What's my home worth?
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What's my home worth?
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Mari Torres
Explore the Home Market
Mari Torres
Sellers
If you are thinking of selling your home, chances are you’re caught up in a mass of emotions. I have worked with many sellers and the number one thing I hear back from them is they were thankful that I reduced their stress through the process.You may be looking forward to moving up to a new home or facing the uncertainty of a major move across country. You may be reluctant to leave your memories behind or eager to start new and exciting adventures. Remember, I am here to help you with any of your needs. Call or email me today!
1. Take a Fresh Look at Your Home
Your home looks great to you, but a buyer wants to see it as he and his
family will be living in it — so take fresh look at your dwelling. Hop
in your car, drive around the block, and then scrutinize your home as a
prospective buyer will see it for the first time. First, consider what’s
called “street appeal;” does it need washing or painting? Does the
driveway need repair work? Is the landscaping in good shape? Remember,
be very critical; your buyer will be.
Next, pull into the driveway and take a good, hard look. Is the yard
neat and trimmed? What about the view from the front yard? Then, walk
inside and size up the interior as though seeing it for the first time;
take a tour and imagine what your real estate agent might say about each
room, look into cabinets, open doors, check out the bathroom.
Then, make a mental note of the things that might put off potential
buyers, along with another list of the things that first attracted you
to the dwelling. Remember, the home’s become a great place for you, but a
new buyer will see things that you don’t.
2. Clean Out the Clutter Before You Start to Sell
Before putting your home on the market, get rid of clutter in every area
— closets, attic storage, kitchen cabinets, drawers, bath vanities,
shelves — everywhere. Remember, this is no time to be sentimental: if
you don’t use it, lose it. Potential buyers are seriously put off by
clutter, and most of us drag a lot more things through life than we
really need.
Also, don’t forget the furniture and fixtures when getting rid of
clutter — most of us put too much in too little space, which makes a
buying prospect think your home is too small.
Then, have a great moving sale with all the stuff you’ve collected and
use the proceeds for paint or whatever other materials you need for
repair projects. If you just can’t bear to part with some possessions,
store them in the attic or some other place that’s out of sight to a
potential buyer.
3. To Sell, Sell, Sell — Clean, Clean, Clean
After you’ve cleared out the clutter, it’s time to really clean. Have
the carpets professionally cleaned, strip and polish the floors, scour
the bathrooms, go over the laundry room, polish the furniture, scour out
the cabinets, wash the windows and window coverings, and spiff up the
ceiling fans and kitchen appliances. In short, clean everything.
Don’t forget the exterior; paint or pressure wash everything that needs
the work. Remember, this is a ceiling-to-floor, roof-to-foundation
clean-up project.
4. Get More for Your Home: Repairs Pay Off
After you’ve cleaned the place to within an inch of its life, the next
project is making all the repairs necessary to attract a buyer.
So, patch up the roof, touch up all the paint, repair the screens,
spruce up the porch framing, and make your entry area really shine.
Don’t forget to water the lawn and landscape beds, and take the time to
trim, mow, edge and get rid of sick or dying plants. Inside, fix the
grout in the bathrooms and on tile floors, adjust any doors that need
it, fix any scratches on the walls, cover any stains, and be sure to fix
any plumbing problems. Remember, do what your home needs before the
first buyer appears at your door.
Also, it’s a good idea to get all this done before getting the real
estate broker to make the first listing — a good agent will advise you
on what needs to be done. Also, if you have friends willing to be
brutally honest about what your home needs to sell, invite them to
assess the fix-up needs.
There is, however, an alternative to the sweat equity you get from a
total fix-up –but it carries a price. An “as-is” sale keeps you from
doing all this work, but a buyer will assess about twice the price you
would have paid for the repairs. Then, the buyer will deduct that amount
from your asking price before making an offer.
5. Putting Your Home on the Market: Show It to Sell It
After you’ve, cleaned, shined, mowed, and generally whipped your property into shape, it’s time to attract a buyer.
Regardless of who markets your home, you or a broker, there are other,
small things you must do to attract buyers. For example, even if it’s
bright daylight, open the blinds and turn on the lights. Also, open all
the interior doors to make the home appear more roomy. Be sure to remove
all your kids and pets — they’re cute, but a prospect wants to see your
home, not your pride and joy. In addition, make sure you pet’s litter
pan is clean so the home smells clean and fresh, not like air freshener.
Remember, you need to make sure your home is available to be seen by a
prospective buyer with as little notice as possible. That means less
than an hour, or even five minutes, if possible.
6. Get a Sense of the Market
Before you put your home on the market, take a weekend day to check out
the competition: homes with similar prices and in similar neighborhoods.
Remember, you don’t have to go out and buy new furniture just to look
like that beautiful new model in the new development — what you want is
the feel of that new model — clean, uncluttered, and fresh.
Remember, after location, the most important item a buyer is a
well-maintained home. Many flaws can be overlooked if the buyer knows he
can move in without a lot of trouble and expense.