It's
time to move on. Whether you are making a job change, moving
to a bigger home, retiring or just need a change of scenery,
one thing is certain: you want to get the right price, with
the right terms, in the right amount of time. Steve Lavoie
has those same GOALS!
Home Selling Tips
with Steve Lavoie
Little things mean a lot when you're trying to sell your house.
The way you present your property to prospective buyers can
make
all the difference between success and failure. Intangibles
often help
a sale- a clean fresh smell or the straight vacuum lines can
make
buyers feel comfortable about the way the home has been cared
for.
There are a lot of easy, inexpensive ways to put a shine on
your
home and enhance its overall desirability. Here are some easy
to do
suggestions that I hope work for you.
CURB APPEAL
If prospective buyers don't find your house appealing, they
won't
be interested in seeing what's inside.
Here's how you can turn that initial impression into love
at first
sight: Get started by, Trimming the shrubbery, mow the lawn,
edge
the drive and walkways, trim around the house and fences,
clean the
windows until they sparkle. Give the house a fresh coat of
paint or
if you don't have the time or money to do it right away, at
least repaint
the side & the trim that can be seen from the street.
And last, but not
least, add some annuals to give the yard the special touch.
TIDY UP
Everyone knows, of course, that neatness counts, both inside
and
out. Gardening tools should be put away and hoses neatly coiled,
cars
should be in the garage or properly parked in the drive, never
in the
yard. This is also not a good time to be working on the car
or boat,
keep it hidden in the garage and make sure the garage door
stays closed.
The front door should be clean or better yet freshly painted.
Inside,everything should be spotless, this is the time to
do that spring cleaning.As you go through each room, use "less
is more" as your guideline. You want to make every room
look as spacious as possible, and with that in mind, remove
extra furniture and now's a good time to pack away all those
things that you seem to accumulate and organize those closets.
Now's the time to have the carpet professionally cleaned.
If your carpet is stained, it's possible to have it dyed,
or now's the time to think about replacing the flooring. Remember,
if the buyer thinks it needs new carpet, they'll say it will
cost $5,000, when you could have done it for $2,200 or they
might just get turned off on your home and not even make an
offer. Keep in mind, that if you do replace the flooring,
keep the color neutral.
KITCHEN AND BATHS
Buyers react most strongly to kitchens and bathrooms, so it
will pay to concentrate alot of effort in these areas.
If your cabinets aren't up to date, sometimes just switching
knobs and door handles is a dramatic improvement. To make
the prospective buyer feel like a welcome guest, use the subliminal
appeal of warm and friendly scents, such as the smell of freshly
baked cookies or bread. Potpourri, especially the simmering
kind will be particularly effective in the bathrooms.
New shower curtains for every bathroom in the house are a
must before you start showing. Tired, streaky shower curtains
are a real turnoff. This is also a good time to re-caulk the
baths or showers, that fresh look will go miles with a prospective
buyer.
OTHER DETAILS
Yes, it's time to talk about the "Garage". Now's
the time to get rid of all that stuff that you never use.
Make it clean and organized.
Everyone loves a peaceful backyard, especially here. Show
yours off be keeping it uncluttered, clean the furniture,
remove any pieces that are worn, and buy a cover for the grill.
This is also the time to clean the gutters, pressure wash
the deck & fence, and add some new mulch to the flower
beds.
If your curtains are old, worn or faded, replace them. Mini
blinds are not only inexpensive, they're a terrific solution
to all kinds of window decorating problems, and they'll give
a fresh, modern look.
Get some pointers on decorating by studying the home decorating
magazines, you're sure to find a couple of wonderful ideas.
Make sure to turn all the lights and open the curtains or
blinds when the house is to be shown, this will make the home
feel spacious.
