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Getting
your house ready for sale
Make
your "home" a" house"
Remove
the clutter
A
house should look Open & spacious
Curb
Appeal
What
repairs should I do?
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What
repairs should I do?
Paint
Painting
the interior is inexpensive and can really justify value to your
house. Make sure you keep the color neutral. Using an off-white
color will brighten up the walls and make them look new and clean.
Avoid using any favorite colors that match your furniture and your
own color scheme. Remember, your moving out of this house, so
don’t "personalize" it.
Carpet
Carpet.
Should it be replaced or not? Many sellers agonize over this
issue. Take a good look around and inspect the condition of the
carpet. Sometimes, just calling in a professional carpet cleaner
can really make a difference. However, if you have a certain color
of carpet (like burgundy or green), and it’s faded, you may want
to consider offering a "carpet allowance." A carpet
allowance is usually better to offer than replacing it yourself. A
carpet allowance means you take what you would have spent
replacing it yourself and offer it the buyer. This is sometimes
better for a few reasons. First the buyer sees it as an incentive,
and second, it gives the buyer a little joy knowing that they get
to pick out their own carpet (much like buying a brand new home).
Plus, you really are better off letting the buyer handle the
carpet replacement because, even if the color is right, they could
still complain about the quality.
Windows
and Screens
Be very
careful to look over windows and screens. If a window is cracked,
replace it. Is there a torn window screen? Replace it too. Unless
these items are made part of the "Transfer Disclosure
Statement," they need to be in good condition before the
close of escrow. The buyer will have their home inspector go
through the property to look for things like this, and more than
likely they will want these things fixed anyway. So rather than
trying to get it done when you’re in escrow (when you doing many
other things, like packing and looking for your next home), you
will already have that done.
Fixtures
If there
is anything attached to the house that you want to take with you
(like a chandelier that’s been in your family for years) make
sure you take it down before buyers start coming through.
According to the purchase agreement, fixtures are included unless
you make it very clear from the beginning that it is not. Even
then, it may cause miscommunication problems. So, it’s best to
avoid them from the beginning.
Some
fixtures you want to consider replacing or adjusting are faucets,
cabinet handles, and door handles, toilets, electrical outlets,
doors, etc.. These little things are inexpensive and can really
spruce up the house throughout. If these items are in good
condition, then perhaps a good polishing is in order.
If you would like
professional advice regarding the interior condition of your
house, call us today for a free consultation. We’re Realtors,
Real Estate is our job.
Please
call
1-866-OC-House
© 2010 OC Home Finder Team.com - All rights reserved.
Written
By Shan Roberts
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