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Top Ten 'To Do' List For Selling Your Home
Ten Mistakes that will ensure that your house DOESN"T sell
10 Things you can do to increase the property value of your house
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1. Sell your home with a Realtor. A Realtor is a trained, licensed professional who can manage and assist in negotiating the transaction of buying and selling of real estate. Agent are aware of state and federal laws concerning real estate and will assist you through all steps of your transaction.
2. Homes with curb appeal sell faster. Make sure the lawn is well manicured and landscaping is neat. Consider adding mulch and blooming plants to the flower beds if the season permits.
3. Clean your house! Make sure your house is neat, clean, and uncluttered. Remove clutter as best you can. If you can live without it consider packing it up and storing it somewhere else. Need to get rid of clutter? Try a P.O.D.! Homebuyers find your home more appealing and you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.
4. De-personalize your home. A buyer will be able to better see the home and envision how their things can be accommodated.
5. Add a fresh coat of paint. And please remember people tend to avoid homes with bright colored walls, so keep the wall colors neutral.
6. Don’t smoke in your home. If you are a smoker consider doing so outside. Cigarette smells can turn off a buyer and prolong the time your home is on the market.
7. Have lights on for showings. A bright inviting interior is welcoming to potential buyers!
8. Leave a treat for showings. Weather it be cinnamon streusel bread (which will leave a great aroma throughout the home) or a bowl of candy potential buyers always enjoy a treat.
9. If you have an outdoor pet be sure to pick up the droppings in the yard so there is no chance of a buyer stepping into it while looking over the yard.
10. Get a virtual tour! Professional photographs and a virtual tour can dramatically increase the online presence of your home.
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Just as there are many things you can do to improve your chances of selling your house at a great price, there is an equal number of things that will drive away potential buyers and leave you scratching your head.
If you are working with a realtor, he or she will be able to make suggestions on how to make your particular home more saleable, but addressing the following problem areas is always a great place to start.
A smelly house is not an attractive house to potential buyers. The problem with odors such as cigarette smoke and pet smells is that you live with them day in and day out and may not notice them. To an outsider, however, the smell will be pungent and noticeable. You can get rid of these odors by smoking outside, keeping litter boxes fresh and in a contained area, repainting walls, shampooing and steam-cleaning carpets and opening your windows to let in fresh air. Don't try to cover odors with an air freshener without taking steps to eliminate the problem; it won't work and your house will still be smelly and un-welcoming to potential buyers. Removing odors from mold and mildew can be a little tougher and may require professional intervention if the affected area is not easily accessible (between walls for example).
Pets: you love them and think of them as part of the family. Your potential buyer may not share your sentiment, so like other members of the family, your furry companions should not be on site while someone is inspecting your house. Pile everyone in the family vehicle, or crate your pets in the yard so potential buyers can look around without being barked at, snarled at or pounced on.
Bathrooms are associated with hygiene, so unclean bathrooms are a major turn-off for most buyers. Make sure your toilet, tub, and sink are sparkling clean and that the drains are clear and free of wet hair and other odor-trapping debris. Shine your faucets and mirrors, de-clutter the medicine chest, empty the trash pail and launder your towels, shower curtain and floor mats.
Dark rooms look dingy and uninviting. Increase the brightness factor of your rooms by adding brighter bulbs (if appropriate), installing extra fixtures, or by placing accent lamps or cabinet lighting throughout the room. An even simpler fix is to pull back heavy curtains and lift your blinds. Trimming low-hanging branches from nearby trees can also help.
Busy wallpaper is a no-no. Too many patterns can be distracting and can date your decor. Consider removing busy wallpaper, but don't paint over it because that will look even worse.
Wet basements are a cause for concern as they can indicate foundation leaks. More often however, damp basements are a sign of poor ventilation, plugged drains, or improperly positioned downspouts. Remove any mold or mildew that may have appeared as a result of dampness.
