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Real Estate Article:  Getting Your Home Ready to Sell

"Get ready to move - start packing"

Here are some tips for you to think about while getting your home ready to sell. In doing this, we will be ahead of most of the sellers in the way your home shows…  

Inside:

1. Clear all unnecessary objects from furniture throughout the house.  Keep decorative objects on the furniture restricted to groups of 1, 3, or 5 items.  
2. Clear all unnecessary objects from kitchen countertops. If it hasn't been used for three months...put it away! Clear refrigerator front of messages, pictures, etc. (A sparse kitchen helps the buyer mentally move their own things into your kitchen.)  
3. In the bathroom, remove any unnecessary items from countertops, tubs, shower stalls, and commode tops. Keep only your most needed cosmetics, brushes, perfumes, etc., in one small group on the counter if needed. Coordinate towels to one or two colors only.  
4. Rearrange or remove some of the furniture if necessary. As owners, many times we have too much furniture in a room. This is wonderful for our own personal enjoyment, but when it comes to selling, we need to thin out as much as possible to make rooms appear larger.  
5. Take down, or rearrange certain pictures or objects on walls. Patch and paint if necessary.
6. Check heating, air conditioning, and other systems of the house.  If you're unsure of their condition, offer a home warranty on your house.  
7. Don't worry about closets or garages in regard to being "too full." People expect that. Save that as a job for later in the process.  
8. Leave on lights in dark areas when you aren't going to be home. When you know there is going to be a    showing turn on all lights and lamps.  
9. Have soft stereo FM on during the day for all showings.  
10. Review the house inside room by room, and:  

            a) paint any room needing paint.  

            b) clean carpets or drapes that need it.  

            c) clean windows.  

Outside:  

1. Go around the perimeter of the house and move all garbage cans, discarded wood scraps, extra building materials, etc.  
2. Check gutters and/or roof for dry rot. Make sure they are swept and clean, removing leaves from gutters.  If wood condition is questionable, have a professional roofing inspector check it out.  
3. Look at all plants...prune bushes and trees. Keep plants from blocking windows. You can't sell a house if you can't see it. Plants are like children - they grow so fast!!  
4. Weed all planting areas.  Keep lawn freshly cut, fertilized, and watered. Remove any dead plants or shrubs.  
5. Clear patios and decks of all small items, such as small unused planters, flower pots, charcoal, barbecues, toys, etc.  
6. Check paint condition of the house - especially at the front door and trim. Curb appeal really works!  

In general:

Try to look at your house "through the buyer's eyes" as though you've never seen it or been there before. Any time or money spent on these items bring you back much more money in return, and hopefully a faster sale.  

Working together, we make a great team!  

You may also want to print out our Condition Checklist.  Home marketing strategies Linda uses to get her listings SOLD!

Linda Grissette, GRI, e-PRO Certified

The Best Seller GMAC Real Estate, 3829 Veterans Memorial, St. Peters, MO 63376 

Licensed in the state of Missouri.

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