Twenty-five Guidelines

Following are twenty-five things to think about when selling your home. Most of these items are “common sense,” but might be things that you haven’t thought about or have overlooked. The important thing to remember is that you want your home to feel inviting and your prospects to feel welcome. You should begin work on this list at least a month before you plan to list your home.

Following are twenty-five things to think about when selling your home. Most of these items “common sense,” but might be that you haven’t thought or have overlooked. The important thing remember is want home feel inviting and prospects welcome. should begin work on this list at least a month before plan>

1. The First Impression is the Most Important
   A well-manicured lawn, neatly trimmed shrubs and a clutter-free porch welcomes prospects. Make sure the driveway is clean and consider resurfacing if needed. Clean the front door and windows and consider fresh paint. If it’s autumn, rake the leaves. If it’s winter, shovel the walkways. If it’s spring or summer, plant flowers. Neatly place tools and hoses in driveway. Make your home as inviting as possible to anyone who stops by.
2. Invest a Few Hours for Future Dividends
   Here’s your chance to clean up in real estate! If you want to sell your house, then pretend you’re cleaning because the President is coming for dinner. Clean up the living room, the bathroom, the kitchen. Primary bathrooms should now be thought of as “guest baths.” Pay attention to detail. If your woodwork is scuffed or the paint is fading, consider some minor redecoration. Fresh wallpaper adds charm and value to your property. Check your local Home Depot or Lowe’s for inexpensive home improvement books and tips on how you can improve the appearance of your home without spending a lot of money. Most people would rather see how great your home looks than try to imagine how great it COULD look, “with a little work.”
3. Wonderful Smells
   Nothing turns a prospect off faster than bad smells - they’ll leave wondering if they can make the smell go away. When you do clean, using cleaning products that will leave long lasting pleasant scents. Consider purchasing pot pouri and place in the kitchen, living room and bathrooms. Another option is the air freshener that plugs into a wall outlet.
4. Foliage
   Check the plants around the house. Healthy plants signal a healthy environment. Trim off any brown or dead leaves. Clean the outsides and tops of your planters and consider placing Spanish Moss in the tops of the planters to hide the soil. Spray the leaves of your plants with Plant Shine and consider adding new ones - philodendrons and abricolas are good inexpensive alternatives.
5. Eliminate Leaks and Let there be Light
   Dripping water rattles the nerves, discolors sinks and suggests faulty or worn-out plumbing. It also suggests that you don’t take care of your home. Burned out light bulbs leave prospects in the dark. Don’t let little problems detract from what’s right with your home. Remember, most people tend to notice what’s wrong before they notice what’s right.
6. Don’t Shut Out a Sale
   If cabinets or closet doors stick in your home, you can be sure they will also stick in a prospect’s mind. Don’t try to explain away sticky situations when you can easily plane them away. A little effort on your part can smooth the way toward a closing. Check all the hinges in cabinets and on doors as well. Although you might be used to that “squeaking,” it isn’t what prospects want to hear.
7. Think Safety
   Homeowners learn to live with all kinds of self-set booby traps: leggos on the stairs, festooned extension cords, slippery throw rugs and low hanging overhead lights. Make your residence as non-perilous as possible for uninitiated visitors. Remember, you want your home to feel inviting!
8. Make Room for Space
   Remember, potential buyers are looking for more than just comfortable living space. They’re looking for storage space, too. Take this opportunity to make sure your attic and basement are clean and free of unnecessary items. Look forward to your move - this will help you greatly in getting organized!
9. Organize Closets
   The better organized a closet, the larger it appears. Now’s the time to box up the off-
   season clothes you won’t be wearing in preparation for your move. Take those unwanted clothes you’ve been staring at for a year now and donate them to charity - check with them on guidelines for taking a deduction.
10. Floors
    Have you ever noticed that prospects always look down at the floors? When was the last time they saw a little wax. Wash your wood floors with oil soap, have your carpets cleaned and wipe that tile with something that will make it shine!
11. Make Your Bathrooms Sparkle
