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Getting Your Home Ready To Market

Aug. 11th, 2010
in Real Estate
by Vincent Welch

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It is important to start soon, even if you aren’t selling until later in the year.

One thing you should consider is a home staging service. This can be arranged through your realtor. The first step in staging a home starts with a preliminary interview or consult from the service provider. This can cost several hundred dollars and can initiate other improvements, but staged homes have traditionally resulted in faster and higher sales.

You can use your own techniques if there are no home stagers in your area. Most of these strategies will require hiring another professional, although there are things you can recognize and correct yourself.

Look around your home and see what minor repairs or changes you would make if you intended to stay there. Chances are good, those same minor repairs will help in the sale of your home.

Check the paint is sun-bleached or peeling? Repainting interior walls typically can be a headache and cost several hundred dollars, but statistics show you’ll get a 150 percent return on that investment. This is also true for the outside of your home. Costs may be close to $1,000, but the return could be twice that.

Now take a look at your rugs. Are they dirty or worn out? Rug cleaning products can refresh an old carpet and can impress a prospective buyer, just remember to always vacuum first! If the carpet is too far gone for shampoo, you may opt for installing a new carpet before the buyers arrive at the door. But choose the best quality for the price and always go for a neutral tone. Yes, this can be an investment, but it will serve to attract serious buyers. If there is damaged flooring elsewhere, the same rule applies. If you make these changes now, the result will be a sold sign posted on your front lawn.

Although issues to the plumbing or electric in the house may not be evident to the buyer, this is something their realtor will notice. They will likely use it in the buyer’s favor to negotiate the price down, or ask you to make the repair before an agreement of sale. If you make these small fixes before the first buyer arrives, this will be one less hassle you have to deal with later on.

A few simple chores you should also consider include more aggressive cleaning such as corners, baseboards, and door tops. You should also clear out the clutter and make your home as bright and cheery as possible. All of this effort will leave you high up on the realtor’s appraisal sheet. You will need to consult a professional if you can’t make your own judgments.

Get your home ready before it is featured in an open house or shown as you only get one chance to make a good first impression.

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