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.
