| How to Prepare Your Indiana Home For Sale |
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Sometimes, life just hands us the inevitable: just when everything
seems right with your home, something happens and you have to sell your
dwelling. No matter what your reasons are for selling, remember that
now is no time to dawdle, the process of preparing a home for sale can
take a month or more. So, here's how to start:
1. Take a Fresh Look at Your Home
Your
home looks great to you, but a buyer wants to see it since he and his
family will be living in it -- so take a fresh look at your dwelling.
Hop in your car, drive around the block, and then scrutinize your home
as a prospective buyer will see it for the first time. First, consider
what's called "street appeal;" does it need washing or painting? Does
the driveway need repair work? Is the landscaping in good shape?
Remember, be very critical; your buyer will be.
Next, pull into
the driveway and take a good, hard look. Is the yard neat and trimmed?
What about the view from the front yard? Then, walk inside and size up
the interior as though seeing it for the first time. Take a tour and
imagine what your real estate agent might say about each room, look
into cabinets, open doors, check out the bathroom.
Then, make a
mental note of the things that might put off potential buyers, along
with another list of the things that first attracted you to the
dwelling. Remember, the home's become a great place for you, but a new
buyer will see things that you don't.
2. Clean Out the Clutter Before You Start to Sell
Before
putting your home on the market, get rid of clutter in every area --
closets, attic storage, kitchen cabinets, drawers, bath vanities, and
shelves -- everywhere. Remember, this is no time to be sentimental: if
you don't use it, lose it. Potential buyers are seriously put off by
clutter, and most of us drag a lot more things through life than we
really need.
Also, don't forget the furniture and fixtures when
getting rid of clutter -- most of us put too much in too little space,
which makes a buying prospect, think your home is too small.
Then,
have a great moving sale with all the stuff you've collected and use
the proceeds for paint or whatever other materials you need for repair
projects. If you just can't bear to part with some possessions, store
them in the attic or some other place that's out of sight to a
potential buyer.
3. To Sell, Sell, Sell -- Clean, Clean, Clean
After
you've cleared out the clutter, it's time to really clean. Have the
carpets professionally cleaned, strip and polish the floors, scour the
bathrooms, go over the laundry room, polish the furniture, scour out
the cabinets, wash the windows and window coverings, and spiff up the
ceiling fans and kitchen appliances. In short, clean everything.
Don't
forget the exterior; paint or power-wash everything that needs the
work. Remember, this is a ceiling-to-floor, roof-to-foundation clean-up
project.
4. Get More for Your Home: Repairs Pay Off
After
you've cleaned the place to within an inch of its life, the next
project is making all the repairs necessary to attract a buyer.
So,
patch up the roof, touch up all the paint, repair the screens, spruce
up the porch framing, and make your entry area really shine. Don't
forget to water the lawn and landscape beds, and take the time to trim,
mow, edge and get rid of sick or dying plants. Inside, fix the grout in
the bathrooms and on tile floors, adjust any doors that need it, fix
any scratches on the walls, cover any stains, and be sure to fix any
plumbing problems. Remember, do what your home needs before the first
buyer appears at your door.
Also, it's a good idea to get all
this done before getting the real estate broker to make the first
listing -- a good agent will advise you on what needs to be done. Also,
if you have friends willing to be brutally honest about what your home
needs to sell, invite them to assess the fix-up needs.
There is,
however, an alternative to the sweat equity you get from a total fix-up
--but it carries a price. An "as-is" sale keeps you from doing all this
work, but a buyer will assess about twice the price you would have paid
for the repairs. Then, the buyer will deduct that amount from your
asking price before making an offer.
5. Putting Your Home on the Market: Show It to Sell It
After you have cleaned, shined, mowed, and generally whipped your property into shape, it's time to attract a buyer.
Regardless
of who markets your home, you or a broker, there are other, small
things you must do to attract buyers. For example, even if it's bright
daylight, open the blinds and turn on the lights. Also, open all the
interior doors to make the home appear roomier. Be sure to remove all
your kids and pets -- they're cute, but a prospect wants to see your
home, not your pride and joy. In addition, make sure your pet's litter
pan is clean so the home smells clean and fresh, not like air
freshener. Remember, you need to make sure your home is available to be
seen by a prospective buyer with as little notice as possible. That
means less than an hour, or even five minutes, if possible.
6. Get a Sense of the Market
Before
you put your home on the market, take a weekend day to check out the
competition: homes with similar prices and in similar neighborhoods.
Remember, you don't have to go out and buy new furniture just to look
like that beautiful new model in the new development -- what you want
is the feel of that new model -- clean, uncluttered, and fresh.
Remember,
after location, the most important item to a buyer is a well maintained
home. Many flaws can be overlooked if the buyer knows he can move in
without a lot of trouble and expense.
(Note: The above information provided by RE/MAX and used with permission) |
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Independent Living 
