Trying to sell a home in today”s market can be scary. Prices for homes have fallen over the past few months, catching homes in our local market that have been listed since the economic decline began.
Anne Roberts of Caldwell Banker in Columbus has been selling homes for more than 20 years. She offered a few simple tips to help get your home in the best shape possible when potential buyers come knocking.
“Call your Realtor,” she said. “They see a lot of things you might not see, or might not exactly bother you. Sometimes people are hesitant, but they shouldn”t get their feelings hurt. The Realtor wants the house sold just as much as the seller.”
Curbside appeal
A house is like a person in one important way: First impressions stick. It doesn”t matter what kind of price you are listing, if the outside of your home looks at all nasty, then you are losing the sale before the buyer even walks through the door.
Cut the yard, fix the flower beds, touch up the paint and think about hiring a landscaper.
Also, don”t forget that most people these days are shopping for homes on the Internet.
“Make sure your Realtor gets lots of good pictures,” said Roberts.
Get the clutter out
Remember, you aren”t selling your stuff, you”re selling your home. While you might think your massive collection of sports memorabilia is great, someone else might think it makes the house look junky.
“Take up your personal items,” said Roberts. “Even if you have to put them in storage.”
The idea is to make each room look as large and airy as possible. The less stuff in a room, the bigger it looks.
“One trick is to put the biggest piece of furniture in the room on the far wall,” said Roberts. “You don”t want people to have to walk around some massive piece, and the further away the piece is the bigger the room looks.”
Light is also important. Keep the window blinds and curtains open while the house is being shown.
Get the pets out
You might love Fido, but it doesn”t mean everyone else does. Again, remember you are not selling yourself, but your home, and anything you can do to make your home more appealing to the greatest number of people can make the difference.
“If someone comes to view the home and the pet doesn”t look friendly, then the potential buyer just wants to get out,” said Roberts. “Some people have allergy problems, and if they see a cat or a dog they will think they are going to have to replace the carpet.”
You don”t have to toss the critters out, just plan ahead. Have your Realtor call you a couple hours before a buyer is coming to view the home. When you know they are going to be there, just load up the pets and take them for a drive.
If it”s broken, fix it. If it”s dirty, clean it.
Any minor repairs should be done before someone comes to view the home, and of course, the house should be sparkling.
“Dripping faucets, toilet running all the time: Now”s the time to fix it,” said Roberts. “People expect a squeaky clean bathroom and kitchen.”
Roberts also said it is a good idea to replace any off-kilter colors you might have painted a room in a fit of creativity.
“Don”t go with odd colors. Stick to neutral colors,” she said. “A warm color is good like a beige, a gold or a muted yellow.”
With a neutral color, you won”t have to worry about dealing primarily with a person”s particular taste. While a polka-dotted wall might appeal to some, it could turn off others.
“Look at your home with a critical eye,” said Roberts. “Make sure everything is neat. Look at it as if it were somebody else”s property, and get a Realtor.”
And perhaps the most important tip Roberts has for those trying to sell a home: “Use your common sense.”
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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