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Make Your Home the One That Sells

By
Real Estate Agent with Gayle Harvey Real Estate, Inc.

homeIn the current real estate market with the large number of homes for sale, it is important that your home stands out from the pact.  The savy seller will prepare his home so that it is the one that buyers will notice and choose over all the rest.  Of course the most important thing is to make sure that the property is priced right from the beginning.  In this maket buyers are looking for homes that are prefect and that are a deal.  If you home is overpriced it will be one more listing languishing unsold.  However, a well priced home will sell in any market.

One of the first things to do when you decide to sell is to declutter.  Clean out closets, remove items that you are not using from rooms, cupbords and shelves.  Be aware that buyers will look in closets and cubboards; so those areas need to be clean and neat as well.

It may be a good idea to rent a storage locker or a pod if you have a lot of extra items that you want to keep.  If there is a lot of large furniture , place it in the storage unit as well.  A room that has a lot of large furniture crowded in looks smaller.  People like a sense of openness and space.

The home needs to sparkle inside and out.  Power wash the exterior; wash windows, professionally clean or replace carpeting; Clean all molding and baseboards; don't forget to dust the ceiling fans and ceiling corners.  Don't forget to declutter and tidy the garage as well.

Painting rooms in a light neutral color will make them seem new and will appeal to a wide range of buyers.  Also light colors will make a room appear larger.  Don't forget to repair any cracks in the walls and molding, and fill nail holes in the walls.

New handles and drawer pulls on your cabinets, can update your kitchen.  Also consider new light switchplates.  New towels for the bath and accent pillows for the furniture are an inespensive way that you can enhance your homes appearance as well.

One most important things is to remember that your home needs to make a good first impression so that buyers will want to view the inside.  It needs to have curb appeal.  For that reason landscaping is very important.  Keep the grass mowed and walks edged.  Prune your foundation shrubery.  Flowers either in beds or pots on the porch and deck provide a nice focus and a touch of color.

Finally if you really want to make your home look its best, you might want to consider hiring a professional stager.  The professional stager specializes in preparing homes for sale and often these homes will sell faster.

There is a lot to do, but by following these tips you will have given your home the best chance to be the one that sells.

Happy selling!

Pam Dent, e-PRP, SRES(R)
Real Estate III
Charlottesville, Virginia
  434 960-0161  
www.JumpintoGreenerPastures.com
www.CharlottesvilleHorseFarmsandCountryHomes.com
www.Charlottesville.virginiablogpage.com

 

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John Walters
Frank Rubi Real Estate - Slidell, LA
Licensed in Louisiana

It seems so simple Pam that everyone should know this.  However most sellers think their home is special.

Jun 10, 2008 10:42 AM
Ernie & Barb Suto
Century 21 Preferred Realty - Pompton Lakes, NJ

If we can't get th3se folks to price properly, the staging is not going to help because we will never get them through the door of an over priced home.   We see this same problem alot on AR..... We have several that are not getting showings at all.  That is PRICE!!!  Why don't they listen!

Jun 10, 2008 10:45 AM
Frank Marta
Nuhome Mortgage - Houston, TX
Texas Home Loan Specialist NMLS#: 245813

Good tips and hopefully sellers will pay attention.......

Jun 10, 2008 11:08 AM
Pam Dent
Gayle Harvey Real Estate, Inc. - Charlottesville, VA
REALTOR® - Charlottesville Virginia Homes / Horse

John - It can be hard to get sellers to see their home as it really is.  Sometimes the feature that they love the best is exactly that feature that others won't like.  Sometimes it helps to have a broker's open house and get the other brokers to fill out comment cards.  Then someone else can be the "bad cop".  Also they can see that multiple people feel the same way.

Ernie - I agree.  If the home is overpriced the buyers won't ever get in to see how beautiful it is.  A big problem I am seeing at this time is sellers who need to get more out of the house than it will sell for in today's market.

Frank - Some sellers are open to direction and will do anything to get their home in the best condition and others mentally are already "out of there" and don't want to put any more time and money into the home.  Unfortunately they can't see that their home won't sell in this competitive market.  Of course, it usually helps if the seller has the ability to do the things that need to be done themselves without a lot of expense.

Jun 12, 2008 12:31 AM