Selling – Page 5 – Mel Foster Co Blog

You need a fast sale for the maximum profit. Do these 10 easy things to make your home move quickly.

1. Let go of your emotions and accept that your home is now a house that you want to sell quickly at a profit.

2. Pack up your family photos, knickknacks and books. You want buyers to see clean shelves and surfaces where they can imagine their items.

3. Organize your closets and cabinets. Buyers are going to snoop.

4. Remove any extra furniture that makes your home look like it’s small.

5. Scrub your house from top to bottom. This includes the outside and those areas you can’t easily reach.

6. Shampoo your carpet and area rugs. Pet odors and smoke are a turn off to potential buyers.

7. Make minor repairs. Turn every knob, open every window and cabinet. Tighten anything that’s loose, patch holes and replace any broken tiles or glass.

8. Give your catch all room a purpose. Your spare room/office/craft room/playroom needs to serve a single purpose when buyers come through.

9. Make your home look inviting from the curb. Keep landscaping in top condition. Check that curtains are even from a curbside view. Remember that a buyer can drive by at any moment.

10. Keep up with the cleaning and clutter daily. Doing a quick pick up or clean up of the house every night before bed means your house is always ready for a showing.

It’s the over grown bushes. The peeling paint. The dead potted plants on the porch. These are things you’ve been overlooking for so long that you hardly notice them. But potential buyers do notice.

Buyers think these small things to fix mean bigger repairs are lurking. Maybe there are other things in the house that have also been neglected. They’ll drive right past your house to find another home that’s less work to fix up. Your home becomes known as “that house with the dead plants on the porch” instead of the home with the spacious rooms and beautiful kitchen.

Some basic tools and a few hours on a weekend can get the front of your home in top showing condition. Walk up your driveway or front steps just as prospective buyers will be doing. Take a picture and examine every detail closely. Look for signs of wear, tighten loose bolts, replace light bulbs and declutter your front porch. Give every surface a heavy cleaning and patch holes or paint as needed.

Regardless of the season, your yard needs attention. In the winter, keep your drive, walk and steps clear of snow and ice. Making your surfaces spotless, even in cold weather, projects an image of cleanliness and order. This also reduces the chances of slips and falls when hosting open house.

In the warmer months, it takes more effort to keep the yard looking manicured. Be sure to keep the lawn tidy and use a few colorful potted plants near the door to make your porch more inviting. Potted annual plants only cost a few dollars and should be replaced if they get unruly or dry out from the heat. Before the first frost, retire your plants and place some pumpkins on your porch for seasonal interest.

If you had only $100 to spend to spruce up your front yard and entrance, consider purchasing some solar landscaping lights, new house numbers, a new mailbox and paint for the front door. A nice coat of paint can freshen your entire entry and hide any imperfections on your front door. This small investment could go a long way in securing a buyer for your home.

The final step in your home’s mini make over is to take another picture from the curb. How does it compare now to other homes on the market?

Category: Selling

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