Preparing Your Home For Sale

So... you've decided to place your home on the market...

Don't let the process overwhelm you; take control by using the following checklist to defuse most objections before they arise.

This is not intended to be a complete course on how to prepare your home for the market, just the top ten items we’ve compiled as the most common objections voiced by prospective buyers:

• Curb Appeal – If needed, a fresh coat of paint is worth thousands. Curb appeal is number one, and fresh paint is the single most efficient way to spend your money for the best return.
  
  
• Lawn, Garden & Garage– Assure that the lawn is mowed, edged and trimmed, and that all garden areas have been recently spruced up. Do some serious organizing in the garage, and move most of the contents to storage prior to showing.
  
  
• Driveway and Entry – Pressure wash your driveway and sidewalks as needed. Repaint or replace your entry door, and assure that all hardware is either new, or well polished.
  
  
• Roof – If your roof is more than five years old it will be an item of concern for most prospective buyers. To minimize attention, be sure that the roof is clean and any required maintenance has been done. This includes gutters, downspouts and splashblocks.
  
  
• Interior – Take a close look around and remove as much furniture as possible. It’s best to plan on renting a storage unit while waiting to move into your next home.
  
  
• Kitchen – Cleanliness is of utmost importance here, as is lack of clutter. Remove and store all countertop appliances. Thoroughly clean your refrigerator, range, countertops and sinks. Keep all dishes out of site and be sure the sinks are spotless, and dry. Be sure to keep trash emptied.
  
  
• Interior Paint – If your interior paint is more than a few years old, or if you have young children, it’s advised to repaint here as well, or at least scrub down any high traffic areas.
  
  
• Carpeting – Assure that carpets are clean. If worn, replace with a mid-range carpet in a neutral color.
  
  
• Bathrooms – Next to the kitchen, these rooms receive more scrutiny than any other. Again, cleanliness is essential, as is elimination of clutter.
  
  
• Windows – Clean windows make a home really stand out in the minds of buyers.
  
  There you have it. The top ten objections dealt with before your first prospective buyer walks through your front door.

Elimination of Clutter (This includes the art gallery on the refrigerator, as well as knick-knack collections, and family photos. De-personalization is key here in order for your prospective buyers to envision this as their home, not yours.

Clean – Clean – Clean – A home can never be too clean. Remember, you’re showing your home against your competition of new homes and the distinction is often lost on prospective buyers. Assure that there are no unpleasant odors lingering from pets or cooking. Don’t attempt to mask odors, eliminate them by doing whatever is necessary.

NOTE: How you live in a home has absolutely no bearing on how your home needs to be prepared for sale. No one lives in a model home, and few would want to. However, most people prefer to see a “model home” when looking for their new home. It’s been proven that many people would rather not “look past” the deficiencies; they want to see a “model home” and it’s much more cost effective to have the work completed before your home is placed on the market.

We sincerely hope this advice helps you get your home sold quickly and for the best price. Remember, any time spent preparing your home is time saved in days on the market.

Don't hesitate to give us a call, email, or visit our site at: http://www.themesarosteam.com for more helpful information.