Bugs; they're usually harmless, but still an obstacle to home sales. Squash what you can, clear cobwebs, and enlist professional help if you have an infestation.
Low curb appeal can discourage potential buyers from taking a closer look at your home. Spruce up your yard, entry and facade. Make sure your paint isn't peeling, and that gardens look their best, even if out of season. Bicycles, lawn mowers and tools should be neatly stored in a shed or in the garage if necessary.
Plugged Gutters. Potential buyers may not notice blocked gutters during an initial showing, but they will turn up during a professional building or home inspection, which could be the difference between a conditional sale going ahead or not.
Clear out when someone is looking at your house. Potential buyers may feel awkward looking around your house if you are hovering over their shoulder. Working with a realtor to sell your house eliminates this problem, as they act as chaperone during the showing without intimidating your buyer.
Most of these fixes are simple and inexpensive to implement, yet can have a major impact on the sale-ability of your house. If possible, address any of the issues that are present in your home before you list it for sale.
Article from Lbry.com
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There are many things a home owner can do to increase the value of their home. This can be done on the interior or the exterior of the home, from do-it-yourself for the smaller projects to hiring a contractor for the larger jobs. You can give your home a face lift a little at a time. Most home owners don't have the finances for a complete over haul done all at once. To most people, their home is their largest investment and they would like to keep it in prime condition. Although the price of your home is mostly determined by the current market conditions, there are several things you can do to maximize your homes value.
1. Decorative moldings can be used throughout the home for interior to exterior, to trim doors, floors, walls, windows, fire places and ceilings. These moldings can be found at practically all home improvement stores and are fairly easy to install to enhance the look of any room.
2. Kitchens tend to be the greatest investment that many potential buyers look at the most. Replacing cabinets and counter tops, can be done gradually at your own discretion or you may choose a more creative way to improve the old ones by painting the cabinets and replacing the knobs or handles.
3. Vinyl windows are a great way to increase the value of any house. These windows function better than the old wooden windows by opening for easy cleaning and they conserve more energy in the months when heat or central air will be used the most. They do not require painting and they can really make a house look beautiful.
4. Adding a new roof can make a very strong impression. The roof is the first thing people see and this can play a strong role in how much your house will sell for. A new sturdy roof provides protection from leaks that make ugly stains on the ceilings in your house that can lead to more damage.
5. Installing vinyl siding, if you don't already have it, this can add up to $10,000 to the value of your house. If you have fairly decent vinyl siding already, you can hire a power washing company to clean the siding and give your house a fresh new look.
6. Painting the interior or exterior of a house can transform a house completely with a few coats of paint. You can be as colorful and creative as you like and you can take your time doing so, one room at a time.
7. Flooring absolutely makes the difference in any room. Whether you use linoleum, tiles, wood or carpet, a new floor can make all the difference.
8. Adding new appliances such as a refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, washer and dryer can greatly improve the value of your home. Along with adding a new water heater, furnace and central air unit.
9. Exterior landscaping can enhance a homes value by keeping a well maintained yard to adding strategically placed flowers and shrubs. You can also plant an attractive garden or install a small fish pond. Deciding to install or replace a fence along your property line will also be a great attraction to potential buyers, especially the ones who have children.
10. Adding a new deck is a great asset to the exterior look of your home. These can be made from a variety of wood and sealed to preserve the natural appearance. A new deck will provide the outside recreational area to grill out, while relaxing in a comfortable patio set and enjoying the great outdoors and fresh air.
Adding value to your home can be as simple and as affordable as you want it to be. Most improvements can be accomplished a little at a time, all depending on your time and budget. Smaller improvements can be made by simply adding potted plants along the stairs up to your freshly painted front door or by adding a small table or work of art in your foyer.
A visit to the home improvement store or looking through magazines can spark creativity when remodeling your home. Even if you have no idea where to start, one spark can lead to another and another, until before you know it, you have created a beautiful home that you may never want to leave.
Article from Lbry.com
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