 Posted 2/18/2008 11:53:23 AM
|
|
|
|
I just came back from a week in South Carolina where I was looking at property. It just blows my mind what some people will consider acceptable condition for presenting home for sale. When they say use neutral colors of paint, they really do mean it. If I had to give decorating advice to make the sale of your home go faster (and I'm not an interior designer) it's the same as what the "How To" books tell you but it's amazing that people must just not read them. Those same people probably don't read forums either but here goes anyways...
1. Buyers LOVE fresh clean paint but NOT blues, purples, dark pinks, red, oranges, and every other non-neutral shade. Just for the record earth tones are the style right now (shades of tan and sage) but be safe and go with shades of white.
2. Clean. Clean. Clean. Including the scum in the bathtub! They actually make scum removal products and tile bleach.
3. Your appliances are lovely but as a buyer I'm not interested in seeing them. Besides, they make your kitchen look smaller. Clear off the counters and stowe it all in the cupboards where I won't be looking.
4. If you have a garage, please sweep out the dead palmetto bugs, lizards and mouse carcasses.
5. If you have water features clean out the algae as best as you can. And while you're out there, put the hose away.
6. Remove the clutter. Yes, it won't look lived in but as a buyer I'm not there to see YOU living there, I'm there to envision ME living there and I can't do that with all of your clutter distracting me.
7. Take your family pictures down too. I get too busy looking at them and not your home and if I don't like the looks of you, well....you figure it out.
8. The first thing I do when I walk in the house is sniff. If I smell moth balls it's a turn off. (Who still uses these and why?!?!?) I don't want to smell your cigarettes, your dog, or your cat's litter box. These don't make you a bad person, they just make your home smell a way that I don't want to envision myself walking through. Use those Glade plug-ins or open the windows...or both!
9. Clean the windows inside and out. But if you're going to make them streaky then hire the job out. It lets the light in, shows you care for the house, and really does make a big difference.
I hope this helps someone with making some changes to their home that hasn't sold.
Good luck!
|
|
|
Posted 4/3/2008 6:43:28 AM
|
|
|
|
Thanks for the advise, but may I add a few things?
1. Please clean the ceiling fans. Ths is so imbarrasing when a home looks clean but the ceiling fans a ritteled with dirt and gunk.
2. Dust! This means not just the furniture, but the other items around.
2. Run the water! Go into the bathrooms and kitchen and run the water. This will give you an idea of the water pressure you will be experiencing as the owner of this new home. If there is low pressure there could be a problem.
3. Clean out the cabinets! I will look into them to see if any repairs have been made and to see how cluttered you are. This gives me an idea of how you kept your home.
4. If the fridge, washer and dryer convey, make sure the are in running order and clean. I will look.
Good Luck to everyone! May we all be blessed with a home sell soon! 
|
|
|
Posted 5/23/2008 9:15:04 AM
|
|
|
|
They don't sell taste either. Just because you are looking at expensive property, doesn't mean that they will be done in good taste.
DebtFreeDave
|
|
|
Posted 9/14/2008 8:34:36 PM
|
|
|
|
| I'm curious to know though the average percentage of sellers who don't do the majority of this. To me it seems common sense, especially in today's buyer's market. I have had my home for sale for about 9 days now, and am OCD about making sure that I did all the 'right' things. I went on two open houses in my area and it seems as if they did the same . . . I was surprised when one visitor commented on how she couldn't believe how clean my house was; I was thinking, isn't it supposed to be that way when you are selling?
|
|
|
Posted 12/4/2008 1:10:03 PM
|
|
|
|
I agree with all of these it seems as though there are a lot of homes on the market that dont clean and have a lot of clutter! Its so important to have everything in order
cella
|
|
|
|