How to Prepare Your House for Sale

How to Prepare Your House for Sale

By Julie Wyss, Broker Associate

Intero Real Estate Services

518 North  Santa Cruz Ave. Los Gatos, Ca.

www.juliewyss.com

julie@juliewyss.com

408-687-2026

Time Required: Seven to 10 Days

Here's How:

1)  Disassociate Yourself With Your Home.

Say to yourself, "This is not my home; it is a house -- a product to be sold much like a box of cereal on the grocery store shelf.

Make the mental decision to "let go" of your emotions and focus on the fact that soon this house will no longer be yours.

    

2)  De-Personalize.

Pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. Buyers can't see past personal artifacts, and you don't want them to be distracted. You want buyers to imagine their own photos on the walls, and they can't do that if yours are there! You don't want to make any buyer ask, "I wonder what kind of people live in this home?" You want buyers to say, "I can seemyself living here."

3)  De-Clutter!

People collect an amazing quantity of junk. Consider this: if you haven't used it in over a year, you probably don't need it.

• If you don't need it, why not donate it or throw it away?
• Remove all books from bookcases.
• Pack up those knickknacks.
• Clean off everything on kitchen counters.
• Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a closet when not in use.
• Think of this process as a head-start on the packing you will eventually need to do anyway.

4)  Rearrange Bedroom Closets and Kitchen Cabinets.

Buyers love to snoop and will open closet and cabinet doors. Think of the message it sends if items fall out! Now imagine what a buyer believes about you if she sees everything organized. It says you probably take good care of the rest of the house as well. This means:

• Neatly stack dishes.
• Turn coffee cup handles facing the same way.
• Hang shirts together, buttoned and facing the same direction.
• Line up shoes.

5)  Rent a Storage Unit.

    Almost every home shows better with less furniture. Remove pieces of furniture that block or hamper paths and walkways and put them in storage. Since your bookcases are now empty, store them. Remove extra leaves from your dining room table to make the room appear larger. Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room's purpose and plenty of room to move around.

6)  Remove/Replace Favorite Items.

    If you want to take window coverings, built-in appliances or fixtures with you, remove them now. If the chandelier in the dining room once belonged to your great grandmother, take it down. If a buyer never sees it, she won't want it. Once you tell a buyer she can't have an item, she will covet it, and it could blow your deal. Pack those items and replace them, if necessary.

7)  Make Minor Repairs.

• Replace cracked floor or counter tiles.
• Patch holes in walls.
• Fix leaky faucets.
• Fix doors that don't close properly and kitchen drawers that jam.
• Consider painting your walls neutral colors, especially if you have grown accustomed to purple or pink walls.
• Replace burned-out light bulbs.
• If you've considered replacing a worn bedspread, do so now!

8)  Make the House Sparkle!

• Wash windows inside and out.
• Rent a pressure washer and spray down sidewalks and exterior.
• Clean out cobwebs.
• Re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks.
• Polish chrome faucets and mirrors.
• Clean out the refrigerator.
• Vacuum daily.
• Wax floors.
• Dust furniture, ceiling fan blades and light fixtures.
• Bleach dingy grout.
• Replace worn rugs.
• Hang up fresh towels.
• Bathroom towels look great fastened with ribbon and bows.
• Clean and air out any musty smelling areas. Odors are a no-no.

9)  Scrutinize.

• Go outside and open your front door. Stand there. Do you want to go inside? Does the house welcome you?
• Linger in the doorway of every single room and imagine how your house will look to a buyer.
• Examine carefully how furniture is arranged and move pieces around until it makes sense.
• Make sure window coverings hang level.
• Tune in to the room's statement and its emotional pull. Does it have impact and pizzazz?
• Does it look like nobody lives in this house? You're almost finished.

10)    Check Curb Appeal.

If a buyer won't get out of her agent's car because she doesn't like the exterior of your home, you'll never get her inside.

