Get Your Home Ready To Sell

To be sure, a home that ‘stands out’ from the first time you see it is more appealing and will be sold more quickly than an identical home on the same street that is unkempt and not well maintained. This is true even though the properties may be built with exactly the same quality of materials and care taken by the contractors.

From our combined 50+ years of experience, The Campbell Team knows that a clean, uncluttered, well maintained house is much more appealing to potential buyers and will sell much faster and for more money. If a buyer sees that the seller takes such pride in the ‘cosmetics’ of their property, then it only stands to reason that all the things they cannot see will be in just as good shape. But, you need to ask yourself the following questions as you prepare your home for the market: ….

• how much will I need to spend to make the home ready to ‘show’
• when potential buyers drive by, does my property catch their eye immediately
• do I have a lot of unnecessary clutter inside my home which takes away from the appeal

So you need to ask yourself, how much will I need to spend???    (Renovating  Tips)

Preparing your home for the market is extremely important, but you will want to spend as little money as possible to make your home appealing and salable. As you groom your home for the market, remember that potential buyers will be impressed by a new garage door or furnace, but they aren’t likely to give you enough extra money to pay for it. There is a big difference between making minor and inexpensive “polishes” and “touch-ups” to your house, such as putting new knobs on cabinets and a fresh coat of neutral paint in the living room, versus doing extensive and costly renovations, like installing a new home theatre room. The Campbell Team members are very familiar with buyers’ expectations in your neighborhood and can advise you specifically on what improvements need to be made. Don’t hesitate to ask them for their input and advice.

Maximizing exterior and curb appeal

It is very important that before putting your house on the market, take as much time as necessary (and as little money as possible) to maximize both its exterior and interior appeal. Here are some things to remember to help enhance your home’s exterior and curb appeal:

• Keep the lawn edged, cut and watered regularly.
• Trim hedges, weed lawns and flowerbeds, and prune trees regularly.
• Check the foundation, steps, walkways, walls and patios for cracks and crumbling.
• Inspect doors and windows for peeling paint.
• Clean and align gutters.
• Inspect and clean the chimney.
• Repair and replace loose or damaged roof shingles.
• Repair and repaint loose siding and caulking.
• In our Northern winters, keep walks neatly cleared of snow and ice and salted/sanded
• During spring and summer months consider adding a few showy annuals, perhaps in pots, near your front entrance.
• Re-seal an asphalt driveway.
• Keep your garage door closed.
• Store RVs or old and beaten up cars elsewhere while the house is on the market.
• Apply a fresh coat of paint to the front door.

Maximizing interior appeal

Enhance your home’s interior by:

• Giving every room in the house a thorough cleaning, as well as removing all clutter. This alone will make your house appear bigger and brighter. Some homeowners with crowded rooms have actually rented storage garages and moved half their furniture out, creating a sleeker, more spacious look. If you need help in this, a professional ‘stager’ can be suggested.
• Hiring a professional cleaning service, once every few weeks while the house is on the market. This may be a good investment for owners who are busy elsewhere.
• Removing the less frequently used, even daily used items from kitchen counters, closets, and attics, making these areas much more inviting. Since you’re anticipating a move anyhow, holding a garage sale at this point is a great idea.
• If necessary, repainting dingy, soiled or strongly colored walls with a neutral shade of paint, such as off-white or beige. The same neutral scheme can be applied to carpets and linoleum.
• Checking for cracks, leaks and signs of dampness in the attic and basement.
• Repairing cracks, holes or damage to plaster, wallboard, wallpaper, paint, and tiles.
• Replacing broken or cracked windowpanes, moldings, and other woodwork.
• Inspecting and repairing the plumbing, heating , cooling, and alarm systems.
• Repairing dripping faucets and showerheads. Buying showy new towels for the bathroom, to be brought out only when prospective buyers are on the way.
• Sprucing up a kitchen in need of more major remodeling by investing in new cabinet knobs, new curtains, or a coat of neutral paint.