Seller's Tips

Seller's Tips



When selling a property, it's important that you make your home as attractive as possible to prospective buyers. You want them to see your property as their home, and there are a few simple -- and inexpensive-- things you can do to achieve this goal.

1. Firstly make your front entrance welcoming. Paint or wash the front door, clean and, if necessary, fix the screen door, oil all hinges to eliminate squeaks, and clean any glass in the doors. Invest in a new welcome mat and add planters next to the door. Get rid of any clutter around the entrance. Sweep the front steps or porch, and keep the entrance door to the door tidy of children's toys.



2. If your home has vinyl siding, rent a pressure washer and clean the exterior of the property. If you have a wood deck or porch that has turned grey over the years or is stained by mildew, pressure wash the wood while you have the machine; pressure washing makes the wood look new and gives a good impression. Repair, repaint or replace any broken shutters or window boxes, then fill the window boxes with colourful flowers that will make the buyer feel welcome.


3. Don't forget about the yard. Roll up any garden hoses; better yet, store them away. Plant colourful flowers wherever you can. Keep the grass mown and free of branches or weeds; rake leaves off lawns and clean up any cuttings.



4. Now for the interior. Paint the walls in a white or light neutral colour. The idea behind this is to give the prospective buyers a chance to imagine their own colour schemes without any influence from your decorations.



5. Strip the rooms of as much furniture as possible. You don't have to get rid of your furniture, just store it away until you sell the house. This gives the buyers a chance to see more of the wall and floor space in the rooms and to visualise their own furniture in them.



6. Keep furniture dusted and rugs vacuumed. If the carpet is particularly dirty or stained, invest in renting a carpet cleaner and shampoo the carpet. This will not just clean the rugs, but also leave a fresh, clean smell. Install 100 watt light bulbs in chandeliers and table lamps to create brilliance in all rooms. Use air fresheners or potpourri but not the flowery kind; choose one that smells like vanilla or cinnamon to give the home a sweet and pleasant smell.



7. In the kitchen, put away dish drainers and any extra appliances that are on the counters. In the bathrooms, put caps on bottles and toothpaste tubes. Keep the sink and tub clean and shiny. Wash the floors. Drop a cleaning tablet in the toilets and always keep a full roll of toilet paper in the dispenser



8. Clean out the basement of all junk. This is the perfect time to have a yard sale to get rid of anything you've been keeping "in case you ever need it".



9. Prospective buyers will open closet doors and cabinets, so keep them and tidy. Keep shoes off closet floors by storing them in shoe bags or racks. Take your clothes off door hooks and hang them neatly on hangers.

Finally, when your real estate agent brings over a prospective buyer, stay out of their way as they tour the house. Buyers get nervous when owners follow them around from room to room. If you have pets, make sure they're in a secure area where they won't bother your visitors. Turn off the television or radio, get up off the couch and go outside. If possible, talk to the estate agent in connection with any tours and go over all the important aspects of the property and then leave everything in the hands of the agent to point out the distinctive features of each room.

Good luck in selling that Property





Dineo