SELLING YOUR HOME IN A BUYER’S MARKET
Posted on | September 6, 2007 |
If your house has been on the market for some time, don’t despair. With tips from the pros you can sell your home in the shortest time and get the best return on your investment. Here’s how.
Do a Drive By
Drive down your street and view the front of your home. Does it look inviting? Well cared for? If not, do something to make your home more enticing from the curb. According to Mary Lou McHenry, one of Howard Hanna Smythe Cramer’s Best of the Best and one of the Top 5 percent of all REALTORS® nationally, “Most sales are made or broken the second a prospective buyer pulls in front of your home.”
Make sure the outside is as attractive as the inside. Weed, cut the grass, edge the beds, trim the hedges and plant flowers. Next, paint or power-wash your siding to give it a fresh appearance, suggests Home Improvement expert Leslie Segrete.
One Foot in the Door
Once they open the door, how will the prospective buyer feel? In this business, appearances are everything, so McHenry advises making sure the entryway is impeccable. She said, “You’ll want to create a sense of excitement so they can envision themselves coming home and walking through that same door.”
There should be no shoes and no clutter. The front hall closet should have minimal hanging coats and jackets. All sports equipment and miscellaneous items should be removed or stored on shelves in attractive baskets.
She added, “Walls should be freshly painted or at a minimum, the trim should be touched up and clean. Chipped and peeling paint, scratches and dings on the walls can make the home seem old and not well cared for.”
Touching Allowed
Once in the home, potential buyers will touch, turn and open everything. So ensure it is all in working order, especially when it comes to faucets and fixtures.
In the bathroom, inspect the sink, faucets, bathtub and accessories. Do they look clean and up to date? “You may want to add a faucet with traditional styling for a fresh new look,” said Segrete. The Brantford™ faucet from Moen has classic design lines and matching accessories including a towel ring, towel bars, robe hooks and a decorative tank lever which will pull the room together and give it a coordinated look.
“Switch out or replace the faucet for a quick upgrade at the kitchen sink, too,” she added. The Trianna™ faucet from Moen is available at Lowe’s and has clean, elegant styling. This high arc pullout faucet has three spray patterns for added functionality and offers an updated appearance. If appliances will be included, be sure they are clean inside and out.
Nothing Personal
“While you may love your family photo wall, or your collection of antiques, the goal is for the prospective buyers to envision themselves in your home - not see you still living there,” said McHenry.
In the kitchen, clear the refrigerator of pictures, drawings and magnets. Then clean and organize your cabinets, drawers and closets, because the prospective buyers will look in there too. Even if it looks sparse, it will appear more spacious and open, which are key selling points.
“Be prepared to do the work on your home, before listing it,” said McHenry. A critical eye is your best tool. Walk through each room to be sure it appears clean and uncluttered. With these tips, you’ll beat the odds - selling your home in the shortest amount of time without having to lower the asking price.
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