Owning a home is one of the biggest investments most people make, here are some steps that can help in selling your home quickly and at a good price.

 I’m going to use an example to help you understand, about 15 years ago I was contacted by a Seller in Oceanside. His house hadn’t sold and had been on the market for about 6 months, we met and he decided to re-list with me. He was beyond frustrated and didn’t want to spend any more time or money on the house. I knew I had to make changes, so I cleaned  the house with my son ( yes, he made money). I brought in a table, chairs and did simple staging since it was an empty house. I bought red geraniums for the empty window boxes in the front of the house for curb appeal.  I emptied a bag of Coffee beans in a box that I left open so it smelled like coffee when the buyers would walk in, now it smelled more like a home again.

I listed it on the MLS and yes the home sold within a week. Mr. G told his friends and a lot of referrals came from him after.

Ready to roll up your sleeves??

Let’s Go!

 

1. Grab a pen and paper, and make a list of what sticks out, start at the mailbox and work your way through the house to the back yard. Are there weeds? Is the yard overgrown? Are windows sparkly clean? Broken pots? Are there cobwebs in ceiling corners, broken furniture etc.?

2.Bring in the Crew!!
The cleaning crew, gardeners, carpet cleaners…. And you can keep them on for maintenance while the home is on the market. DM me for a handy checklist if you are planning on doing it yourself.
Don’t skip this step it’s important.

3. Walk in the front door, what do you smell?  So important, I suggest getting rid of shoes, litter boxes ..daily refresh while on the market and using a Bed Bath and Beyond Plug-In air freshener , they don’t smell as artificial in my opinion.

4. All the clutter has to go..in the entire home. Clean off counters, tables and mantle and just leave a key piece or as described in staging.

I sometimes move furniture around for a better flow and do believe in professional staging for high end homes since it can increase the selling price between 3%-6%.  Make the area’s look as big as possible and it will be easier to keep clean while on the market.

Remove all personal items like photo’s, trophy’s, refrigerator magnets and super clean the kitchen and bathroom counters. 

Think about the last time you walked through a model home. Very simple and clean lines,  you want to strike the perfect balance of a warm welcoming home and depersonalization  ( Tip ..Rent a storage unit.)

5. Repaint any unusual paint colors like a teenager’s room black or purple walls and use a neutral color scheme.

 

5. Place the medicines in your medicine cabinet somewhere else and out of reach of the children. I have heard stories of persons including a famous actor from the show Friends,with addictions whom will tour open houses and check the cabinets.The same with valuables…

 

6. I use trays for easy staging it’s quick to move when the children are playing. Think a bowl of lemons in the kitchen or a vase with fresh flowers. That’s all very simple and clean. White new towels in the bathroom and don’t forget to wash the rugs since they hold musky smells.

7.  Your closets, yes horrifying ..sometimes buyers look, try to keep them 30 percent empty so they appear larger.

8. Junk removal services for the stuff collected over the years on the side of the house. (Get three quotes I learned the hard way… ) It is such a great service and fast clean up, keep them in mind and their card handy. The city usually offers a few free large item pick ups a year as well.

Yes, stage the outside too, hang the hammock , flowers or a potted plant on the table so the buyer can see themselves having a cup of coffee or breakfast outside.

9. When it’s on the market, open the blinds and curtains, do not leave any closed.

The most common mistake I see seller’s make, is a dark home with all the blinds and curtains shut.

Turn on all the lights when you leave for a showing.

10. Keep the home tidy while on the market, it helps with last minute showings.

Your realtor will walk through and have more suggestions and then it’s time to sit down and figure out the listing price. It’s important to not price too high and end up chasing the market. It’s better to be at a competitive price and have multiple offers. Learn what  the comparable homes are selling for in your neighborhood and listen to the suggestions of your Realtor.

Professional Photography & Drone video, MLS ( multiple listing service), Brokers Caravan, Social Media, Open Houses, Flyers, Email Campaign, Just listed Postcards to the neighborhood are marketing that is what I usually do with my listings.
Your home needs to shine as bright as it can and sell for top dollar!

Let’s do it together!

Cindy Rankin