Hints For Property Sellers

How far should home owners go in preparing their home for sale? If you're about to put your property on the market, read on for some ideas that will help you maximise your investment.

First Impressions

Other people's mess always looks worse than your own. From the moment prospects arrive they are making an internal commentary on everything they see. Gardens and lawns should be well presented; rubbish should be disposed of, paths kept clean, toys and garden tools stored away.

Illusion of Space

Remove unnecessary clutter and watch your house expand in size. Neat, well ordered cupboards, robes and pantry show that space is ample.

Don't Spend Big Money

If you spend a lot of money painting, carpeting or adding a patio, you will want to add this to the price. Buyers may not share your taste, even though what they are getting is almost new.

Little Things Count

On the other hand, make sure all minor repairs are completed. Sticking doors and windows, loose doorknobs, faulty plumbing or peeling paint may affect your sale.

Highlight Your Home

Nothing improves the atmosphere of a home more than brightness. Open all the curtains and switch on strategic lights to brighten up gloomy spots prior to the arrival of prospective purchasers.

Turn on the Heat

A warm, comfortably heated home on cold days adds a feeling of cosiness and welcome. On a hot day make sure your home is well ventilated.

The Scent of Success

Smokers and dog owners beware: nothing makes a buyer want to get out of a property quicker than stale air. Room deodorisers, a bowl of pot pourri and open windows will all help. Any home will be enhanced by the smell of a cake baking, or freshly brewed coffee. Often the effect is subliminal; days later purchasers don't always realise exactly why they got such good vibes from your home.

Pets Underfoot

Keep your pets out of the way, preferably out of the home. Let the agent and buyer talks undisturbed.

Take A Back Seat

Avoid having too many people present during inspections. Your property consultant knows the buyer's requirements and can better emphasise the features of your home to prospective purchasers. Never apologise for the condition or appearance of your home. This only emphasises the faults. Don't discuss the details of the transaction such as price or terms. Leave this to your property consultant - remember, his/her experience and training enables him/her to qualify purchasers and negotiate the best price. Furthermore, negotiations are more easily kept on a business like level when emotions are not involved.
Price
It is often a mistake to list your home with the agent who suggests the highest price just because he / she is the highest bidder. While it is true that you can always "come down" there are many factors to consider. Firstly, the market is always looking for new listings. This means that the first few weeks your home is on the market will bring more inspections than any other time. All the buyers in the price range will rush to see your home. Those that have been looking for some time are the ones who have done their homework and are ready to buy. But they will also be the most aware of the market value of your property.
If your home is correctly priced it will make buyers feel they need to snap it up before someone else does. If the price is too high, they feel no such sense of urgency. Just as vendors take the attitude "we can always come down", buyers think they will wait until the price drops. It is often the case that a property that would have achieved $400,000 when first placed on the market will achieve only, say, $350,000 after being on the market three or more months and becoming "stale". The longer your property stays on the market, the more buyers feel they have negotiating power.
In a rapidly rising market, of course, sellers who hold out often achieve higher prices. But before those selling in a sellers' market get too excited, they should consider that if they are trading up to a more expensive property, they stand to lose more than they gain as the equivalent percentage increase on the more expensive property translates into more in actual dollar terms.


Selling Your Home: Where to Begin?

1. First Impressions

Remember what first attracted you to your house when you bought it? What excited you about its most appealing features? Now that you're selling your home, you'll need to look at it as if you were buying it all over again. A spruced up house makes a great first impression on potential buyers. An attractive property grabs their attention, makes them excited about finding a house that looks and feels well-cared for. Because buyers know they'll encounter fewer problems if they buy it, your house becomes more appealing and stands out from the competition. So if you prepare your home correctly, you'll save time selling it when it's on the market. A good first impression makes an impact on a number of levels. It's not just the way your house looks to potential buyers, but how it feels and smells to them, how their friends and family will react, how they imagine it would be to live there. With simple improvements throughout your house, you can grab the attention of potential buyers and help them see why your house is right for them.

2.Plan Ahead

Create a plan to enhance your property. Keep a notebook for your selling project, and as you stroll through your yard, make a list of what needs to be done. Consider what your property looks like to people driving by or walking through your door. What will they like or dislike? What needs fixing, painting, cleaning? What can you improve? Whether you paint your house or fix up the yard, your efforts don't need to be costly; even inexpensive improvements and minor repairs go far toward attracting serious buyers. But remember, those seemingly insignificant problems you've learned to live with can actually discourage potential buyers. Here are ideas for increasing your home's appeal in order to sell it quickly at the best price.

Interiors

1. Clean Everything
Buyers expect a spotless house, inside and out. So clean everything, especially your windows and window sills. Scrub walls and floors, tile and ceilings, cupboards and drawers, kitchen and bathrooms. Wash scuff marks from doors and entryways, clean light fixtures and the fireplace. Don't forget the laundry room. And put away your clothes.