• Keep the sidewalks cleared.
• Mow the lawn.
• Paint faded window trim.
• Plant yellow flowers or group flower pots together. Yellow evokes a buying emotion. Marigolds are inexpensive.
• Trim your bushes.
• Make sure visitors can clearly read your house number.

Looking for a great buyers agent in the Los gatos Area? Give Julie Wyss a call at 408-687-2026.

Curb Appeal Can Curb Buyer Enthusiasm

A large percentage of home buyers decide whether or not to look inside a house or take it seriously based on its curb appeal—the view they see when they drive by or arrive for a showing. You can help make sure they want to come inside your house by spending some time working on the its exterior appearance.

It's difficult to look at our own house in the same way that potential home buyers do, because when we become accustomed to the way something looks and functions, we can't see its faults. Decide right now to stop thinking of the property as a home. It's a house—a commodity you want to sell for the highest dollar possible.

Curb Appeal Exercise

The next time you come home, stop across the street or far enough down the driveway to get a good view of the house and its surroundings.
1.What is your first impression of the house and yard area?
2.What are the best exterior features of the house or lot? How can you enhance them?
3.What are the worst exterior features of the house or lot? How can you minimize or improve them?

Park where a potential buyer would and walk towards the house, looking around you as if it were your first visit. Is the approach clean and tidy? What could you do to make it more attractive?

Take photos of the home's exterior. If you have a digital camera, view the color versions first, then remove the color and look at it in black and white, because it's easier to see problems when color isn't around to affect our senses.
Make a list of the problem areas you discovered. Tackle clean up and repair chores first, then put some time into projects that make the grounds more attractive.

•Kill mold and mildew on the house, sidewalks, roof, or driveway.
•Stow away unnecessary garden implements and tools.
•Clean windows and gutters.
•Pressure wash dirty siding and dingy decks.
•Edge sidewalks and remove vegetation growing between concrete or bricks.
•Mow the lawn. Get rid of weeds.
•Rake and dispose of leaves, even if your lot is wooded.
•Trim tree limbs that are near or touching the home's roof.
Don't Forget the Rear View
Buyers doing a drive by will try their best to see your back yard. If it's visible from another street or from someone's driveway, include it in your curb appeal efforts.

Evening Curb Appeal

Do your curb appeal exercise again at dusk, because it isn't unusual for potential buyers to drive by houses in the evening.
One quick way to improve evening curb appeal is with lighting:

•String low voltage lighting along your driveway, sidewalks, and near important landscaping elements.
•Add a decorative street lamp or an attractive light fixture to a front porch.
•Make sure lighting that's visible through front doors and windows enhances the home's appearance.

Landscaping Decisions

There are times that adding elements to your landscaping can improve curb appeal, but there are other times when removing something is even more effective.

For example, we had a listing for a large brick house with large white columns. Tall evergreens, planted in front of each column, had grown taller than the roof. They obscured the columns and windows and made it difficult to see the front of the house.

We suggested that the owner remove them. She trimmed them back, but it didn't do the trick—they were unattractive and still kept potential buyers from seeing the true character of the house.

I sold the house to a couple who could see past the trees. One of their first tasks after closing was to yank them out of the ground, instantly boosting the home's curb appeal.

Most buyers cannot visualize changes, and often won't take a second look at a house if the first look doesn't appeal to them. Home buyers who can visualize changes, and are prepared to make them, expect you to reduce the price of the house to compensate for the work they plan to do.

A Few Curb Appeal Tips

•If you can budget it, a fresh paint job does wonders for a dingy house. Drive around your town to find color schemes that are appealing.
•Install a more attractive front door, maybe something with leaded glass inserts.
•If you can't justify the cost of a new door, consider replacing plain doorknob hardware with something more attractive.
•If new hardware is beyond your budget, repaint or stain the door and polish the hardware.

If you brainstorm, you'll find that there's a solution to most problems—one that lets you stay within your budget. The trick is to find the areas where improvements are needed, then work on them as best you can.

