Home Preparation...Before the Listing
You've made the decision to finally place your home for sale on the market and make that move to your next home. You've seen the latest sales in Louisville KY and you're convinced that you too can realize success in finding a buyer for your home. To that I say "Congratulations" and I hope I can be of assistance in your process.
In Home Preparation...Don't Pull the Trigger Too Quickly! I pointed out the importance of not allowing your home to go on the market before it is absolutely ready to host prospective buyers. I would like to cover a few simple upgrades and maintenance items to be addressed that will have a significant impact on the overall reception of your home on that first showing.
Outside:
- Patch bare spots in the yard and remove dead or dying landscaping
- Remove cracked or flaking paint on trim and give a fresh coat of paint
- Remove wood rot on front & garage doors and window trim, patch and paint
- If front door hardware is worn, tarnished or flaking, replace with new hardware
Inside:
Tighten door hardware - knobs and hinges - ensure doors latch normally and do not stick- Replace damaged or inoperable window shades
- If you intend to take any light fixtures or bathroom mirrors with you, swap them out now
- Tighten kitchen & bathroom cabinet hardware and adjust cabinet doors to align properly
- Have poorly operating light switches or dimmers replaced and replace cracked switch plates
- If using lower wattage light bulbs, consider replacing with slightly higher watt bulbs for added light
- Refresh caulking around bathroom vanities and tubs as well as kitchen counters
- Repair drywall imperfections such as nail-pops or cracks
This may seem like a long list of home preparation to-dos, but they will more than pay for themselves. As minor as these discrepancies may be, the buyer is sure to take notice and will wonder what other problems remain unknown. Attention to these issues does not relieve the homeowner of ensuring the mechanicals and plumbing are in good repair. If there are known issues with plumbing or the mechanicals, the homeowner has two choices...notate the problems in the Seller's Disclosure of Property Condition...or fix them! I suggest the latter.
Have plans to sell your Louisville home in the near future? Looking for a REALTOR in Louisville KY to provide advice on how to best prepare your home for the sale? This is but one of many aspects of the professional service available to you through hiring a REALTOR® to handle the sale of your home. Contact me today via e-mail, or call (502) 641-9802, to schedule a full pre-listing consultation. Don't forget to check back often to The Louisville Drop for additional topics relevant to Louisville's homeowners!
Comments(0)