Selling a home is no walk in the park. It involves strategic thinking, patience and hard work. If that’s not enough, there can be the added pressure of having to sell your home quickly while still trying to get your asking price. The good news is that there are techniques to make the process a whole lot easier.
Selling this month?
Do:
• De-clutter. Consider hiring professionals to help de-clutter and stage your home to sell, especially if you’re a pack rat. They’ll have no qualms about removing objects off of shelves and countertops and out of closets. They can also help you with furniture placement, accessorizing and lighting. Note: Some real estate agents also offer home staging services.
• Clean. Be sure to go through your house with a damp rag and wipe finger marks off light-switch plates, doors and walls. While you’re at it, wipe down blinds, clean curtains and shampoo carpets and rugs.
• Fix cracks and watermarks. Inspect ceilings and walls for cracks or signs of water damage. Repair cracks and paint areas with watermarks to prevent anyone from thinking that your home still has plumbing or leaking problems.
Don’t:
• Leave out personal items. Stop thinking of your home as yours and start thinking of it as someone else’s. Remove items such as photos to de-personalize your space and help potential buyers envision your home as theirs.
• Pack. Don’t start packing until you sell. It’s harder to sell a home that’s piled high with boxes. If timing prevents you from waiting, start packing personal items and small accessories that won’t be missed, and store boxes out of sight.
Selling in a few months?
Do:
• Take photos to help you assess your rooms. It’s easier to see your home through someone else’s eyes by photographing each room from many angles. You’ll see things you should fix or change that you may not see if you’re standing in the room. It’s amazing how much more revealing photos can be!
• Spring clean. Comb through your closets, drawers and storage room. Give your old, unneeded items to charity or friends or hold a garage sale.
Don’t:
• Neglect your home décor. Don’t assume everyone will see that your home has “good bones” even if they don’t like your decorating. Many people can’t see past what’s there today. If you’ve painted your walls in bright colors, consider repainting in neutral shades. And remove any unusual decorative accessories.
Selling this year?
Do:
• Find a good real estate agent. Look for someone with a proven record of selling in your area. A good agent should be able to provide you with tips to help speed up the selling process. Get references from friends or neighbors and interview several agents before you sign a contract.
• Repair basic problems. Get a head start on prepping your property, inside and out. Gradually start fixing or replacing things like missing roof shingles, sagging eaves troughs or leaky faucets so you won’t be in a race against time later.
Don’t:
• Spend money on expensive upgrades. Don’t put any major money into your home unless you have to. For example, if your furnace goes kaput, you’ll have to replace it. On the other hand, while your hallway might look great with hardwood instead of the existing carpet, you probably won’t get your money out of installing it. Unless the carpet is so hideous it’ll deter buyers, just make sure it’s clean and live with it until you sell.
• Be inflexible on price. Don’t assume that the real estate market will be the same as it is now when you’re ready to sell. A lot can change over a few months. So keep your eye on home prices and what’s selling in your neighborhood. You may even want to take notes so you can refer back to them when setting your asking price.
• Use your tax appraisal as a guideline. Don’t assume your tax appraisal is an accurate measure of your home’s value. Comparing similar homes that have sold in your neighborhood will better reflect its true current market value.
The key to preparing your home to sell is to step back and consider how it is going to look to potential buyers. So before you put it on the market, do an inspection tour and try to look at things through the eyes of a stranger. Make a list of things that need to be cleaned and repaired and estimate the time, cost and priority of each chore. Take a particularly good look at your bathroom(s) and kitchen. Time and money invested in painting and refurbishing these key rooms will have maximum impact.
Published on January 17, 2007