Source: Janet Wickell, former About.com Guide

Seven Sillies That Sap Home Sales

At last count, nationwide, new home sales were down more than 12 percent and resale home sales down even more -- 27 percent.

In part, it's the economy. The rate of unemployment nationwide remains at just under 10 percent and some locales are still in double digits.

In the Gulf Coast area, blame the oil disaster for washing away more sales.

And, unless your state is one of the few with a home buying tax credit, the end of the federal tax credit also took a bite out of home sales.

Some of the home sale depression, however, comes from home sellers who still just don't get it and make mistakes that tank the deal.

To find help for sellers we went to Silicon Valley where, even as home sales dropped nearly 9 percent in August, home prices are up nearly 12 percent a year ago.

Some sellers, apparently, are making all the right moves.

We sought help from Julie Larsen Wyss, a hard core Silicon Valley Intero Real Estate Services broker associate in San Jose, CA.

Wyss, also a broker associate at North Star Mortgage Associates and short sale specialist offered these mistakes sellers ought not make if they want to move their home off the list of homes that languish unsold.

Pricing too high. A high listing price will cause some buyers to lose interest sight-unseen. It may also lead other buyers to expect more than what you have to offer. Overpriced homes tend to take an unusually long time to sell, ultimately selling at a lower price.

"Every seller obviously wants to get the most money for his product. Ironically, the best way to do this is NOT to list your home at an excessively high price," Wyss advises.

Mistaking refinance appraisals for the market value. Lenders often estimate the value of homes at a higher level than it's actually worth to encourage refinancing. Ask your real estate agent for the most recent information regarding property sales (similar to yours) in your community.

"This will give you an up to date and factually accurate estimate of your property value," she said.

Forgetting to showcase your home. When selling your home, make it look as pleasant and move-in-ready as possible. Make necessary repairs. Clean. De-clutter.

Says Wyss, "A poorly kept home in need of repairs will surely lower the selling price and will even turn away some potential buyers. In spite of how frequently this mistake is addressed and how simple it is to avoid, its prevalence is still widespread."

Using the "hard sell" while showing. "Don't try haggling or forcefully selling. Allow prospective buyers to comfortably examine your property," Wyss said.
Buying a house is always an emotional and difficult decision. Instead, be friendly and hospitable. A good idea would be to point out any subtle amenities and be receptive to questions.

Trying to sell to "looky-loos." A prospective buyer who shows up because they saw a for sale sign likely isn't interested in your property. Buyers who don't come through a real estate agent, typically are six to nine months away from buying. They just want to see what's available. Chances are, they still have to sell their house, haven't been to a lender and may not be able to afford a home yet.

"Your real estate agent can distinguish real potential buyers from lookers because they will take the time to determine a prospective buyer's savings, credit rating, and purchasing power. If your agent fails to do so, you should investigate on your own, avoid wasting time investigating and questioning on your own, and get a new real estate agent," Wyss said.

Being ignorant of your rights and responsibilities. Know the details of the sales contract. They are legally binding documents that can be complex and confusing. Know your responsibilities before signing the contract. Can the property be sold "as is"? How will deed restrictions and local zoning laws affect your transaction? There's much more to know.

Wyss said, "Not knowing can end up costing you a considerable amount of money."

Signing a listing contract with no escape clause. Hopefully you will choose the best real estate agent. However, stuff happens. Perhaps you misjudged your agent. Perhaps the agent has other priorities. In any case, you should have the right to fire your agent. You are the boss. He or she is your employee. You should also have the right to select another agent. Many real estate companies will simply replace one agent with another one from the same company, without consulting you.

"Take control before signing a real estate listing contract," Wyss said.

Continue reading on Examiner.com: Seven selling sillies that sap home sales - National real estate news | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/real-estate-news-in-national/seven-selling-sillies-that-sap-home-sales#ixzz1LoAZPSA6