 DISCONNECT
YOUR EMOTIONS
When conversing with real estate agents, you will often find that
when they talk to you about buying real estate, they will refer
to your purchase as a "home." Yet if you are selling property,
they will often refer to it as a "house." There is a reason
for this. Buying real estate is often an emotional decision, but
when selling real estate you need to remove emotion from the equation.
You need to think of your house as a marketable commodity. Property.
Real estate. Your goal is to get others to see it as their potential
home, not yours. If you do not consciously make this decision, you
can inadvertently create a situation where it takes longer to sell
your property.
The first step in getting your home ready to sell is to "de-personalize"
it.
MAKE
YOUR HOME "ANONYMOUS"
If there is a new home sales tract near your home, go visit. It
doesn't matter what size the homes are. What you will find are some
wonderfully (but sparsely) furnished homes that anyone could live
in -- with the emphasis on "anyone." They are anonymous.
There may be a baseball glove in the boy's room, but no family photos
on the walls.
There may be "personality" - but no person.
The reason you want to make your home "anonymous" is
because you want buyers to view it as their potential home. When
a potential homebuyer sees your family photos hanging on the wall,
it puts your own brand on the home and momentarily shatters their
illusions about living in the house themselves.
Put away family photos, sports trophies, collectible items, knick-knacks,
and souvenirs. Put them in a box. Rent a storage area for a few
months and put the box in the storage unit.
Do not just put the box in the attic, basement, garage or a closet.
Part of preparing a house for sale is to remove "clutter,"
and that is the next step in preparing your house for sale.
UNCLUTTERING
THE HOUSE
This is the hardest thing for most people to do because they are
emotionally attached to everything in the house. After years of
living in the same home, clutter collects in such a way that may
not be evident to the homeowner. However, it does affect the way
buyers see the home, even if you do not realize it.
Clutter collects on shelves, counter tops, drawers, closets, garages,
attics, and basements. You want as much open clear space as possible,
so every extra little thing needs to be cleared away.
Take a step back and pretend you are a buyer. Let a friend help
point out areas of clutter, as long as you can accept their views
without getting defensive. Let your agent help you, too.
Kitchen Clutter:
The kitchen is a good place to start removing clutter, because
it is an easy place to start.
First, get everything off the counters. Everything. Even the toaster.
Put the toaster in a cabinet and take it out when you use it. Find
a place where you can store everything in cabinets and drawers.
Of course, you may notice that you do not have cabinet space to
put everything. Clean them out. The dishes, pots and pans that rarely
get used? Put them in a box and put that box in storage.
You see, homebuyers will open all your cabinets and drawers, especially
in the kitchen. They want to be sure there is enough room for their
"stuff." If your kitchen cabinets, pantries, and drawers
look jammed full, it sends a negative message to the buyer and does
not promote an image of plentiful storage space. The best way to
do that is to have as much "empty space" as possible.
For that reason, if you have a "junk drawer," get rid
of the junk. If you have a rarely used crock pot, put it in storage.
Do this with every cabinet and drawer. Create open space.
If you have a large amount of foodstuffs crammed into the shelves
or pantry, begin using them – especially canned goods. Canned
goods are heavy and you don’t want to be lugging them to a
new house, anyway – or paying a mover to do so. Let what you
have on the shelves determine your menus and use up as much as you
can.
Beneath the sink is very critical, too. Make sure the area beneath
the sink is as empty as possible, removing all extra cleaning supplies.
You should scrub the area down as well, and determine if there are
any tell-tale signs of water leaks that may cause a homebuyer to
hesitate in buying your home.
Closet Clutter:
Closets are great for accumulating clutter, though you may not
think of it as clutter. We are talking about extra clothes and shoes
– things you rarely wear but cannot bear to be without. Do
without these items for a couple of months by putting them in a
box, because these items can make your closets look "crammed
full." Sometimes there are shoeboxes full of "stuff"
or other accumulated personal items, too.
