For Sellers

Selling your home is just like selling anything else. You need to highlight its strengths, focus on its features, bring out its best. Here’s a list of places to start.

Make a great first impression.
Curb appeal is vital. Make sure your lawn is neatly trimmed. Rake up any refuse or leaves. Sweep the walkway. The front door should be clean and presentable. If the doorbell doesn’t work, fix it.

Don’t hesitate to decorate.
Faded walls and worn woodwork won’t sell your home. A small investment in paint will make the sale.

Let the sun shine in.
Open the drapes and curtains, clean the windows, and turn on the lights. Home buyers are drawn to bright and cheery interiors.

Safety Sells.
Keep stairways and corridors clean and free of clutter. Cluttered areas are not only unattractive, they are also dangerous.

Call the plumber.
Dripping water suggests worn out plumbing. Clean those rust stained sinks and make sure the drains are running free and clear.

Sell the whole house.
Let prospects see the big picture. Make sure your attic is presentable and your garage is neat. Give your storage space a clean coat of paint.

The devil’s in the details.
Loose door knobs, sticking drawers, wobbly hinges, stuck windows can all cost you a sale. Fix them, and they can make the sale.

Wake up your bedrooms.
Remove excess furniture, use attractive and colorful bed linens and spreads, open the drapes and let the light in. Remember: this is where your buyers spend one third of their lives.

Buyers love big closets.
And they look even bigger when they are clean, neat, and well organized. Get rid of piles of clothes and other clutter.

No apologies necessary.
Nobody’s perfect. There is no need to apologize for the appearance of your house. Let your agent field any negative comments.

Bathrooms are big sellers.
Make bathrooms sparkle. Clean sinks and bowls, recaulk where needed, and make sure towels and area rugs are freshly washed.

Lighten Up.
Home buyers love the light. By day, let the sun shine in. By night, turn on your lights-inside and out. Don’t forget the accent and picture lights.

Stay in the background.
Do not stay in your home when a prospect comes to look. Let your Realtor do his or her job and let your buyers inspect without interruption. Home buyers hate crowds. When your agent shows your home, take the children and go for a walk in the neighborhood.

Be Prepared.
You never know when your agent may need to show your home on a moment’s notice. So make your beds and tidy up each morning.

Lose the pet.
Make your pets disappear when your home is being shown. Your prospect may have different tastes in animals than you.

Leave it to the professionals.
Let your Real Estate agent discuss selling price, terms, possession dates or other such details. They have been carefully trained to negotiate these items.

Silence is Golden.
When your house is being shown, turn off the radio, television or any other noise-producing source. It will make your agent’s job easier.

Show by appointment only.
Your Real Estate agent can schedule all the showings-including those from other real estate offices. All you need to do is make sure your home is ready to show.

Jackie Pilcher NW Florida Realtor