Selling your home

When selling there are several factors to be considered. Some of the most important items are price and marketing. However, there is a sizeable list of things to be done to get the property ready.

1. Curb appeal is vital. More today than ever before because of the way buyers are shopping. Make sure that your lawn and hedges are neatly trimmed. Clean any leaves in the front yard. Sweep and, if necessary, pressure wash the front walk. The front door should be clean and presentable.

2. Decorate. A small investment in paint, if needed, can make a major difference.

3. We live in the sunshine state! Open the drapes and curtains. Make sure windows are clean. Turn on the lights throughout the house. Home buyers want to see bright, happy houses.

4. Fix the plumbing. Dripping water and slow drains can concern potential buyers as they worry about worn plumbing. Also be careful of rust stained sinks.

5. Check the details. Little things that you may be used to can concern a potential buyer. Loose hinges, wobbly door knobs, stuck drawers can all cost a sale. Many contractors have free time today to touch these things up. Ask your agent for a list of suggestions.

6. Safety sells. Keep stairways and corridors clean and free of clutter. Cluttered areas are not only unattractive, they’re dangerous as well.

7. Sell the whole house. Don’t overlook the attic, the garage, and other storage areas. Most homes in the area don’t have basements and we tend to get cluttered in other areas. Declutter and put them in presentable order. If needed, have a storage container delivered to the house, they can move it to your new home when you are ready.

8. Make your closets bigger. Impossible? Neat and clean closets look bigger. Take time to organize and get rid of piles of clothes and other clutter.

9. Make bathrooms sparkle. Buyers really look to bathrooms as a selling feature. Make sure that towels and area rugs are freshly washed. Recaulk wherever needed.

10. People spend one third of their time in their bedrooms. Make the bedrooms attractive. Remove excess furniture. Make sure the bedspreads are colorful. Open the drapes and get the light in.

Showing your home

There are several techniques that can make a home show better than the competition. Often we know in advance when a potential buyer will be coming to the house. Here are some tips to help each showing be its best.

11. Lights, lights, lights. Natural light is the best. Make sure that the light is coming in from everywhere. If the showing will be in the evening, turn on all interior and exterior lights. These really make a difference.

12. Don’t let your house be crowded. When the buyers are coming be sure to pack up the family and take a little drive.

13. Silence is golden. Turn off any noise producing devices while the home is being shown. Televisions, radios, and other sound can make the house harder to show for the agent.

14. Send the pets out. Pets can be a major challenge when showing a home. Buyers often have different taste in animals and may have allergies or other concerns. Regardless, they can easily be a distraction.

15. Stay out of the way. One of our goals it to let the buyer see themselves in the house. If they talk to the seller it can provide a substantial challenge to de-personalization. Let the real estate agent do their job in showing the house.

16. Always be ready. While we always strive to provide adequate notice of a potential buyer’s visit there are times when they just happen to be in the neighborhood. We don’t want to miss any opportunities so make sure the house is ready to show  by straightening up and making beds each day.

17. No need to apologize. Nobody’s perfect. If you happen to be home when the buyer’s come through, don’t apologize for the state of the house and let the real estate agent field any negative feedback.

18. Sell the house. Just the house. There may be times that a prospect inquires about appliances, furniture, etc. However, to the extent that these things are pushed on them at a showing, they are a distraction at best and a turnoff at worst. Focus on the sale of the home and worry about the rest later.

19. Leave it to the professionals. There is a reason that you have a real estate agent. Let them talk about selling price, terms, closing dates, and other factors. There will be an opportunity to counter any offer but let’s get that offer in first. The agent is the best person to do that.

20. Send prospects to your agent. If someone inquires about seeing the property, send them to your agent. That’s what they have been trained and hired to do.

The biggest challenge to selling a home today is properly marketing and pricing it. We are experts in marketing homes and that can be shown by our tremendous track record. Once we generate the leads your work truly begins. These steps can help your Adams, Cameron & Co. Realtor turn that prospect into a sale.