Few Tips on How to Improve Your Home When You Are Moving Out and Ready to Sell
- By G Kharchenko
- Published 10/8/2011
- Real Estate
- Unrated
In affluent areas of the country where the real estate market is booming and real estate is very expensive, many sellers "stage a home." This means that the owners remove all of their own furniture and belongings and move out. They then rent beautiful furniture and matching accessories (including bedding, pillows, area rugs, plants, and artwork) to make their house show its best. They try to make the house look like a model home. Many real estate agents and relocation specialists can provide this type of service for you.
When builders are trying to sell luxury homes in a slower market, they sometimes decorate them with new furniture and hold a 50 percent off model-home furniture sale to attract buyers. By attracting people who are looking for new furniture at a discounted price, they are also hoping to attract a buyer for the house. This may be a good place for you to purchase reasonably priced items for your home.
Once you've applied the broad brushstrokes, it's time to attend to the details.
- Repair drawer and cabinet doors that stick, squeak, or don't hang or open properly.
- Replace loose, broken, or cracked tiles.
- Replace burnt-out light bulbs in the light fixtures and appliances.
- Replace windows that have broken vacuum seals or cracks.
- Repair leaky roof damage promptly to prevent internal dry wall problems.
- Repair dry wall stress cracks.
Repair leaky faucets and toilets that run.
Repair curtain rods that arc not hanging properly.
Repair window coverings that do not open and shut properly.
Steam clean or replace worn-out carpet with a neutral-color, quality carpet.
Clean the bathrooms and hang decorative, clean towels neatly on the towel bars.
Clean the chandeliers and light fixtures.
Dust, vacuum, and
mop the floors.
Remove dead bugs and debris from overhead ceiling lights.
Dust high ledges and overhangs.
Clean the top of the refrigerator and the inside if it will be sold with the house.
Remove all items from the exterior of the refrigerator door. Clean appliances and make sure they arc in proper working order. Remove cobwebs from ceilings, chandeliers, and windows. Put away all personal bathroom items in a cabinet or drawer. De-clutter countertops and shelves.
Arrange books, knickknacks, curios, dishes, and glassware neatly on shelves or cabinets.
Make the sinks, faucets, knobs, mirrors, floors, and appliances shine.
Now that the house is spotless, what's next? II you're a motivated seller, you want your house accessible to potential buyers to ensure a quick sale. Since a lockbox provides the easiest access to your home, grant your real estate agent permission to put one on your home.
It is recommended that you leave the house during a showing and let the agent handle the situation. Potential buyers usually feel more comfortable and tend lo spend more time looking at a home if the owner is not on the premises.
Carefully secure all valuable items during house showings, including paperwork for any other oilers on the house. Place the Realtor's sales sheets in an obvious place. Put your pets in a cage, outside, or in the garage during house showings. Clean animal litter boxes so that they smell fresh. Pick up animal waste in the yard. Place a sign on the garage door such as: "Please do not let our dog/cat in the house." Avoid cooking meals that may cause an unpleasant, lingering odor.
Make your house available to show at all reasonable times, unless there are extenuating circumstances, i.e., someone is sick, there has been an accident in the house, etc. Many buyers are from out of town and have a tight schedule. If it is inconvenient to see your house, they may cross it off their list. Don't let this situation happen to you. Be a motivated seller!
When builders are trying to sell luxury homes in a slower market, they sometimes decorate them with new furniture and hold a 50 percent off model-home furniture sale to attract buyers. By attracting people who are looking for new furniture at a discounted price, they are also hoping to attract a buyer for the house. This may be a good place for you to purchase reasonably priced items for your home.
Once you've applied the broad brushstrokes, it's time to attend to the details.
- Repair drawer and cabinet doors that stick, squeak, or don't hang or open properly.
- Replace loose, broken, or cracked tiles.
- Replace burnt-out light bulbs in the light fixtures and appliances.
- Replace windows that have broken vacuum seals or cracks.
- Repair leaky roof damage promptly to prevent internal dry wall problems.
- Repair dry wall stress cracks.
Repair leaky faucets and toilets that run.
Repair curtain rods that arc not hanging properly.
Repair window coverings that do not open and shut properly.
Steam clean or replace worn-out carpet with a neutral-color, quality carpet.
Clean the bathrooms and hang decorative, clean towels neatly on the towel bars.
Clean the chandeliers and light fixtures.
Dust, vacuum, and
Remove dead bugs and debris from overhead ceiling lights.
Dust high ledges and overhangs.
Clean the top of the refrigerator and the inside if it will be sold with the house.
Remove all items from the exterior of the refrigerator door. Clean appliances and make sure they arc in proper working order. Remove cobwebs from ceilings, chandeliers, and windows. Put away all personal bathroom items in a cabinet or drawer. De-clutter countertops and shelves.
Arrange books, knickknacks, curios, dishes, and glassware neatly on shelves or cabinets.
Make the sinks, faucets, knobs, mirrors, floors, and appliances shine.
Now that the house is spotless, what's next? II you're a motivated seller, you want your house accessible to potential buyers to ensure a quick sale. Since a lockbox provides the easiest access to your home, grant your real estate agent permission to put one on your home.
It is recommended that you leave the house during a showing and let the agent handle the situation. Potential buyers usually feel more comfortable and tend lo spend more time looking at a home if the owner is not on the premises.
Carefully secure all valuable items during house showings, including paperwork for any other oilers on the house. Place the Realtor's sales sheets in an obvious place. Put your pets in a cage, outside, or in the garage during house showings. Clean animal litter boxes so that they smell fresh. Pick up animal waste in the yard. Place a sign on the garage door such as: "Please do not let our dog/cat in the house." Avoid cooking meals that may cause an unpleasant, lingering odor.
Make your house available to show at all reasonable times, unless there are extenuating circumstances, i.e., someone is sick, there has been an accident in the house, etc. Many buyers are from out of town and have a tight schedule. If it is inconvenient to see your house, they may cross it off their list. Don't let this situation happen to you. Be a motivated seller!
G Kharchenko
Georgiy Kharchenko, owner of FreePackingMoving.com - moving company, Flat Rate, Free Packing moving. At FreePackingMoving.com we offer local and out of state, interstate - moving: Annapolis Moving, Bethesda Movers, Potomac Mover - call 1-800-610-5358 for Free Moving Quote
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