Furniture Clutter:
Many people have too much furniture in certain rooms – not
too much for your own personal living needs – but too much
to give the illusion of space that a homebuyer would like to see.
You may want to tour some builders’ models to see how they
place furniture in the model homes. Observe how they place furniture
in the models so you get some ideas on what to remove and what to
leave in your house.
Storage Area Clutter:
Basements, garages, attics, and sheds accumulate not only clutter,
but junk. These areas should be as empty as possible so that buyers
can imagine what they would do with the space. Remove anything that
is not essential and take it to the storage area.
Or have a garage sale.
COST
OF REPAIRS
Do not do anything expensive, such as remodeling. If possible,
use savings to pay for any repairs and improvements – do not
go charging up credit cards or obtaining new loans. Remember that
part of selling a house is also preparing to buy your next home.
You do not want to do anything that will affect your credit scores
or hurt your ability to qualify for your next mortgage.
Plumbing and Fixtures:
When looking at a house, prospective home buyers often do not really
know what to do. So they play with things. They flick light switches.
They open everything with a handle. They turn on all the faucets
and flush all the toilets. Having nice shiny fixtures makes an impression.
All your sink fixtures should look shiny and new. If this cannot
be accomplished by cleaning, buy new ones. If you don’t buy
something fancy, this can be accomplished inexpensively. Make sure
all the hot and cold water knobs are easy to turn and that the faucets
do not leak. If they do, replace the washers.
It sounds like hard work, but it's pretty easy even for the inexperienced.
Check to make sure you have good water pressure and that there
are no stains on any of the porcelain. If you have a difficult stain
to remove, one trick is to hire a cleaning crew to go through and
clean your home on a one-time basis. They seem to be wonderful at
making stains go away.
CEILINGS,
WALLS AND PAINTING
Check all the ceilings for water stains, whether the leak is caused
by plumbing or a faulty roof. Find the leak and repair it and make
sure a proper job is done. Nothing irritates a buyer more than finding
out - after the fact - about plumbing or roofing leaks. They will
be talking about calling a lawyer faster than your car engine starts
when you turn the ignition key.
If a water stain is left after something you have already repaired,
do the cosmetic work necessary to improve the desirability of your
home. That means painting.
You may have to paint anyway, especially if dirt has accumulated
in spots or you have an outdated color scheme. Painting makes a
home look fresh and new on the inside and never fails to impress.
Painting can be your best investment when selling your home. It
is not a very expensive operation and often you can do it yourself.
Do not choose colors based on your own preferences, but based on
what would appeal to the widest possible number of buyers. You should
almost always choose an off-white color because white helps your
rooms appear bright and spacious.
Carpet and Flooring:
Unless your carpet appears old and worn, or it is definitely an
outdated style or color, you probably should do nothing more than
hire a good carpet cleaner. If you do choose to replace it, do so
with something inexpensive in a fairly neutral color.
Repair or replace broken floor tiles, but do not spend a lot of
money on anything. Remember, you are not fixing up the place for
yourself. You want to move. Your goal is simply to have few negative
impressions upon those who may want to purchase your property.
WINDOWS
AND DOORS
Check all of your windows to make sure they open and close easily.
If not, a spray of WD40 often helps. Make sure there are no cracked
or broken windowpanes. If there are, replace them before you begin
showing your home.
Do the same things with the doors – make sure they open and
close properly, without creaking. If they do, a shot of WD40 on
the hinges usually makes the creak go away. Be sure the doorknobs
turn easily, and that they are cleaned and polished to look sharp.
As buyers go from room to room, someone opens each door and you
want to do everything necessary to create a positive impression.
Odor Control:
For those who smoke, you might want to minimize smoking indoors
while trying to sell your home. Actually, it is best to move smoking
outside. You could also purchase an ozone spray that helps to remove
odors without creating a masking odor.
