Monday, April 29, 2013

10 tips for selling your home.


We are in blown selling/moving mode.
Seriously it sucks to sell.
I cant believe how hard it is to keep my house show ready.
With a dog, a baby and a messy husband its near impossible. 
I feel like all I do is clean, vacuum, do dishes and hide laundry.

Maybe I shouldn't post these tips until after we actually sell but with a lot of research, with a stager coming through our place and with a great realtor we have learned some great tips and tricks to help when you put your house on the market and I wanted to make sure and share with all of you.

#1. DE-CLUTTER. I heard this over and over and just didn't realize how much you should really
de-clutter. I thought having a few cute decorations here and there was fine, hanging a picture on a big empty wall was necessary and leaving soap on the counter was fine. We were told to clean off your kitchen and bathroom counters completely. NOT even soap. Put it under the sink. We were told to take down all pictures. If someone comes through its harder for them to picture their family living there if your family is displayed everywhere. We had a picture of Jesus holding a baby in our hall and we were told to take that down because some people will be deterred from that. They don't all want a picture of Jesus in their home so they might think-- hmm I wouldn't fit into this house.
Tip: I put a basket under every sink to store all the items I use daily and also as a place to toss things when I'm quickly picking up. It looks neat and doesn't leave that space a giant mess.

#2. Dress up your entrance. We have our key box at the back door. We put it there because we had no other place to attach it. I dressed up the front of my house but didn't really think to dress up the back. Well when people come through they are standing at the door waiting for the realtor to open the key box and unlock the door. There is a lot of time for them to get a first impression. Get a new welcome mat, get a potted plant, sweep. Make it a welcoming area.

#3. Paint. I hate painting. Ryan hates painting so this was not something we wanted to do but it was necessary. Our basement was a dark grey. People want to walk into a home and have a clean slate. The majority of our house has neutral colors but the basement and our bedroom have some distinct colors/style. We painted the entire basement white. Its clean. Its fresh. It smell good and its a so much brighter. When we first moved into our house the paint was horrid. We were able to look past it and know we can paint ourselves but some people don't see past what is already there.

#4. Keep Clorox wipes in every room. Okay so maybe not every room but I keep one on every floor. Its great to grab and wipe down every surface, knob, light switch and wall at any given moment. I wash all mirrors and deep clean each room once a week but the wipes are so helpful to keep things up to par every other day.

#5. This might sound weird but make sure your toilets, microwave and fridge is clean. I never thought about these things as being that important but I have been told by several people that these are things that if clean will give a good impression and if dirty can totally deter someone.

#6. Vacuum often. I normally vacuum every other day because I hate pet hair but since we have put our house on the market I vacuum everyday. I think one of the best things to see is vacuum lines in the carpet. Always makes me feel my house is 100x cleaner.

#7. Create a getaway plan. I have a list of things I pick up, pack and ensure is taken care of before we leave the house. My check list includes:
- Pick up Harley's toys and food bowl and put in closet
- Sweep patio
- Turn on every single light and open all shades
- Put baby gear (high chair, bouncer, walker) in back of truck
- Put kitchen garbage can in closet
I go through this check list every time to ensure all these last minute things are done. Everything else I try to keep on top of throughout the day.
I also have things in the car for the dog and Tracker. Water, snacks, toys, blanket to sit on at the park, etc... That way I don't have to worry about grabbing all those little things when I'm running out of the house.

#8. Lights. Turn on every single light and open all window shades. Even if its the middle of the day. Your place will look bigger and brighter with everything open and lights on.

#9. Air Freshener. This one I have mixed reviews on. I have heard from some people to not have any air freshener because people will think you are trying to cover something up. Other people say to have some kind of sent that is like a baked good (cookies, bread, vanilla) I personally love the smell of clean. I use the Greenleaf Classic Linen spray everyday at home so I just continue what I always do with it. I think it just smells clean and is not over powering.

#10. Stage your place. I didn't really understand what this meant for a while. Staging means you stage your house to bring out all the best features, maximize the space and strategically put everything in a certain place. Many times people have to buy all new stuff when they are staging. That is so expensive. I did my best to just utilize everything we had. I moved a lot of stuff around, hung mirrors, brought in some greenery and bought some extra throw pillows. You can hire a professional stager. They really do give awesome tips that will be customized for your home. I think it was so worth having an outside person come through our home. We didn't do everything they suggested mainly because I didn't have the funds to buy  everything but we definitely listened and implemented the majority of what they suggested.


