Preparing Your Property To Sell

We all have lists of items we always intended to repair around the house. It's amazing how the list gets longer as time goes on! Now we find ourselves needing to prepare our home for the market. What should we do first?

It is said, and with some merit, that we should view our property from a prospective buyer's point of view. Or sometimes even more painfully, we need to ask ourselves, "Would this property, in this condition, appeal to me if I were a buyer?". Here is a simple 'punch list' of things to consider.

View the property from the opposite side of the street. How does the "curb appeal" look? Would a buyer be very interested in coming inside? Perhaps it is time to trim the trees, mow the lawn, edge the curb and weed the garden. How about the front door? Most owners seldom enter their home via the front door. Maybe a touch of paint would do wonders here. How about the outside windows? Has it been a long time since you tried to look through them? Light and airy homes sell faster than ones you can't even tell if it is day or night.

Upon entering the property what is the first thing a buyer sees? Or worse yet, what is the first sense of smell to the buyer? Fresh and flower scented or stale and like mans best friend? Walk through every room in the house with a new slant on things. Do you need to pick up the clutter, is the furniture placed correctly to show the home in it's best light? What about the extra wardrobe in each room? Shouldn't we hang up the clothes where they belong? Buyers just love to look in all the nooks and crannies in the kitchen. Be sure to neatly arrange all the dishes and tableware, and consider the kitchen counter as a place to judge the overall condition of the home. More counter space always helps to sell a property. What about the garage? When was the last time you used90% of the "stuff" in the garage anyway?!

RECOMMENDATIONS: Your best bet is to try to visit a model home in your area. Note how light and airy the property feels. True, no one lives in a model home. But when you sold your old and tired car didn't you clean it up, add a coat of wax and show it in the best possible light? All these little things will actually bring more dollars to you when you sell. Your Realtor will tour your property with you and give specific suggestions to help you get ready for the market. The Realtor is on your side and wants to help you get the best price for your property. This will get you on your way!