2. Cut the Clutter

People are turned off by rooms that look and feel cluttered. Remember, potential buyers are buying your house, not your furniture, so help them picture themselves and their possessions in your home by making your rooms feel large, light, and airy. As you clean, pack away your personal items, such as pictures, valuables, and collectibles, and store or get rid of surplus books, magazines, videotapes, extra furniture, rugs, blankets, etc. Consider renting a storage unit to eliminate clutter in your garage and attic. It's hard to get rid of possessions, but cleaning and clearing out the clutter can really pay off in the end. Packing away your clutter also gets you started packing for your next move. Make your garage and basement as tidy as the rest of your house. Simple little tasks such as storing your tools and neatly rolling up your garden hose suggest that you take good care of your house. Don't let anything detract from making your best first impression.

3. Closets

They're an important consideration to many buyers. By storing clothing you won't use soon, you'll make closets look spacious.

4. Paint

A new coat of paint cleans up your living space and makes it look bright and new. To make rooms look larger, choose light, neutral colors that appeal to the most people, such as beige or white.

5. Carpet

Check its condition. If it's worn, consider replacing it. It's an easy and affordable way to help sell your home faster. Again, light, neutral colors, such as beige, are best. If you don't replace it, you can suggest to potential buyers that they could select new carpet and you'll reduce your price; buyers like to hear they're getting a deal. At the very least, have your carpet cleaned.

6. Repairs and Renovations

It's best to avoid making major renovations just to sell the house since you're unlikely to recoup those costs from your selling price. Make minor repairs to items such as leaky faucets, slow drains, torn screens, gutters, loose doorknobs, and broken windows. Make sure repairs are well done; buyers won't take you seriously if your home-improvement efforts look messy, shoddy, or amateurish.

7. Leaks and Moisture

Water stains on ceilings or in the basement alert buyers to potential problems. Don't try to cosmetically cover up stains caused by leaks. If you've fixed the water problem, repair the damage and disclose in writing to the buyer what repairs were made.


Exteriors

1.Curb Appeal

The "Wow" factor - that first visual, high-impact impression your home makes on potential buyers - can turn a looker into a buyer. To determine your property's curb appeal, drive through your neighborhood and note other properties; then approach your own house as if you were a potential buyer. How does it look? Does it "wow" you? Will its curb appeal attract buyers? Note what needs improving, such as trimming trees, planting shrubs, or painting gutters. Little things convey that you've cared for your home, and this is your opportunity to sell that important message to buyers who are shopping from the street, simply cruising neighborhoods just looking for houses for sale. To get them through your door, do what you can to make your property look like someone's dream home.

2. Paint/Stain

If it's peeling or blistering and you can't remember the last time you painted it, your house needs some attention. That also goes for stain that is significantly faded. A newly painted or stained exterior will help sell your house faster. And whether you do it yourself or hire someone, you'll also increase your home's value.

3. In the Yard

Grab people's attention by enhancing your yard and landscaping. If your house looks inviting and well-maintained from the street, people will imagine that it's attractive on the inside, too.
• Prune bushes and hedges; trim trees
• Keep your lawn looking healthy and green by mowing it often, fertilizing it, and keeping it edged and trimmed
• Clean up and dispose of pet mess
• Weed your gardens; add fertilizer and mulch; then plant colorful flowers
• Keep your driveway and sidewalksclean and clear at all times
• Repair and paint fences if neccessary

4. The Front Door

An attractive entry catches a buyer's eye and says, "Welcome," so highlight this area of your house with decorative touches, with new shrubs and flowers around the steps. For an even grander entry, clean and paint your front door, or replace it with a new one for a few hundred dollars. Don't forget to fix and polish doorknobs, repair torn screens, and then put out that new welcome mat.
Keep yourself organized with the following checklist:

Clean and Maintain Checklist:
• Windows, sills, and screens
• Walls and floor
• Tiles
• Ceilings
• Cupboards and drawers
• Kitchen
• Bathrooms
• Light fixtures
• Ceiling fans
• Carpet and rugs
• Mirrors
• Garage
• Laundry
• Back and front yards
• Gutters
• Dust furniture, TV and computer screens
• Closets
• Remove clutter
• Pack personal items
Repair
• Leaky taps and plumbing
• Torn fly-screens
• Gutters
• Loose doorknobs
• Broken windows
• Electrical fixtures & appliances
• Water stain damage
• Damaged walls and ceilings
• Worn carpet and rugs
• Damaged sidewalks and steps
Improvements
• Store tools
• Roll up garden hose
• Paint or stain exterior
• Prune bushes and hedges
• Trim trees, mow lawn, fertilize, edge, and trim
• Weed gardens, plant flowers
• Repair and paint fences
• Clean driveway
• Make sure doors close properly
• Enhance entryway
• Replace welcome mat