Victoria Real Estate Agency Home Sale Listings

 Stop Parking Domain Names
Develop Your Domain Names
 

Prepare Your House for a Successful Sale


Whether you list with an agent or sell on your own, you can ensure a quick sale by proactively preparing your house to be a highly marketable and attractive commodity.

Paradigm Shift

Don't wait for the sold sign to get started with packing. Packing away items that are used infrequently has multiple benefits:

It's a head start for you when you do have the house sold; It removes the clutter that might impact negatively on prospective buyers; and It creates a more spacious atmosphere making rooms appear larger.

Be the Buyer

To determine what improvements should be tackled first, view your house as though you were the buyer. If you have a difficult time with objectivity, ask a friend, neighbour or relative to help.

Exterior View

Begin with driving or walking on your street. Does your house stand out as less attractive than those around it? Does your landscaping match up? If not:

Make sure your lawn is well trimmed and free of any bald or brown spots. Plant mature bushes and flowers to add volume and colour. Avoid any plants or trees that will take time to mature. You are going for immediate appeal, over long-term results. Clear away any lawn furniture that mainly provided function over aesthetic appeal (i.e. resin chairs). Clear away the kids bikes and toys from the lawn and driveway. The path from your curb to the door should be unobstructed and clean. Rent a power washer and clean the walkway, if needed. Tighten any loose banisters or steps that lead to your door. If you have personalized items on the door and mailbox remove them. Add a clean mat at the door (this is a purchase that can be taken with you when you move). If your doorknob, street number, mailbox, or light fixtures are dull or rusty, polish or replace them. Clean Doors and windows at the front entrance.

The Entry Way

You've made it past the curb and are in the door. When you enter the house, the first thing that will grab you is not going to be visual. If your house does not have a pleasant odor, it probably won't matter how beautiful it is visually.

Avoid sprays that cover up odor. Although it is better than an initial unpleasant scent, Buyers will pick up on it and feel tricked. Instead, try 'lightly' scented candles, potpourri, or a pot on the stove with vanilla and water. If you are very ambitious, bake a pie.

Remove odor at the source:

Smoke - For those who have smokers in the family, it would be wise to restrict smoking to outdoors until the house sells. Purchase an ozone spray which eliminates odor rather than covering it up

Pets – Clean kitty litter daily and add baking soda. Keep dogs outdoors as much as possible and make use of carpet freshener on a frequent basis.

Cooking – Use the overhead exhaust while cooking and clean up immediately after you are finished. Lingering food odors are not noticeable while you are in the house but are very apparent when stepping in from outdoors.

Interior

The most expensive renovations are the kitchen and bathroom. If these rooms are not appealing to a Buyer, it might be very difficult to sell your property's other assets.

Kitchen and Bathroom

  • Counter tops - Keep them cleared of all clutter. In the kitchen, put away all counter top utensils such as toasters, coffee pots, etc. If you have a microwave on your counter, consider purchasing an inexpensive microwave cart instead. Bathroom counters should be cleared of hair products, hair dryers, electric shavers, etc. Loose trim on counters should be glued. If your counters are in need of replacement, consider replacing or painting with a melamine paint.
  • Cupboards and Drawers - Clean the cupboard and door fronts with a grease cutting cleaner. You will be surprised at how much brighter they will appear afterwards. If that doesn't help brighten them up, you should seriously consider painting with melamine paint as an inexpensive update. Replace outdated cupboard hardware for an instant updated appeal. For an inexpensive alternative to replacing hardware, spray paint with a metallic finish. Clear out as much clutter as you can live without. You want your cupboards to appear as though there is more than enough room for the Buyers to store their items.
  • Sinks and Bathtubs - You can bring your stainless steel sink back to its original shine, with comet cleanser. Be sure to pay close attention to the drain, drain plugs, and outer edges, where grime builds up. Taps and faucets can be brought back to original shine with the use of a dry cloth and q-tips. Simply polish with the dry cloth to remove dullness and add shine. Q-tips in between cracks and tap grooves will remove the 'gunk' and have your taps looking brand new. If your faucet and taps are hopeless, you should replace with a set of inexpensive ones.
  • Flooring - It is a common fact that people tend to look down more than up. If your kitchen or bathroom floor is in need of repair, repair it. If the floor is beyond repair, this might be the best investment to consider in making your house more sellable. Remember, if you are going to invest in a new floor for resale value only, purchase inexpensive neutral flooring. You are making the purchase for immediate appeal to buyers and not for yourself.
  • Kitchen Appliances - Whether or not the appliances are included, they need to be presentable to add to the appeal of the kitchen. Clean the oven and stove to a shine. This will also take care of some possible odor sources as well. Remove the magnets, notes, and artwork from the fridge and clean the top.
    • Living/Family Room

    The most lived in room tends to be the most cluttered. If the room appears small, remove extra furniture and all clutter items such as papers, remotes, videos, etc.

    If you have a lot of personalized items, such as family portraits, trophy's, collectibles, pack them away. Personalized items tend to alienate potential buyers.

    Bedrooms

    Make the beds and remove clutter from under the bed. As with the kitchen cupboards, clear out the clutter so they appear larger. If you have teens or themed rooms, replace bedding and curtains with a more neutral alternative. Patterned bedding will detract from buyers viewing the room and its features. Take down any posters that may be on the walls. Fill holes left behind or hang framed artwork in their place.

