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Get Your Home Ready To
Sell |
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Get need to know info
on buying and selling lake property. |
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In preparing your house to sell, ask yourself
over and over if your house looks like someone
else's dream house. Houses in move-in condition
tend to be inviting to buyers; houses that are
like new typically sell the fastest and procure
the best price.
With that in mind, here are a few things to
consider when getting ready to sell:
Exterior
Remember the 60-second rule: that's all the time
you have to create a good first impression! Mow
the lawn, rake leaves, trim trees and shrubs
that keep light out of the house and remove dead
plants. Pick up tools, garbage cans, hoses,
toys, and building materials and store them
neatly in a storage area. Replace broken or
missing roof shingles and straighten and clean
the gutters and downspouts. Clean all windows
and mend torn screens. Painting your house helps
improve curb appeal more than any other fix-up!
If you decide against painting the entire house,
consider painting the front door, window frames
and shutters. Seal or resurface the driveway and
repair broken steps and walkways. Paint or
replace your mailbox and post. Dress up the
front yard with some simple landscaping.
Clean, Clean, Clean
Step back for a moment and look at your home as
if you were seeing it for the first time. Every
room should be spotlessly clean, dusted and
uncluttered. Steam clean the carpets and wax the
floors. Wash the walls, windows and light
fixtures. Tighten loose stair railings and clean
all woodwork. In the event that you feel a
project of this magnitude is better left to a
professional, ask your real estate agent to
recommend a cleaning service.
Entryway
Use bright light bulbs in the foyer and
throughout the house. Fill the house with a
pleasant aroma, such as berries in the summer or
cinnamon in the winter.
Living Room
Replace the carpet if it's worn. It costs money,
but you may find that you will more than recoup
that cost when the home sells. Patch cracks and
nail holes in the walls, and repaint walls in
neutral colors, such as white or ivory. Nail
down creaking boards and stair treads. Lubricate
any sticking or squeaking doors. Open all
curtains, and replace them if they are getting
old. Add lamps and lighting if the house is
dark. Set out fresh flowers.
Furniture
Rearrange or remove furniture to make your rooms
look more spacious. Too much furniture and too
many knick-knacks make rooms look cluttered and
small. One or two decorative items per surface
are plenty, so pack the rest away.
Kitchen and Baths
These rooms should sparkle! Clear off counters,
and clean all appliances and fixtures. Scrub the
floors and walls. Re-caulk tubs and showers.
Clean these rooms thoroughly, and be sure they
smell fresh.
Closets
Take those things to Goodwill that you'll have
to discard anyway when you move. Organize
shelves and straighten shoes. Be sure that
sliding doors operate smoothly and knobs on
drawers are secure.
Utility Room
Dust and wash the washer, dryer and water
heater.
Light and Bright
Do everything you can to brighten the interior.
Replace wallpaper with white or off-white paint,
and repaint shabby or dark walls. Open the
blinds, and replace broken windows and window
seals. Always maintain a comfortable temperature
inside the house, even if you are away for an
extended period of time.
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