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Whenever Sherry & I meet clients for a potential listing one of our main discussion points is how to get top dollar for your home. It's not enough to just put it on the market at the right time, it's a lot more involved than that & I'm here to give you the to-do list.
Buyers who are willing to pay top dollar for a home want it to be perfect. So long are the days of buyers wanting to take on projects & willing to overlook messy corners & dirty bathrooms. Now, if you want to get the most money for your house, be prepared to put some money and elbow grease into it before it hits the market.
The first & most important thing to know is this: don't put your home on the market until it's absolutely ready. You only get one chance to make a first impression.
So what does making a house look perfect entail you ask? I answer you with this list:
DECLUTTER
Declutter until you can declutter no more and then, when you think you're done, keep going. Buyers don't want to walk through pathways to see your house. They don't want to open a cabinet only to have piles of blankets fall on them. They don't want to try to imagine your home without all your family photos. So put away your personal belongings & clear the decks. Fewer items out is always better than too many.
DEEP CLEAN
If you aren't ready to pull on your cleaning gloves and go to town on every nook & crevice in your home, hire someone. No buyer wants to walk into a dirty home. This means cleaning your tile floors & grout, baseboards, window blinds & drapery, carpet cleaning, scouring the inside of your appliances & in your drawers & cabinets. Don't forget to dust your light fixtures & clean your windows. It may sound overboard, but as someone who shows A LOT of homes, I can attest to this fact: a clean house sells so much faster than a dirty one.
FIX IT UP
Are there a few lingering items that need fixing on your to-do list? That crack in the plaster, the loose mailbox, the burned out light bulbs, the water filter that has needed replacing for 6 months. It's time to tackle those items. If you don't fix them now, it can cause a buyer to hesitate, thinking maybe the house isn't as well cared for as it should be.
Once you get all of these things done, you're ready for the next step, making sure the house is staged & ready for photos. Then it hits the market & you can watch your hard work pay off!
THE BOTTOM LINE
Don't give a buyer a reason to hesitate. This to-do list is to help you get top dollar. By doing these items, you'll minimize your time on the market & maximize your sale price. Some hard work prior to hitting the market can really pay off, both figuratively & literally!
Looking to sell your home, call us today & we can help you get the process started by giving you a personalized to-do list & contacts to help you tackle any of the tasks you aren't up to taking on.
Amy Lessing - lessinga@firstweber.com - 314.488.3216
Sherry Lessing - lessings@firstweber.com - 608.212.1555