In 2001 we sold our home in New Jersey on Yahoo.com. The house was only on-line an hour before
getting the first call. The potential buyer showed
up in the evening and as they say, it was a done deal. Since then I have looked at thousands of homes
on-line and hundreds in person. We have
bought and lived in 4 homes in East Tennessee and sold 3 of them, so far! If you are trying to sell your home, or
even thinking about it, I can help.
Let me share some of the things I learned over the last 14 years:
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| Good looking house! |
Curb Appeal:
Even if you live on a back country road and your home is
set back hundreds of feet from the road, your potential buyers’ first
impression happens within the first few seconds. Tidy up the front, side and backyards. Is the mailbox in good shape? Toss out those old flower pots and broken
toys, prune the shrubs and mow the lawn.
Keep it looking ‘show-ready’ and it will make a difference. If you have a dog you need to keep things picked up if you get my drift.
Porch:
People love a big comfy front porch. They like to see themselves sitting in a big
rocker or swinging on a cute porch swing.
Make sure your porch furniture is clean and inviting and in good
repair. You don’t want someone sitting
in a swing that is broken.
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| Nice Swing! |
Windows:
Take a few minutes and grab window cleaner and make those
windows shine. Greasy dirty windows can
not only obscure sunlight, but they are a turn-off to many.
Bathrooms:
Please, if you remember nothing else – make sure the
toilet is clean, flushed and for good measure keep the lid down. You want it clean just in case someone peeks
in there! Put out fresh, clean towels –
the good ones you save for company. Make
sure the sinks sparkle and the shower and/or tub are spotless.
Flooring:
Run the vacuum cleaner, dust mop or whatever is
appropriate for the type of flooring you have.
You don’t want people thinking, “Gee, I might have to replace this dirty
carpet” when in fact the carpet just needs a good vacuuming.
Kitchen:
The two money makers when it comes to selling your
home - the bathroom and the
kitchen. A poorly lit kitchen, a dirty
kitchen, a smelly kitchen, a kitchen with dirty dishes in the sink, a kitchen
with broken appliances – potential deal breakers. To make money sometimes you need to spend
money. If you a have stainless steel
dishwasher, fridge and microwave – make sure to replace the old white stove so
that all appliances match.
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| This kitchen rocks! |
De-personal and De-clutter:
No one cares to see the photos of your great Aunt Sue or
great-great grandmother Victoria or your husband’s Uncle Joe. Put them away and let them rest out of
sight. You need to depersonalize your
home. You want your potential buyers to
picture themselves living there, with photos of their relatives on the wall,
not yours.
Put the kids’ toys away, toss out the old newspapers and
magazines. Make your home appealing. Make
your home a place that potential buyer wants to buy.
The better your home looks and feels compared to others on
the market the better chance you have a making a quick sale!
Other photos:
AbbyG
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