    Like it or not, bathrooms sell homes, so let them shine. Start with some bleach and give everything a good scrub. Then, check and repair damaged or unsightly caulking in the tubs, showers and around the edges of the tile. Consider refinishing the grout - this much easier than it sounds and really make that tile floor like new. Make sure all fixtures are clean, dust-free and well-attached to the walls. For added allure, display your best towels, mats and shower curtains.
12. Dust Free Zone
    Dust can be a big problem when you don’t know it’s there. A can of pledge can make your home shine. Don’t forget the tops of trim, door jams, on top of the fridge, the trim along the floor, window sills and televisions and other electronic equipment. Remove the vents from the HVAC ducts and soak them in a fresh smelling cleaning solution overnight. Wipe inside the ducts with a damp cloth, replace the vents and you’ll be amazed at the fresh smell! Make sure you don’t forget to replace the filter in your HVAC unit - its there to prevent dust from entering your home!
13. Create Dream Bedrooms
    Wake-up prospects to the cozy comforts of your bedrooms. For a spacious
    look, get rid of excess furniture and let the bed be the focus of the room. Colorful bedspreads, lots of pillows and fresh curtains are a must. You want your prospects to want to sleep in that bedroom!
14. Open up in the Daytime
    Let the sun shine in! Pull back your curtains and drapes so prospects can
    see how bright and cheery your home is.
15. Lighten up at Night
    Turn on the excitement by turning on all your lights - both inside and outside - when showing your home in the evening. Lights add color and warmth, and make prospects feel welcome.
16. Neutralize your Home
    Try to look at your home through the Buyers eyes. You want it to be as appealing and uncluttered as possible. Although you might have wonderful taste when it comes to interior design, the Buyer might not share that taste. Remove any unneeded furniture to reduce clutter. Consider painting a neutral color like taupe or off-white. Clean up surface area of shelves and tables and remove items that have sentimental value, but that might not necessarily be pleasing to the Buyer’s eye. Visit a model home to get ideas.
17. Avoid Crowd Scenes
    Potential buyers often feel like intruders when they enter a home with inhabitants, not to mention guests. Your guests often feel uncomfortable and so then too will the prospect. Rather than giving your house the attention it deserves, they’re likely to hurry through. Keep the company present to a minimum and try to avoid being at home when your Realtor is going to show it.
18. Watch Your Pets
    Dogs and cats are great companions, but not when you’re showing your home. Pets have a talent for making prospects feel uncomfortable. Do everyone a favor: keep Socks and Spot outside, or at least out of the way. A kennel is a great way to take care of this, and you don’t have to worry about the animals getting out.
19. Create a Relaxing Atmosphere
    Rock-and-roll will never die, but it might kill a real estate transaction. When it’s time to show your home, it’s time to turn down the stereo and turn off the television. Think about playing something that is soothing and won’t distract a prospect from the reason they came in the first place.
20. Relax
    If you must be present at the time of your showing (we really recommend that you aren’t), be friendly, but don’t try to force conversation. Introduce yourself, offer to be of assistance and then disappear. Definitely do not follow the prospect around or lead them through the house. Prospects want to view your home with a minimum of distraction.
21. Don’t Apologize
    No matter how humble your abode, never apologize for its shortcomings. If a prospect volunteers a derogatory comment about your home’s appearance, let your REALTOR handle the situation and most important, let your Realtor do the talking. Remember, the less distractions, the better.
22. Keep a Low Profile
    Nobody knows your home as well as you do. But your REALTOR knows buyers - what they need and what they want. Your REALTOR will have an easier time articulating the virtues of your home if you stay in the background. Remember, the prospect will have an objective view of your home.
23. Don’t Turn Your Home Into a Second-Hand Store
    When prospects come to view your home, don’t distract them with offers to sell those furnishings you no longer want or need. You might hurt the situation rather than help it and you may lose the biggest sale of all. All those details can be worked out AFTER you get an offer.
24. Defer to Experience
    When prospects want to talk price, terms, or other real estate matters, let them speak to an expert. Have them call your Realtor.
25. Help Your Agent Help You
    Your REALTOR will have an easier time selling your home if showings are scheduled through our office. You’ll appreciate the results!