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Wednesday, June 13, 2001 Help prepare your home to sell According to one saying, the way you live in a home and the way you sell a home are two different things. Now your home in on the market. If you want to beat the competition, your home has to be in better condition than the competition. Unfortunately, you are competing against Mr. and Mrs. Perfection as homeowners and homes that have had no children or pets. However, with a little effort on your part, your home can be sold more quickly and at a better price. Arouse the prospects' desire for your house by making it attractive. Here are 10 friendly, tested tips to show your house to its best advantage. Some of them may be applicable to you or your home. First impressions. Curb appeal is important. An inviting exterior insures inspection of the interior. Keep your lawn trimmed and edged, the flower beds cultivated and the yard free and clear of debris. If the exterior of the home or trim needs to be painted, then paint it. Painting is one of the best investments you can make. Also, make sure the front door and front porch area is neat and clean. Again, we don't want to scare the buyers away before they even get inside. About the interior. The perception of roominess is what sells. You may have to rearrange furniture or eliminate some furniture if a room is too busy. This could mean any room in the house. Unclutter. You are going to be moving anyway. Look at it as packing in advance. This includes closets. Cleanliness. Clean your house from top to bottom, including windows. Your house should pass the white glove test. Kitchen. Take everything off the kitchen counter tops that you don't absolutely use every day. This helps the perception of roominess. (Hint: Take everything off the refrigerator. Remove all magnets, notes, pictures, etc.) Make small repairs. Fix the leaky faucet, loose door knobs, caulking around bathroom tubs, etc. All doors should open and close easily and all light switches should work properly. Painting. Painting always pays big dividends. Use a neutral color like off-white. Neutral colors appeal to more people. Be careful with wallpaper. It's "different strokes for different folks." You could turn some buyers off. You might be better served to just pass on the wallpaper. Carpet. If your carpet is old and worn, replace it. Don't look at it as an expense but rather as an investment to get your home sold. Use a neutral color like tan or light gray. If your carpet does not need to be replaced, at least have it professionally steam cleaned. Odors. Eliminate all pet odors and other household odors, like cigarette smoke. One realtor has a saying: "If I can smell it, I can't sell it." Pets. It is recommended that the pets themselves be kept out of the way and out of the house during showing. Some people are allergic to animals, or even scared of them. If you use these time-tested tips, you're sure to reap the rewards all the way to the bank. For more information, Assist2Sell offers a free report entitled "27 Free & Easy Fix-ups to Sell Your Home for the Best Price." Call Assist2Sell at 770-487-9195 and they will get the report right out to you.
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