Preparing Your Home for Sale - Are You Fit to Sell?
RE/MAX Twin City has prepared a program for you to help your home sell quickly and for top dollar. The Are You Fit to Sell? program is a series of checklists and videos that will guide you through this important first step in preparing your home for sale.
Top 10 Priorities for Preparing Your Property for Sale:
1. Air Quality
2. Curb Appeal
3. Depersonalizing
4. Flooring
5. Furniture Placement & Lighting
6. Home Inspection
7. Main Selling Rooms
8. Painting
9. Pre-Packing, Clutter & Editing
10. Updates & Repairs
You can download the checklists and videos at the link below or you can contact me and I would be happy to talk to you more about the Are You Fit to Sell? program.
www.remaxtwincity.ca/viewcustompage.php
Below are some other ways you can help prepare your home for sale
1. Curb Appeal - The moment prospective buyers pull up to the curb, your home has only a few seconds to create the right impression.
• Be sure to cut the lawn and weed
• Get rid of any litter
• Shovel the drive
• Trim the hedges
• Edge the garden
• Touch up the paint to give a fresh cared-for look
• Fix the soffits and eave troughs
• Make your house number easy to read
• Keep your entrance way and foyer clean and tidy
2. Put Buyers in the Mood to Buy
Create the right mood. Turn on the lights, during the day open the curtains, light the fireplace, play quiet background music, make sure the air is fresh or bring in fresh flowers.
3. A Clean Home Brightens the Prospects of a Sale
The more prospective buyers can picture themselves living in your home, the greater the likelihood you will get an offer. Make sure the bathrooms and the kitchen sparkle. Clean all appliances - stove, refrigerator, washer, dryer and even the exterior of your furnace. Clean carpets make your home fresher and more inviting. Replace burnt out light bulbs, clean and clear the clutter from inside your closets and cupboards.
4. Looks Good to Me
A house that looks well maintained is more appealing than one that needs repair and work. Before your first showing, make sure you repair the taps that leak. Are the door knobs tight? Do they line up properly? Repair cracked plaster and seals around the tub and basin, oil squeaking doors, clean and fix windows and screens, change the air filter in your furnace and clean the humidifier. A little work will go a long way to helping you sell your home. Leave the drapes open to allow light to come in. If possible, place fresh flowers in different rooms. If you smoke, use products to eliminate the smell.
5. Take the Dog Out
If you own a pet, remember not everyone is fond of pets. Do you want your prospective buyers concentrating on the things they like or looking for damage caused by misbehaving cats or dogs? Make sure pet areas are clean and odor free. Don't put the dog in the garage; buyers can lose interest after meeting up with a frustrated dog. If at all possible, remove all pets from the house.
6. Take the Family Out
Don't fall into the trap of wanting to meet your prospective buyers. They will be much more relaxed and open to discussion when they don't feel that they are intruding on your privacy. Just before a showing of your house, place your house key in a lock box provided by your Re/Max Twin City Realtor or if possible keep an extra key in the lock box. Then make yourself scarce!
7. Space: Make the most of it
Even the smallest homes can appear more spacious; here's how. Make sure halls and stairs are clear of shoes, mail, papers etc. Put away the toys. If possible store extra furniture somewhere else and put off-season clothing in the basement. Clear the counters and the stove. Make sure each room and the closets are neat and tidy. You are eventually going to move so begin to pack early. Tidy boxes hide clutter and show your home to its best advantage.
8. Secure your valuables
It is a mistake to leave jewelry, cash and other valuables around. For everyone's peace of mind, it is better to secure these items in a safety deposit box while your home is being shown.
