“Preparing
your home for marketing”
The
first thing to consider is that you are preparing a “product”
for marketing. However difficult, you must separate yourself
from the fact that this is your home that you’re
selling.
This is an exciting time for you. After all, you’re
moving to a new home! So with that in mind, it makes sense
to do everything you can to prepare the current house
you own to sell quickly and for the highest price.
Let’s go over a few tasks you must accomplish to
prepare your current home for a successful sale.
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Put yourself in a BUYER’S frame of mind.
Pretend
you’re at an open house looking at this home as
a potential new home for you and your significant other.
Stand at the front door and peruse the home. First impressions
are after all FIRST IMPRESSIONS, and are very important.
Does the home look small?
A. Get a storage room (or friend’s
dry garage) and move out any furniture you’re not
using. Yes, the furniture’s beautiful and was purchased
especially for your home. Too much furniture will
make your home look SMALL
Do the closets look small?
A. Go through your closets, give away
anything you haven’t used in two years (you can
use the tax deduction) and pack away anything that you
won’t be wearing within the next two months. Too
many clothes will make your closets look SMALL.
Does the kitchen have enough cabinet space?
A. Go through your kitchen cabinets and
pack away anything you won’t need during the next
two months. Give away any old chipped, mis-matched dishes,
cups, glasses, etc. that you really don’t need and
that really aren’t worth packing & moving.
B. CLEAN the cabinets & drawers inside
and out. Get rid of old food stuffs, wash down the fronts
of the cabinets & drawers; vacuum the insides of all
cabinets and drawers.
C. Clean out the refrigerator; remove
any old or smelly food. Your refrigerator may not be going
with the home, but most house hunters
will open the refrigerator.
Will floors need to be re-finished or walls painted?
A. wash and remove any stains from the
floors; whether hardwood, tile, carpet or vinyl. Remember,
after you’ve removed all that ‘clutter,’
you’ll see a lot more of your floors!
Remove any “walls” of family pictures. You
want buyers to look at your home, not at pictures of your
family and strange looking relatives. Wash, fill and touch
up any nail holes, scratches or dents in your walls.
Are the bathrooms in good shape; mildewed; clean?
A. You’ve already washed the floors; now scour the
grouting, shower door, commode, sink, etc. A clean,
sanitized bathroom is one of the best selling features
for a home.
Has the yard been maintained?
A. No one likes to do a lot of yard maintenance.
A neatly trimmed yard doesn’t need nearly as much
maintenance as one that must be cleaned, pruned and trimmed
before you can even begin to enjoy it.
B. A quick shot of mulch around all your plantings
is a good thing, but don’t do mulching until just
before we put your home on the market. Mulch has a tendency
to begin to look old after a short time on the ground.
Once
you’ve accomplished all these tasks, you are truly
ready to market your home for sale. It’s at this
point that we can formulate and implement the specific
marketing plan for your home. Remember, your home needs
to look its very best. You want to get the most money
for your home in the least amount of time. Your goal is
to SELL your home, not to spend the next couple of months
SHOWING your home.
Pack, Clean, and Throw Away
A. You’re moving, so what better
time to begin the tedious process of packing all your
belongings.
B. You want to get the most money for
your home. Buyers will enjoy, appreciate and pay MORE
for a clean, well maintained home.
C. Remember, movers charge by the pound
(or cubic foot) for moving your belongings. You don’t
need to pay to move “stuff” that you don’t
use or need. Nothing is a greater waste of money than
moving unnecessary items from one home to the next; only
to be stored away until the NEXT time you move. Finally,
enjoy this process! You’re moving to a brand new
home, and beginning a new chapter in your life!
WHAT
could be more exciting? |