If you are selling-- Good Luck!! Put a link to your place or a place you know of in the comments. That's my bonus suggestion--- Use any situation to spread the word about your place. You never know who might be interested. Maybe by you linking your house on here, someone could be looking for just that exact place!


12 comments :

Neal, Melissa, Ella, Aubrey and Ainsley said...

When we were selling, a few times we got the call for a showing with a kitchen full of dirty dishes. My tip, don't be afraid to use the oven and dishwasher to hide things ;-)

Lisa Reese said...

hey cute girl. So my in laws are looking to move but would like to stay in fruit heights. Could you email me info on your home please. :) Lisa.Reese86@gmail.com

C said...

These are all really good ideas. I would probably have to rent a storage unit for all of the "clutter" in my house! Good luck with the selling, and have a great time with your next adventure!

Jocelyn said...

We are just getting ready to list our house, THANK-YOU for the tips! This is the first time we have sold. I am flippin nervous that I will become a major B in the process :(

Unknown said...

once you plan to sell your property, always try to make a good first impression. That is the initial consideration people normally consider.

Patrick Tan

Calvin said...

Thanks for your tips, Kendra! Make sure that your house is both in good shape and clean, inside and outside, so that you'll attract possible buyers. Also, keep your price very reasonable for faster selling.

-Calvin Mordarski

Anonymous said...

Yes, If any one want to sell their house, they need to know about the basic knowledge about the house selling strategy. Because what they need or what they do for selling the house is very important. And most important you should clean the interior and exterior location of the house.
Source: House Sell

Unknown said...

There are five important tips to preparing your home for sale and selling it quickly, from adding curb appeal to figuring out your minimum price.
There’s a house for sale that we pass every day on the way to the office. The home’s exterior seems to be well taken care of, but the lawn isn’t mowed. Actually, it’s about a foot high and has gone to seed.
Why would a homeowner who is trying to sell his house not mow the lawn? It’s hard to imagine that someone who is actively engaged in selling a property wouldn’t be motivated to make the exterior look as good as the interior. For this property, it wouldn’t take more than a few hours to mow the grass, trim the hedges, weed the flower bed, plant a few colorful annuals, and edge the lawn. The house’s exterior would really perk up.
By not mowing the lawn, trimming the bushes and making sure your home looks well cared for, you’re setting the table for some unpleasant future negotiations – prospective buyers will assume you’re in financial trouble simply because you haven’t invested the time or money in making sure your home is ready for sale.
If you’re selling your home, there are five things you absolutely must do in order to stay competitive – which in a soft housing market is where things stand:
1. Make your yard memorable. The vast majority of today’s home buyers start their search for a home on the Internet. Homeowners with yards that are neatly trimmed, flush with pretty colors, and full of lush greenery will find the colors pop in digital images taken for real estate websites. Don’t miss this opportunity to make your home stand out from the others listed for sale in the neighborhood or price range.
2. Inform your neighbors. Before you hire a real estate agent (and certainly before you officially list your home for sale), you should inform your neighbors that your home is going to go on the market for sale. Your neighbors presumably like living in your neighborhood, and they may know someone through their network of family, friends, and colleagues, who is looking for a home like yours. Selling through a friends and family network will ultimately be a win-win, as you’ll sell more quickly and possibly for more money, while your neighbor will have a friend or family member living close by.
3. Know your minimum acceptable price. Don’t wait for buyers to line up with offers before thinking carefully about how much money you’re willing to accept for your home. Your number should be fully informed, and by that we mean you should spend time chatting with at least three different real estate agents, each of whom has prepared a comparative marketing analysis listing the homes similar to yours in your neighborhood that have sold in the last six months – including foreclosures. Understanding how foreclosures and short sales have impacted pricing in your neighborhood will help you understand what kind of minimum price should be acceptable in today’s marketplace.
ways to sell your house fast

Unknown said...

Yes I am doubtless with your 10 tips to preserve the good looking of your house to be able to get the attention of the buyers; it's good to know what to do first before deciding to sell your house. Great tips, thanks!

Sell House For Cash

Rent To Own said...

Nice tips for selling the home.

Buy My Houses

sellmyhouseinaz said...

Thank you for the tips..I will be needing these when it comes time to sell our home that we are currently renting out.

Tips for Selling your House

Unknown said...

My husband and I are moving to a new city because he got a job, and we have to sell our house quickly. We've been showing the house almost four times a week, and give the tips in this article, it sounds like we're doing everything wrong. The house is cluttered, there's no fresh paint, dirty shoes are in the entrance, and our home smells like a very musky man. I think we're going to have to make some major changes if we want to get our house sold.

Sara Welsh | http://www.sellfastmass.com/sellmyhouse/

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