LIST YOUR PROPERTY

 

PREPARING YOUR HOME TO SHOW AT ITS BEST

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1. Stage your home so a buyer can mentally move into it!  Living in a home and selling it are two different things.  A buyer only knows what they see, not the way it’s going to be.  A buyer must see themselves in the home with their own “stuff” so de-personalize & neutralize.

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2. When you sell your car you clean it up, do the same with your house.  De-clutter and clean.  Make your home show light & bright.  Pack yourself up early (you’re going to pack eventually anyway).  Neatness and spaciousness mean as much as cleanliness.  Think like a movie director (stage everything).  Throw out plants that are “hanging on”.  Clean the fireplace and clear off the mantle.   Clean the carpet to pull up stains.  Pack collections away (buyers will look at a collection instead of the house). Pack away or lock up anything that is valuable - just in case.  Dust, clean and vacuum.  Move excess furniture out.  Replace the chandelier if you’re keeping it.  Give special attention to the kitchen and bathrooms, they sell more homes than any other rooms.  Fix leaky faucets, loose doorknobs, sticky drawers and warped cabinet drawers.  The little things DO count!  Keep all rooms clean, bright and neatly arranged.  Eliminate any odors – pets, smoking, cooking - with an effective odor eater.

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3. Kitchen: What can you live without?  Pack it up. Refrigerator – no magnets or clutter, clean off what’s on top & stuck outside.  Put spices away.  No crumbs.  Put dishes away; don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink.  Use smaller waste baskets and make sure they are not in the way.  Put the blender and toaster away.  Everything must be clean and cleared off!  Keep the counters cleared off and empty and it will appear that there is more counter space!

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4. Bathrooms:  Towels - no mixed colors.  Cat box cleaned daily and put away.  Put the extra bottles and toiletries under counters for now.   Clean, clean, clean, & simplify!  Close the toilet lid!

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5. Bedrooms:  Closet doors shut.  Drapes and blinds set right.  Beds made.

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6. Dining Room:  Take table leaves out and keep it at 4 chairs max. (To keep floor plan appearing spacious and open) 

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7. Exterior:  Stand across from your house, think like a buyer!  Walk all around the outside of the house, this is the first impression that a potential buyer gets of your home.  Remove all unnecessary material from carport and porches.  Move piles away from house.  Keep the yard clean, mowed and flower beds cultivated.  Healthy plants only, throw others away.  Trim plants, get rid of moss.  Large trees?  Cut the lower branches.  You don't want buyers having to duck to walk around your house.  Same goes for shrubs and bushes.  Clear sidewalks.  Maybe all you need is an exterior power wash, it can take years off!   Pack and take care of this list of to do’s before the buyer comes over! 

 

WHEN THE SALES AGENT AND PROSPECTIVE BUYER ARRIVE: 

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1. Turn on all the lights if you are home, especially in dark rooms, and open the drapes. 

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2. Greet them courteously, and then DISAPPEAR. If you can, leave the house and take the pets and kids (if any) with you. Your presence may inhibit free discussion, making it difficult for the salesperson to effectively show your home. 

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3. DO NOT volunteer any comments unless the sales agent requests them. 

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4. DO NOT try to interest the buyer in purchasing furnishings. 

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5. DO NOT discuss the terms of the sale, occupancy or related matter with the buyer. REFER ALL QUESTIONS TO THE SALES AGENT. 

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6. NEVER let anyone into your home unless they’re accompanied by an agent, and ask that agent for a business card. (If you are home) 

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7. If someone knocks on your door to see your house without an agent, it is always best to take their name and number and have your sales agent make an appointment with them. We are professionals and know how to show your house at its best as well as represent your best interests, plus we prequalify all buyers before bringing them into your home!

 

DANGERS OF OVERPRICING:

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1. Minimizes Offers: An overpriced house discourages prospective buyers from making offers since the difference between the asking price and market price becomes substantial.

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2. Qualified buyer exposure: Overpriced houses fail to attract qualified buyers, or attract "wrong" buyers.

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3. Decline in showings: Agents avoid showing overpriced houses in order not to lose credibility with buyers.

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4. Loses prospects from signs: Prospects who learn about the house from the sign get turned off it if is overpriced.  They do not pursue the matter and never even make an appointment to view the home.

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5. Limits financing: Financial institutions and mortgage companies generally finance only a percentage of the real value of the house.  If the house is overpriced, they usually will finance a lower percentage, thus reducing the available financing.

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6. Waste of advertising dollars: A house that is unrealistically priced fails to get normal advertising response. This reduces the effectiveness of advertising and results in the lost of advertising dollars.

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7. Less for seller: Eventually, market interest in the overpriced property completely declines. As this state is reached, the seller becomes desperate and he begins to feel he would sell at any price.  In the meantime, he or she must bear maintenance and holding costs.  The net result is that the seller gets much less than he could have if the house was correctly priced in the first place.