the front door as well as on rear deck areas.  Obvious touches like these signal to buyers a level of care and attention to the home beyond the basics.  To recoup the cost, the buyer's agent may purchase them as a closing gift for the buyers if given the idea.

The Interior

If the outside is appealing to the buyer, they will be looking forward to seeing if the inside matches the outside.   If it does, buyers will be seriously considering making an offer on your home.  Remember, it's all in the presentation and you only have one chance.

• Give the house a thorough cleaning.  Consider bringing in a cleaning person to give you a running start on getting your home looking and smelling fresh.   An experienced Realtor should be able to give you the names of a couple cleaning people--they charge by the hour and will usually bid the job when they get there.   If you have aluminum windows that tend to sweat, clean out the mold that collects in the bottom of the frame--people will inadvertantly notice if they look out a window into the backyard.
• Start packing!  Box up your non-essentials and stack them in the middle of the garage.   It's Okay, buyers understand.  They'll open up the garage and see that you're getting ready to move!   Yet they can still get around to see the sides of the garage and how they can utilize those spaces. 
• If you can, consider moving larger items out of the house that will make the home feel like it has more space.   Large pieces of furniture that you've collected and lived with may only show the buyer how little space they would have for their possessions.  Take a hard look at what needs to go.
• Have the carpets cleaned even if they are worn and you're thinking of offering a carpet allowance.   You may not have to offer the allowance unless there are damaged areas.
• Finally, have a handiman come through to take care of all those fix-it's you've been meaning to do.   Fix sticking doors, replace those toilet guts, faucet/value repair, correct double-tapped lugs in the electrical panel as well as other minor electrical issues.

By this time you're ready to meet with your Realtor and go over the numbers.  Part 2 will cover this as well as other strategy and market issues for netting top dollar in today's Seattle real estate market.