Tim Wing
Try to look at
your house "through the buyer's eyes," as though you've
never seen it or been there before. The time or money spent on
the items noted below will bring you money and very likely a faster
sale. Properly preparing your house for sale PAYS!
INSIDE:
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Clear all unnecessary objects from furniture throughout the house. (Minimize "clutter".)
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Clear all unnecessary objects from the kitchen countertops. Clear refrigerator fronts of messages, pictures, etc. (A sparse kitchen helps the buyer mentally move their own things into your kitchen.)
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In the bathroom, remove any unnecessary items from countertops, tubs, shower stalls and commode tops. Keep only your most needed cosmetics, brushes, perfumes, etc. in one small group on the counter. Coordinate towels to one or two colors.
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Rearrange or remove some of the furniture if necessary. As owners, many times we have too much furniture in a room. This is wonderful for our own personal enjoyment, but when it comes to selling, we need to thin out as much as possible to make rooms appear larger.
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Take down, or rearrange certain pictures or objects on walls. Patch and paint if necessary.
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Review the house inside room by room, and:
(a) Paint any room needing painting. (Use very light colors to make the room appear larger.)
(b) Clean carpets or drapes that need it.
(c) Clean windows. -
If possible, don't have too much crammed into the closets or garage (to give the illusion of lots of space.)
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Leave on lights during the day in dark rooms. Turn on all lights for scheduled showings.
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Leave enough draperies open to get a lot of light into the house.
OUTSIDE:
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Go around the perimeter of the house and move all garbage cans, discarded wood scraps, extra building materials, etc. into the garage or shed, or remove from property.
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Check gutters and/or roof for dry rot. Make sure they are cleared of all debris, moss, etc.
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Look at all plants. Prune or trim as required. Keep plants from blocking windows. Make sure the house can be seen from the street.
YOU CAN'T SELL A HOUSE IF YOU CAN'T SEE IT! -
Weed and then bark or mulch all planting areas. Keep lawn freshly cut and fertilized. Remove any dead plants or shrubs.
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Clear patios or decks of all small items, such as small planters, flower pots, charcoal, barbecues, toys, etc. (Put them in the garage or storage shed.)
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Check paint condition of the house-especially the front door and trim. CURB APPEAL REALLY IS IMPORTANT!
