" Remember that buyers will be seeing your home for the first time with " fresh eyes ," picking up on things that , as the owner , you ' ve become accustomed to walking by every day without noticing ."
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PREPARING TO LIST
YOU ’ VE DECIDED IT ’ S TIME TO GET YOUR HOME READY TO SELL . THIS TYPICALLY COMES FROM SOME SORT OF NEED OR CHANGE OF LIFE SITUATION AND IS HOPEFULLY , FILLED WITH JOY AND EXCITEMENT , ALTHOUGH , I KNOW THAT ’ S ALWAYS THE CASE . IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE , LISTING YOUR HOME FOR SALE REQUIRES SOME EFFORT AND PREPARATION IN ORDER TO BE ENCOURAGE A SUCCESSFUL SALE .
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Family Photos - It must be that every show on HGTV strictly instructs owner to take these down before showing their home - because we hear that time and time again . The truth of the matter is that you ' re not just selling a house - you ' re selling the idea of a home , and homes have people in them . So don ' t rush to pack up all your family photos , because you might miss the opportunity to have an emotional impact on some buyer prospects . That said , how many you leave out might be another matter ...
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Attics - It ' s often said that the worst thing about storage space is that you fill it up . How true ... and after 5 , 10 , 20 years in a house , invariably owners are shocked at how much " stuff " they ' ve accumulated . While a buyer might be able to appreciate the volume of storage space in a home by seeing how much " stuff " it is currently holding , the impact is even greater when a lot of the " stuff " is cleared out so the buyer can see the open space available for their “ stuff ." Tackling this clean-out process can be physically , logistically , and sometimes even psychologically challenging - but rest assured there are steps , systems , and resources available to help get you to the finish line .
" Remember that buyers will be seeing your home for the first time with " fresh eyes ," picking up on things that , as the owner , you ' ve become accustomed to walking by every day without noticing ."
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Pre-Sale Inspection - This proactive practice is becoming increasingly popular ( and important ) among sellers . The hiring of a licensed , local home-inspector before selling your home can bring to light important issues with the mechanics of your home , giving the owner a high level of knowledge and confidence about the condition of the property . This affords an owner the luxury of time to tackle any maintenance issues without a looming deadline ( i . e ., closing ), though it also creates a disclosure issue for any items ( i . e . defects ) that the owner doesn ' t plan to address . Getting guidance through this process is important as it relates to what buyers expect , and what a Contract of Sale may require .
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Smells - Once you live in your home long enough , you get used to a lot of things ... including smells . Often , owners just don ' t " smell " them anymore . Pets , cigarettes , cooking , and even air fresheners are primary culprits for giving a home a certain set aroma that not all buyers appreciate upon their arrival . Neutralizing these smells can be critical to earning a buyer ' s interest ... and it takes a fresh nose to bring this important topic to the forefront of your selling strategy .