Seller TipsAs the owner, you can play an important part in the timely sale of your property! When you take the following steps, you can help Lee Realty Service sell your property faster and at the best possible price!
“FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE IMPORTANT!”
Look at your property from the street…the same way that a prospective buyer will see it for the very first time.
During Spring and Summer, is the lawn well-manicured? Are flowers in bloom? Is the shrubbery trimmed? Are there any necessary “touch-ups” to the exterior that you’ve been putting off doing (if “yes”, now’s the time!)?
If you have an asphalt driveway, has it been recently seal-coated? If concrete, does it have cracks that be relatively easily repaired?
In the Fall, are leaves raked? During the Winter months, are the driveway and walkways free of snow?
“DE-CLUTTERIZE”
Most of us have some tendency to acquire and store more than we will ever need. Though you may have ample room for storage, too much accumulation of “stuff” gives a crowded look and leaves a less than favorable impression in the mind of the prospective buyer.
Closets: Are they over-flowing with clothes you will never again wear? If “yes”, now is the time to donate what you don’t need to charity! A crowded closet—no matter how big the closet may be—gives the impression of being “small”!
Wall-hangings, curios, photos etc.: Too much of a “good thing” on display distracts the prospective buyer! You want the prospective buyer to be able to visualize your house as their home…not yours! Now is the time to pack some of those items away (you may as well do it now…you will soon be moving!).
“I’M GOING TO FIX THAT ‘STICKY’ DOOR…SOMEDAY!”
Well, this is as good a time as any to tend to those minor little items that need some repair or maintenance!
Minor things such as a door that does not close properly, burnt-out light bulbs in a closet or basement fixture, a torn window screen, a dripping faucet, a loose hand-rail…all are minor things but may be signals to the prospective buyer that your property needs some attention. Schedule a Saturday morning or afternoon to attend to these items.
“NEUTRALIZE”
When and where you can, you will want to “neutralize” the interior of your house.
That is, distinctive and highly personalized paint colors—and wallpaper—may suit your needs and tastes, but may discourage a prospective buyer.
You may not want or be able to “re-do” the entire interior of your dwelling (and, likely, this is not necessary), but do take a look at those rooms that have the most distinctive décor and ask yourself whether or not some neutralization would help sell your property faster and for money.
Fresh paint on walls and ceilings is one of the least expensive ways to yield a good return in the sales price of your property!
If some floor-coverings are old, worn and in need of replacement, consider replacing these with new coverings of a neutral color. Other than new paint for the walls and ceilings, new floor-coverings elicit positive responses from prospective buyers!
“MODEL HOME”
None of us live in a “model home”…at least no one who I know does!
But, as we market your property, that extra effort to “keep everything in its place” (well, most of the time, anyway!) will create a favorable impression on that prospective buyer who wants to see your house within the next 10 minutes!
Probably many of us don’t make the bed each and every day, but while you are selling your house, you may want to get into this habit.
And…nothing leaves a more favorable impression on a prospective buyer than a “clean” house. The interior of your house need not be “new”, but “clean” it should be!
“THE KITCHEN & BATHROOMS”
These rooms “sell” houses! That is, prospective buyers focus much attention on these rooms because—of all of the rooms in your house—these are the most expensive to remodel or update!
Even if your kitchen and baths are “older”, they can still “sparkle”!
If your kitchen and baths are older, relatively inexpensive updating may include new faucets (kitchen & baths), towel racks (baths) and new toilet seats. A Saturday morning visit to the kitchen and bath accessory departments at your local Lowe’s, Home Depot, or Menard’s can provide you with ample (and relatively inexpensive) ideas!
“MAJOR ITEMS IN NEED OF REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT”
This topic becomes a bit more complex, or difficult, for many sellers but I will give you a “rule of thumb” regarding such matters:
If a buyer has to consider the likelihood that a major cost item will need replacement shortly after purchasing your property, the buyer will discount the price that the buyer is willing to pay in an amount of dollars in EXCESS of the dollar cost to replace that item!
Why is this you ask? Well, many buyers would prefer to finance a (for example) new roof-covering or new furnace via their mortgage payment instead of having to pay separately after closing. This same buyer also very often considers the “hassle”-factor of having to take care of this replacement following the purchase of your property and the need to have to pay for it separately (often in cash—which some buyers may be short of—or by using a credit card that carries a higher rate of interest than the mortgage).
“To do” or “not to do” a major repair or replacement prior to placing your property for sale is an important decision that you alone can make.
“MAKE YOURSELF SCARCE”
That is, when your property is visited by a prospective buyer accompanied by a Realtor, while it is not necessary that you “run and hide”, it is better that you maintain a low-profile and not engage the people in conversation—other than to answer a direct question (“how many blocks are we from the elementary school?”).
Be friendly, but don’t try to force conversation. Prospective buyers should be able to view your property with a minimum of distraction (however well intentioned).
Though you have pride in where you live and no one knows your house better than you, it is better to leave the showing of the property, and the conversation, to the Realtor and his, or her, client.
“PETS? DO WE HAVE PETS?”
For the safety of your pets and the guests who visit your dwelling, please be certain that your pets (particularly dogs and cats) are in a safe and secure place and separated from those who are visiting. And, besides, that prospective buyer may not be the animal lover that you are!
“WHO VISITED YOUR PROPERTY?”
Though it is preferable that appointments to view your property be scheduled through Lee Realty Service, such is not always possible. In those instances when a cooperating Realtor has scheduled an appointment directly with you, do be certain to obtain that Realtor’s business card. Following the appointment, contact Lee Realty Service with the name and phone number of the visiting Realtor so that our office may follow-up with that Realtor and learn the comments from his or her client!
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