6 Tips for a Faster Sale
When selling
your property, there are no guarantees that a buyer will simply
walk through the front door. In many cases you may have to bring
your home to the buyer. Effective marketing will help ensure that
your property receives maximum exposure to attract a ready, willing
and able buyer.
The appearance
of your property, a buyer's first impression, and other considerations
can also affect the sale of your property. Have you considered
the property prices in your area and the value of your property
are also factors used for pricing?
1.
Carefully inspect your front door and the area around it. Clean
any glass and remove all cobwebs and traces of insects. Give your
door a fresh coat of paint. Wash your mail box. Keep the porch
swept and place an attractive mat in front of the door for people
to wipe their feet.
2. Pet odors
kill many sales! Make sure your pets are not present during showings
and eliminate all smells associated with your cat or dog. Be especially
aware of cat box odors and animal urine in carpeting. Carpeted
basements, which are sometimes slightly damp, can be a real turn-off.
Install an electronic HEPA filter and remove or replace carpeting
if necessary. Have someone with a VERY good sense of smell perform
a "sniff" test in every nook and cranny before you show
your home to perspective buyers. You may not be able to smell
odors that a stranger can!
3.
Make sure your windows sparkle. Open all blinds and curtains during
showings. A light and bright home is much more appealing to buyers
than a dark and dismal cave. Everyone feels better when the sun
shines in. If it is a gloomy day, turn on lights. When your home
is for sale, it's not the time to be overly concerned about extra
use of electricity.
4.
Make sure the outside of your home is clean and neat. Cut back
bushes that block windows. Plant flowers in spring and summer.
Rake leaves, sweep walks and driveways, and keep snow shoveled.
Some prospective buyers won't even get out of the car to look
inside if they don't find the outside appealing.
5. Always
put out fresh towels in your bathrooms before showings. Attack
and destroy mold and mildew around tubs and in showers. Remove
clutter from bathroom counters. Nobody likes grungy bathrooms!
6.
Remove clutter from attics, garages, basements before you put
your home on the market. It's a great time to get rid of all that
junk you've been hauling around for years. Make sure all stairs
are clear and well lighted. Put new bulbs in the attic and basement.
Let your prospective buyers know you aren't hiding anything, and
you have LOTS of storage space.