Apologies to pet owners, but pets come with odors. You may have
become used to them, but they are immediately noticeable to those
with more finely tuned olfactory senses.
For those with cats, be sure to empty kitty litter boxes daily
and use plenty of baking soda. For dog owners, keep the dog outdoors
as much as possible, even those adorable lovable little dogs. You
might also try sprinkling carpet freshener on the carpet on a periodic
basis.
THE
EXTERIOR OF THE HOUSE
Most real estate advice tells you to work on the outside of the
house first, but unless there is a major project involved, it is
probably best to save it for last. There are two main reasons for
this. First, the first steps in preparing the interior of the house
are easier. They also help develop the proper mind set required
for selling - beginning to think of your "home" as a marketable
commodity. Second, the exterior is the most important.
A homebuyer’s first impression is based on his or her view
of the house from the real estate agent’s car. They call that
first impression "curb appeal."
So take a walk across the street and take a good look at your house.
Look at nearby houses, too, and see how yours compares. Then it
may be time to go to work.
Landscaping:
Is your landscaping at least average for the neighborhood? If it
is not, buy a few bushes and plant them. Do not put in trees. Mature
trees are expensive, and you will not get back your investment.
Also, immature trees do not really add much to the appearance value
of the home.
If you have an area for flowers, buy mature colorful flowers and
plant them. They add a splash of vibrancy and color, creating a
favorable first impression. Do not buy bulbs or seeds and plant
them. They will not mature fast enough to create the desired effect
and you certainly don’t want a patch of brown earth for homebuyers
to view.
Your lawn should be evenly cut, freshly edged, well watered, and
free of brown spots. If there are problems with your lawn, you should
probably take care of them before working on the inside of your
home. This is because certain areas may need to be re-sod, and you
want to give it a chance to grow so that re-sod areas are not immediately
apparent. Plus, you might want to give fertilizer enough time to
be effective.
Always rake up loose leaves and grass cuttings.
House Exterior:
The big decision is whether to paint or not to paint. When you
look at your house from across the street, does it look tired and
faded? If so, a paint job may be in order. It is often a very good
investment and really spruces up the appearance of a house, adding
dollars to offers from potential homebuyers.
When choosing a color, it should not be something garish and unusual,
but a color that fits well in your neighborhood. Of course, the
color also depends on the style of your house, too. For some reason,
different shades of yellow seem to illicit the best response in
homebuyers, whether it is in the trim or the basic color of the
house.
As for the roof, if you know your roof leaks, repair it. If you
do not repair a leaky roof, you are going to have to disclose it
and the buyer will want an entire new roof. If you know your roof
leaks and you don't repair it and don't disclose it, look forward
to hearing from lawyers at some point in the future.
Otherwise, wait and see what the home inspector says. Why spend
money unnecessarily?
The Back Yard:
The back yard should be tidy. If you have a pool or spa, keep it
freshly maintained and constantly cleaned. For those that have dogs,
be sure to constantly keep the area clear of "debris."
If you have swing sets or anything elaborate for your kids, it probably
makes more sense to remove them than to leave them in place. They
take up room, and you want your back yard to appear as spacious
as possible, especially in newer homes where the yards are not as
large.
The Front Door & Entryway:
The front door should be especially sharp, since it is the entryway
into the house. Polish the door fixture so it gleams. If the door
needs refinishing or repainting, make sure to get that done.
If you have a cute little plaque or shingle with your family name
on it, remove it. Even if it is just on the mailbox. You can always
put it up again once you move. Get a new plush door mat, too. This
is something else you can take with you once you move.
Make sure the lock works easily and the key fits properly. When
a homebuyer comes to visit your home, the agent uses the key from
the lock box to unlock the door. If there is trouble working the
lock while everyone else stands around twiddling their thumbs, this
sends a negative first impression to prospective homebuyers.
All articles © 2000 RealEstate ABC
No articles may be reprinted or displayed without permission.
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