Q. I am planning on selling my home next year due to a job transfer, what can I do to begin preparing considering the slow market?
Answer:
First, we commend you for thinking ahead and realizing that we are in a tough housing market. Second, there is a list of things you (the homeowner) can begin doing today for a fast, effective sell of your home. With the supply of homes we are seeing in our area (over 2,000 homes on the market), it is critical that you begin to "set-up" your home to stand out from the competition.
We recommend you:
Hire a Home Inspector- to perform an inspection of your house and identify areas that may need repair. You don't have to fix everything but definitely pay attention to high ticket items that a potential buyer may frown upon. Your Realtor should help you with this list. If you ignore critical problems a buyer may ask you for a huge price reduction, it is best you fix the problem now and get the most for your house when you decide to sell. Paying $5,000 to repair a roof is far more enticing than losing $10,000 in the sale.
Cosmetic Work - such as the entry way, paint touch-ups, a green lawn, bathroom lighting and kitchen upgrades are just a few areas you can enhance in order to give your home a WOW first impression. Women for the most part pay close attention to the kitchen and bathrooms. Ask yourself, "What can I do to make it more appealing?" Another idea is to have a friend come and give you their opinion on some of these areas.
Have a Yard Sale - at least two months before you put your house on the market. Get rid of anything you don't need or want. After the yard sale, put the rest of the items on craigslist and either give it away for free or sell it cheap. The point is - you want a clutter-free home! The more space you create within your home, the better.
De-personalize - your home before your agent puts the house on the market. We suggest you pack up all photo frames, refrigerator magnets, posters on the walls, diplomas or any wall item that tells people about your life - it's distracting and rather than viewing your home, they're looking at pictures or your trophies. You don't want that.
Hire a home stager - to help you with home arrangements, curve appeal and other home décor that aide in the showing process. There are several home stagers who offer different Home Staging Packages. If you have the talent of a stager, you may want to consider paying for a consultation. The Home Stage will provide you with a list of recommendations based on their experience.
Copyright 2007. Chris & Maria Jeantet, Real Estate Professionals GMAC. All Rights Reserved.
Visit our website for more Real Estate Topics - http://www.shastaliving.com/ or contact us directly if you have a specific questions. Email mjeantet@repgmac.com or phone (530) 276-9093.
Comments(2)