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Getting Top Dollar for Your Home
Reasons to List Your Home with Us!
First impressions are critical.
We can spend thousands of dollars in
advertising, but if the buyer's initial reaction to the home is
negative we're back to square one. We will personally go through
your home with you to determine the most effective ways of
presenting it, but in the meantime these are some tips that can
yield big results.
To start, pretend you are the buyer. Go outside and sit in your car.
Then get out and come up the front walk slowly. Really look at your
home. Have a paper and pen handy. Make a list of all the things you
would want fixed if you were buying the home right now. Chances are
these are the same items your buyer will want you to fix.
Curb Appeal
This is the buyers first glimpse of your home and it had better be a
good one! Keep lawn and bushes mowed and well-manicured. Plant
flowers in the front yard to add color and warmth. Touch up any
peeling paint and wash down front doors or varnish if necessary.
Check stucco around home for repairs needed, replace missing roof
shingles or tiles. Wash all windows and keep walkways and driveways
swept at all times. All garden tools, hoses, toys and clutter should
be cleared away and yard furniture neatly arranged. Check to make
sure the doorbell and outside lights are working properly. Park
vehicles so they are not obstructing the front of the house. They
should either be inside the garage or across the street.
Front Entry Hall
The impression the buyer takes from this area will stay him through
the rest of your home. A sour smell or dark "feel" to the home in
the front entry will make him think the whole house is that way, no
matter how bright and sunny the rest of the home may be. Make sure
you have a light pleasant odor to greet guests at the door, vanilla
or cinnamon is usually the best. There are wonderful scented candles
on the market today that can put a subtle "feel good" scent into the
air at VERY low cost. Keep all the lights turned on and blinds or
curtains open to create that sunny model home look. You may run up
your utility bills a little, but the results are worth it.
Kitchen
This is often the most important room in the house. Start by
eliminating "refrigerator art," any magnets, pictures or drawings on
the refrigerator. Clear counters of all but the most basic
appliances. Check faucets for leaks and re-grout or re-caulk tile as
needed. Often kitchen cabinets show water damage from splashing, a
coat a varnish can work wonders here.
Bathrooms
Make them sparkle is our best advice here. Remove any mildew stains
and re-grout and re-caulk tile as necessary. Hang bright fresh
towels and remove any stains from sinks or toilets.
Create Space
This applies to both closets and furniture placement. Furniture
should never impede traffic flow from one area to the next.
Rearranging and removing excess furniture can create a whole new
mood. Closets should be cleaned out so that clothes hang freely.
Piles of anything are bad, so box it up and store it while your home
is being shown.
Floors
Carpets should be freshly cleaned and tile or wood floors polished
before showing. If carpets are badly worn in traffic areas or are
heavily stained or if there is a strong pet or smoke odor it may be
advisable to consider replacing them prior to showing. Sometimes a
"carpet allowance" in the listing will compensate in this area, but
most buyers see only what is there rather than what can be done.
Again we will be glad to advise you based on our experience for your
particular situation, and we do have access to flooring contractors
who offer substantial discounts to our clients!
Painting
One of the least expensive and most effective forms of upgrading
your home is a fresh coat of paint. Sometimes just a touch-up will
do, again we will be glad to go through your home room by room with
helpful suggestions.
Lighting
Nothing makes more of a good impression than a light cheery home.
Always make sure all the lights are turned on and the blinds and
curtains are open. Model homes use high wattage light bulbs - if you
have any particularly "dark" rooms try using a higher wattage to
lighten them up. Avoid leaving bedroom or bathroom doors closed, it
makes the house feel boxy and un-welcoming. Soft music playing in
the background is always a winner too.
Pets
As much as we love animals we suggest you try to keep them out of
the way of prospective buyers. Some people are quite allergic to
different types of animals and others are genuinely frightened of
even the most friendly small dog.
Be Invisible
When the buyer comes to your door be friendly and welcoming and then
disappear! No matter how well you know your home a good real estate
agent can usually show it effectively. But your presence may keep a
buyer from feeling comfortable enough to really check it out as much
as they would if you weren't there. And statistics show that the
longer a buyer stays in a home the more likely he is to buy it! So a
showing is a great time to take the dog for a walk or run that small
errand to the grocery store. If for some reason you must remain home
try and go out in the backyard so that the buyer can have some
privacy indoors.
Never Apologize
No matter what your home looks like or what its shortcomings may be,
always act as if it is the greatest place to live in the world! A
laughing happy seller is contagious. Your positive attitude will
inspire a positive attitude in the buyer!
Article by Diann E. Tonnesen, RealtorŪ
Las Vegas Nevada Real Estate
Las Vegas Nevada Condos
Las Vegas Golf Homes
Henderson New Homes
This article is copy write protected and may only be reprinted with
permission of the author. Any use of this article without express
written permission of the author will be prosecuted to the fullest
extent allowed by law.
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