    Converted Rooms

    Finally, if you have converted any rooms in your house, you should convert them back to the house's original design. For example, a bedroom converted to a den or home office should be changed back to a bedroom, especially if it is one of the rooms that you have included in your listing as 3 bedroom home.

    Conclusion

    The decision as to the amount of improvements you are willing or able to make will always be your own and there is definitely quite a bit of effort involved with implementing some of the suggestions above. It would make sense to think that buyers should look beyond the personal items that will be removed after a sale and, although there are some buyers who will be able to do that, most buyers won't. The suggestions made above are for ensuring a quick sale by targeting the majority of buyers rather than those rare ones that can see beyond these items.

    © February, 2004 - XstreamRealty Incorporated

    Amie Walton is the president and founder of Xstream Realty Incorporated, a Virtual Agent online real estate service. She has retained her ASP designation in Home Staging and is managing both XstreamRealty.com and XstreamStaging.com as a complementary businesses for assisting homeowners to sell their homes quickly and profitably.

    MORE ARTICLES:

    Lake Oswego Oregon Real Estate Agents / Lake Oswego OR Homes for Sale
    Looking for a new place to live in the Portland, Oregon area? If so, youre not alone. In recent years, the popularity of Northwestern cities such as Portland has skyrocketed: people are beginning to realize that the Northwest offers tremendous culture, stellar job opportunities, and amazing scenery  in an area that is not yet overcrowded.

    Learn Seven Things You Must Know Before Choosing the Right Waterfront Real Estate Agent
    You?ve made the decision to buy a waterfront home Now, it?s time to choose a real estate agent to help you find your perfect home

    Real-estate-agent-lists.com Celebrates One Year Helping Real Estate Agents Prosper in Slow Market Using Realtor Lists to Work Smarter, not Harder
    Zichron Internet Marketing (ZIM) LLC is celebrating the one year anniversary of its launch of list of 1.5 million realtors with full contact information including 1.1 million agent email addresses has made it easier and less expensive for agents to communicate with other agents to drive more business.

    Real Estate Loan Agents, Real Estate Loan Agents,Investment Properties, Investment Properties in USA
    While America and the world hold their breath, waiting for the Presidential and Legislative Branches of the United States Government to take action, that will hold off and help correct the mistakes of the sub-prime meltdown, there are some progressive Real Estate Loan Agents providing mortgages from exclusive leads from the opportunities provided in their counties from the daily marketing efforts by the team at Myhomesearches.com. These loan agents, providers of mortgages during the boom days are making deals today because of their membership.

    The All Important Real Estate Agent - Selling Your Home in a Buyer's Market
    You've decided to sell your home In the current real estate market where there is a veritable glut of listings in many regions of the country, there are some simple things that you, as a seller, can do to enhance the chances your home will sell within a reasonable period of time

    Real Estate Agents Turning to Surface Restoration Company to Help Speed Home Sales
    Real Estate agents are turning to Miracle Method, a national surface restoration company, to update bathrooms and kitchens to get a higher price for homes and speed sales.

    Indianapolis Real Estate Agent Offers Tips for Selling a Home in a Down Market
    Indianapolis real estate agent Matt Borushko offers six tips that home owners should know when thinking about selling their home.

    How to Sell Your Home Without a Real Estate Agent
    Considering the rapid rise in home prices over the past several years, home sellers are taking a hard look at the commission they have to pay to a real estate brokerage to market and sell their home. Real estate commissions vary across the country; they average in the four to seven percent range.

    The Real World Advantages & Disadvantages of Using a Real Estate Agent to Sell Your Home
    Are you a real estate pro If you are planning to sell your property and don't really consider yourself an expert in real estate selling then you may want to consider seeking out a reputable real estate agent to sell your property

    Choosing A Real Estate Agent to Sell Your Home
    If you are considering, or have decided to put your real estate up for sale then you are probably looking for a real estate agent. What do you need to look for in an agent so that your experience turns out not only positive, but hopefully resulting in the sale of your property.

    Choose the Right Agent in Selling Your Home in Siesta Key Real Estate
    Selling your home in Siesta Key real estate can be stressful since it is a huge undertaking that you can do in your life. If you will be doing wrong choices, you will make things worse and you wont be able to sell your home quickly and with the best deal.

    For Sale by Owner (FSBO) - How to Sell a House without an Agent
    For Sale by Owner is money saving alternative to selling a house with an agent, and it is not so intimidating and difficult as it looks to many.

    Real Estate: Buyers Agent, Sellers Agent & Dual Agent (defined and explained)
    There is a relatively new and not always well understood practice in Real Estate sales; it is called Buyer Agency or Buyer's Agent. Until recently Realtors and agents usually represented the seller, in opposition to the buyer, during the real estate transaction.

    Waterfront Houses USA Launches Waterfront Homes and Property Listing Service
    Budget-Quotes, Inc. would like to announce the opening of their waterfront real estate listing service Waterfront Houses USA. Waterfront Houses USA is a medium for homeowners and real estate professionals to list their properties specifically targeted to waterfront, water view, and water access.

    Design Firm Creates Flash-Driven Real Estate Listing Map for use by Real Estate Agents
    This map is scalable, sizable and can zoom from an aerial view all the way down to the street level.

    Develop Your Domain Names | Site Map | Home

    Privacy Policy | Copyright/Trademark Notification