(1888PressRelease)
September 25, 2007 - REI Most Wanted's CEO Charles Dudley Shares Tips for Getting Ready to Sell a Home
Things to consider when selling a house: First thing to do in preparation is to de-junk and de-clutter the home. Yes, that's right - get the house super clean. That may sound like common sense, but some people don't define clean the same as others. As a general rule of thumb, once a home is believed to be clean, get it cleaner. Furniture, windows, doors, appliances, floors, carpets, basements, closets, garage, draperies and walls to get started. If needed, especially on mid to higher end homes, bring in a good cleaning crew - but only after all of the unessential junk is thrown out. Some folks may actually need to rent a storage unit to box stuff up and move into it, so that stowed items may be gone through at later date. Sometimes it is necessary to invest in some sweat equity. Bottom line, a home can never be too clean.
The next step is to think like a buyer. Figure out how much holding costs would be for each month you keep a property. Consider the cost for paying the mortgage, taxes, utilities, lawn care, cleaning and maintenance to list just a few expenses. However much that totals to, multiply that by at least 4 to 6 months, or more for the current market trends. That dollar amount divided by 2 is how much a buyer should be using as the fix up and staging budget, with a plan to sell a home in less than half that time.
Once the house is super clean, it is ready to be staged. Now, there are some professional staging services available that can be used to help if a buyer is stylistically challenged. The staging services are well worth the investment (just do a Google search on home staging or home stagers to locate someone in local area - a lot of times, real estate agents provide a fee based service for staging to supplement their income). Otherwise, get some good old fashioned home decorating magazines and try to mimic some of the designs that are within the budget. If the property is vacant, often buyers loan some of their own less used furnishings to help give the home a more appealing appearance. It is also helpful to purchase inexpensive items such as basic linens, candles, dried flower arrangements, small pictures or mirrors, lights, floor mats, air fresheners, etc. This will assist with setting the expected mood. Don't forget, think like a buyer.
A buyer will want to see a very clean, bright, neat home that has a fresh, crisp, inviting atmosphere. No strange odors or dark and damp places. The first thing they'll want to see when they drive up is a clean cut lawn with trimmed shrubs or trees if there are any, and it's always a plus to have fresh mulching and colorful flowers if your lawn permits. Mulch can usually be purchased as low as $25 per truck load, which is a great deal for adding that fresh smell and appearance to a house from the outside. Also, if the front or side door the potential buyer is walking into is dated from the sixties or seventies, regardless of how clean it is, it will probably need to go. Look at other better homes in the neighborhood, and try to match them. A decent glass screen door is around $200 installed. Watch out for door stoops and thresholds too. It may be beneficial to paint or replace those. If possible, match the shutters to the home - if that's common in the surrounding neighborhoods. There are so many inexpensive things that can be done to enhance the curb appeal of the property, which will pay the seller back many times over for that unforgettable first impression.
Now this is not intended to be a long dissertation on every possible intricacy of buying, selling or rehabbing - but something that can be used to jog a seller's memory or get their own mind thinking about how to make a house 'pop'. Whatever is established as a first impression, keep that expectation up throughout the entire tour of the house (make sure it is good - and be sure to get outside opinions from someone who doesn't care if feelings are hurt). A seller's job in selling a house is to maximize the good qualities and minimize the less desirable, without over-investing or losing money. It is important to not give a buyer an excuse not to buy a property. Be better than the next guy down the street, but don't try to be the best house in the entire market - unless it is impossible not to get that top dollar back.
To learn about other real estate investing strategies or to register for this week's fre-e call go to REImostwanted.com and join their success community.
Successful Investing...
Charles Dudley
www.reimostwanted.com
reimw ( @ ) cox dot net
Family Guys Buy Houses,
131 Maplelawn Ave,
Roanoke, VA 24012,
USA.
Charles T. Dudley, Sr., CEO
REI Most Wanted
www.reimostwanted.com
reimw ( @ ) cox dot net
540-400-0252
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