Most people know that selling a house can be a long
process. Once that For Sale sign goes up, days can seem like years until the
right buyer comes along.
Don't Let Your Spring Sale Haunt You! |
But did you know that the longest part of the process
happens before that sign ever goes up?
A smart seller knows to take care of the essentials before
putting the house on the market. The fall is the perfect time to get started
for many reasons. Here are the top five target items to get your house sold in
record time.
And some interesting tricks and treats why you probably
need to start NOW!
Get Your House Inspected
Most people don’t consider getting their own house
inspection. While it is true that a serious buyer will most likely hire a
professional house inspector (unless they are one or are a contractor) you
probably don’t want to wait for that potential buyer to surprise you with any
bad news from their report!
The cost of an inspection is usually around $250-$500. It
is a wise investment. If you have someone interested enough in your property to
pay for one, it is better to be prepared. You want to know about any issues
before the buyer starts to lower their original offer with a counter offer
based on an unfavorable inspection report, or worse yet, back out of the deal
completely!
Think of it as an early warning system. If you get an
inspection soon, you will have plenty of time to make repairs before the spring. It is to your advantage to know what
the inspector is going to find and be able to fix it -- and pick who will fix
it.
You can shop around for the best price instead of perhaps paying an inflated “rush” price later on when you will have so many other things to think about.
You can shop around for the best price instead of perhaps paying an inflated “rush” price later on when you will have so many other things to think about.
It also gives you the opportunity to coordinate with the
work you had already planned on doing. You would probably be very unhappy if
you just put in new landscaping and then found out you had to redo your roof. Large
repairs can often have a big impact on the area – or areas around them. As
careful as any trades person may be, the dumpster and new materials have to be
placed somewhere.
Find out what the inspector thinks, review the report and
make a list of necessary repairs and projects. Then get started now.
TRICK: Many trades people experience a lull during the
holidays. This may be the perfect opportunity to negotiate a discount for work
you need to get done!
TREAT: Your holiday photos will be extra special with the
fantastic updated look of your house!
Curb Appeal
Everybody knows that curb appeal is important when selling
a house. Fall is the perfect time to review your garden’s performance. If your
house is not inviting from the street, buyers may not even get out of their
cars to look inside! Get the opinion of your friends and neighbors – the ones
that will give you an honest answer.
Note any outdoor maintenance, repairs or improvements. See if you will need to remove dead branches
from trees, pull weeds, prune and freshen as needed. Check the paint on fences,
decks, trim -- and everywhere else. Decide if you will need to paint or if a
good pressure washing will do. An inspector may not comment on driveway cracks
if they are not structural. Fixing them will keep your house from giving the
impression that it's not maintained.
If your budget allows for more than basic maintenance,
think about improving the landscaping. Depending on where you live and your
landscaping style, consider new mulch, add gravel, sharp edging, show a healthy
lawn and beds of flowers. Make sure you will have a clean entry way. Plan to
sweep or pressure-wash the front walk and porch (you will probably need to do
this anyway if you decide to paint). Will you need to polish the outdoor
metalwork, clean the windows and glass and replace any burnt-out bulbs in
outdoor lighting? Would it help to add planters with flowers?
TRICK: Getting a start on your garden now will mean you
will have less to do in the spring to get your house ready for sale when time
will be at a premium. Most plants are easier to remove in the fall when they
are slowing down for the winter.
TREAT: If you prune and remove anything that didn’t perform
well over the summer, it will be less likely that you will have to deal with mushy damaged
or dead plants in the spring.
Evaluate The Interior
Even if you got an inspection, the report may not address
outdated features if they were working well. Are your kitchen and baths more
than 10 years old? Do you need to paint the whole house,
just a few rooms or touch up the trim or doors? Do the floors need to be
updated? Are the carpets worn? Will any wood, tile or stone flooring stand up
to the scrutiny of a buyer?
There are a lot of areas in a house that can get outdated easily. Take an objective look to see where improvements will help you sell your house fast and make a list. If you can, do all the work. If your budget doesn't permit it, take care of the worst offenders.
