SELLING YOUR HOUSE - WHERE DO YOU BEGIN?
You're ready to put your house on the market...
Where do you begin?
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.
An attractive property grabs buyers' attention and makes them excited about finding a house that looks and feels well-cared for. Because buyers know they'll find 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 many 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.
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 to put away ALL clothes.
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.
Closets
They're an important consideration to many buyers. By storing clothing you won't use soon, you'll make closets look spacious.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 you 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.
- In winter, keep your driveway and sidewalks shoveled, de-iced, and well-lit.
- Stack firewood, clean out birdbaths, repair and paint fences.
The Front Door
An attractive entry catches a buyer's eye and says, "Welcome," so highlight this area of your house with decorative touches, such as a wreath on the door or 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.
Clean and Maintain
- Windows, sills, and screens
- Walls and floor
- Tile
- Ceilings
- Cupboards and drawers
- Kitchen
- Bathrooms
- Light fixtures
- Ceiling fans
- Carpet and rugs
- Mirrors
- Garage
- Attic
- Basement
- Laundry room
- Yard
- Gutters
- Replace furnace filter
- Dust furniture, TV and computer screens
- Closets
- Remove clutter
- Pack personal items
Repair
- Leaky faucets and plumbing
- Torn screens
- Slow drains
- Gutters
- Loose doorknobs
- Deck boards
- Broken windows
- Electrical fixtures
- Water stain damage
- Broken appliances
- Damaged walls and ceilings
- Worn carpet and rugs
- Damaged sidewalks and steps
Improvements
- Stain or paint deck
- 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
- Shovel driveways, de-ice
- Stack firewood
- Clean out birdbaths
- Caulk windows and doors
- Repair and paint fences
- Seal asphalt driveway
- Make sure doors close properly
- Enhance entryway
- Replace welcome mat
It's a long list, I know ... but do as much as you can, and you will put more money in your pocket.
Of course when you are all done, it's time to hire a great REALTOR, to help you sell your 'castle'. :)
If you require additional information, don't hesitate to call or send me an email.
Sylvie Conde, Broker - Your Toronto Realtor!
Sutton Group-Associates Realty Inc, Brokerage 416-966-0300
Independently Owned & Operated
sconde@sutton.com
www.sylvieconde.com
www.torontorealestatelife.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Toronto Real Estate and Life Blog ....
.... information on buying - selling - mortgages ... and all things Toronto and the GTA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
