Step
3- How to Prepare Your Property
It's time
to get your home in "showing and selling" condition. Most of
us don't keep our homes in the condition it would need to be
in to sell. Over the years those boxes in the corner of the
garage just seem to multiply on their own. Things have broken
that we just never get around to fixing and some things have
just worn out. We just accept the fact that they will always
be this way. It is this frame of mind that you have to break
out of in order to get your house ready to show. How your home
looks will have an immense impact on how quickly it sells and
whether or not you get full market value for it.
First impressions
are very important and you only get to make one. Your real estate
agent, who is interacting in the marketplace every day, can
assist you in approaching your home from the buyer's standpoint.
What needs to be changed to make a good first impression? This
may mean that all you do is prune the trees and shrubs. On the
other hand, it may mean that you completely repaint the house,
inside and out. Do a "curb to door" check. Give the potential
buyers a clear path to enter the home. The fewer obstacles between
the buyer and the true appeal of your home the better. Keep
in mind that over time we become accustomed to our surroundings.
What's normal for you may be detrimental to the buyer.
Make your
home look as spacious as possible. Organize your closets and
kitchen cabinets, and if you have things stored in the attic
or basement, make sure they are presentable. If you are showing
during the day, pull back your curtains and drapes to show how
bright and cheery your home is. If you are showing at night,
turn on all of the lights to create a warm and welcoming environment
for the prospective buyers. A home that is marked with your
personality and style may be harder to sell. You might even
consider such things as removing obvious clues to your political
affiliation and tucking away any biased literature that may
be visible. This will reduce distractions and help the buyers
to visualize the home as their own.