TRICK: Fall is a great time to take care of this work. The
cooler weather will make it more pleasant to get the work done. For painting
projects, you can cut dying time – and quickly eliminate paint odor – by turning the heat up a notch and
opening windows to let the moist, pungent air out.
TREAT: You will get to enjoy the fresh, updated look during
your holidays rather than just paying to make it nice for the next owner.
Declutter
Everyone knows that when you have buyers touring through
your house, you don’t want them distracted by clutter. You want them focused on
the HOUSE you are trying to sell and not your nick-knacks!
And some buyers will have attitude. They are expecting to
see your house at its best. They are “visiting” after all!
In addition, removing anything unnecessary will give the impression that your house is bigger, brighter and airier. Buyers look and pay for space and light. There will be couples and even families plus their agent, or if you are lucky, multiple families walking through your house -- so make sure they can get around easily! If you are thinking you will “just stuff it in the closet when they come” - guess again! Buyers will expect to actually walk into those "walk-in" closets.
Think positively of this process. You are going to a new
home and a new start in the spring. Has your family outgrown it? Will it fit in
your new place? Is it time to get something new anyway? Do you really love
something enough to PAY to move it!
TRICK: As you are changing over to your fall décor, take a
good hard look at your spring and summer items. If they are outdated, worn or
frumpy, now would be a good time to get rid of them altogether! You wouldn’t
want buyers to see anything less than perfect during your open houses next
spring. Why take the time to carefully pack, store and prepare to move something
that has already seen its best days?
TREAT: Send your unnecessary items off to your local
charity and give someone else the opportunity to receive a great gift for the
holidays.
Clean
Most people know that buyers have little tolerance for
dirt. You're never going to be able to sell your house fast without cleaning it
first. While this is a stage for later
in the process, objectively look at it now so you can record any major issues.
Do it yourself or hire a crew. Just remember that even professional maids may
take a pass on a heavy-duty cleanup of a neglected house.
If it's been a
decade since you washed the blinds, plan to clean them or remove them. Same for
any drapes or curtains. Expect to pull
the stove out and clean behind it every couple of months until the house is
sold. Come up with a plan to keep all the appliances sparkling.
You may be used to a particular smell, but for a fussy
buyer, an unusual smell may signal the end of a potential sale! Look at the
bathrooms and decide how to keep them spotless and glittering. Make a strategy to be sure the floors are
always clean – you never know when a potential buyer might want to see your
house. If you have forgotten about those dirty windows, you can be sure a
potential buyer won't! If any of these
things are dirty, buyers will question whether the house is well maintained.
TRICK: Once you have done the majority of the heavy
cleaning, take note of how long the project took so you won’t be caught in a
time crunch in the spring. Make a list with scheduled cleaning times and needed
supplies so you will be ready for those buyers in the spring! This way you can
always be ready for visits until the house is sold!
TREAT: If you can manage to get the majority of the work
done this fall, your family and friends will enjoy an impeccably clean house
over the holidays. And with the big projects done now, you will have less to do
in the spring and may get by with a few light touch-ups when you will be at
your busiest.
Fall is indeed the perfect time of year to get ready for
your spring sale.
Contact us for details.
And I really look forward to getting into more great stuff in future posts -- so that you can
Turn Your House To $OLD!
Feel free to ask me any questions through the contact info below. I would be very happy to help.
If you have come to the realization that it is time to move right now to have a better life, but your house isn’t ready for the traditional market, we can help.
If you are juggling too many responsibilities to sell your house yourself this summer, then there are people who specialize in the sale of properties "as is" - usually within a week to resolve the situation quickly. We have a team of professionals able to assist you immediately.
Contact us for details.
So thanks for reading my post. I'm so glad you're here! If you have a question you would like answered, just let me know!
And I really look forward to getting into more great stuff in future posts -- so that you can
Turn Your House To $OLD!
Feel free to ask me any questions through the contact info below. I would be very happy to help.
Write to Turn My House To Sold
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