Sometimes, life hands us the inevitable: just when everything seems right with your home, something happens and you are forced to sell. No matter what your reasons are for selling your home in Pennsylvania, remember that now is no time to dawdle — the process of preparing a home for sale can take a month or more. So, here’s how to start:
Your home looks great to you, but a buyer may see it differently. Hop in your car, drive around the block, and then scrutinize your home as a prospective buyer will when he or she sees it for the first time. First, consider what’s called “curb appeal” — does it need power-washing or painting? Does the driveway need repair work? Is the landscaping in good shape? Remember, be very critical; your buyer will be.
Next, pull into the driveway and take a good, hard look. Is the yard neat and trimmed? What about the view from the front yard? Then, walk inside and size up the interior as though seeing it for the first time. Take a tour and imagine what your real estate agent might say about each room, look into cabinets, open doors, and check out the bathrooms.
Then, make a list of the things that might put off potential buyers, along with another list of the things that first attracted you to your home. Remember, the home’s become a great place for you, but a new buyer will see things that you don’t.
Before putting your home on the market, get rid of clutter in every area — closets, attic storage, kitchen cabinets, drawers, bath vanities, and shelves — everywhere. Clutter takes up space, giving the perception that the home is smaller than it is. Remember, this is no time to be sentimental: if you don’t use it, lose it. Potential buyers are seriously put off by clutter, and most of us drag a lot more things through life than we really need.
Also, don’t forget the furniture and fixtures when getting rid of clutter. Most of us put too much in too little space, which makes a buyer prospect think your home is too small.
Then, have a great moving sale with all the stuff you’ve collected and use the proceeds for paint or whatever other materials you need for your repair projects. If you just can’t bear to part with some possessions, store them in the attic or some other place that’s out of sight to your potential buyers.
After you’ve cleared out the clutter, it’s time to really clean. Have the carpets professionally cleaned, polish the floors, clean the baseboards so they look new, scour the bathrooms, go over the laundry room, polish the furniture, scour out the cabinets, wash the windows and window coverings, and spiff up the ceiling fans and kitchen appliances. In short, clean everything!
Don’t forget the exterior; paint or power-wash everything that needs the work. Remember, this is a ceiling-to-floor, roof-to-foundation clean-up project.
After you’ve cleaned the place to within an inch of its life, the next project is making all the repairs necessary to attract a buyer.
So, patch up the roof, touch up all of the paint, repair the screens, spruce up the porch framing, and make your entry area really shine. Don’t forget to water the lawn, landscape beds, and take the time to trim, mow, edge, and get rid of sick or dying plants. Inside, fix the grout in the bathrooms and on tile floors, adjust any doors that need it, fix any scratches on the walls, cover any stains, and be sure to fix any plumbing problems. Remember, do what your home needs before the first buyer appears at your door.
Also, it’s a good idea to begin working on this before we meet for the initial listing appointment. But, don’t worry, I will advise you on what needs to be done. Also, if you have friends willing to be brutally honest about what your home needs to sell, invite them to assess the fix-up needs.
There is, however, an alternative to the sweat equity you get from a total fix-up —but it carries a price. An “as-is” sale keeps you from doing all of this work, but a buyer will assess that it will cost about twice the price you would have paid for the repairs. Then, the buyer will deduct that amount from your asking price before making an offer.
After you have cleaned, shined, mowed, and generally whipped your property into shape, it’s time to attract a buyer.
There are other, small things you must do to attract buyers. For example, even if it’s bright daylight during the time the house will be shown, open the blinds and turn on the lights. Also, open all the interior doors to make the home appear roomier. Be sure to remove all your kids and pets — they’re cute, but a prospect wants to see your home, not your pride and joy. In addition, make sure your pet’s litter pan is clean so the home smells clean and fresh, not like air freshener. Remember, you need to make sure your home is available to be seen by prospective buyers with as little notice as possible. That means less than an hour, or even five minutes, if possible.
Before you put your home on the market, take a weekend day to check out the competition: homes with similar prices and in similar neighborhoods. Remember, you don’t have to go out and buy new furniture just to look like that beautiful new model in the new development — what you want is the feel of that new model — clean, uncluttered, and fresh.
Remember, after location, the most important item to a buyer is a well-maintained home. Many flaws can be overlooked if the buyer knows he or she can move in without a lot of trouble and expense.
Let’s get to work! As a Bucks County real estate professional, I look forward to helping you get started on your selling journey. Scroll down to contact me and to set up a time for me to come by!
550 North Main Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
Office : (215) 348-1700
REALTOR® ABR SRES
RS332450
Primary: (267) 218-2495