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Morgan Creek Real Estate

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Preparing Your Home To Sell

Most buyers are looking for their "dream home." So the better the condition of your home, the closer it will look to what a buyer wants. Here are tips on getting your home in mint condition to make it more appealing:

External Appearance
Stand at several places in your front and back yards to see your home as a buyer would. Make note of anything that needs to be fixed or made more attractive. Curb appeal is the strongest way to attract buyers!
Always keep your grass freshly trimmed and edged.
Remove any toys, bicycles, gardening items and other yard clutter.
Keep the sidewalk, driveway and patio freshly swept.
Clean leaves, straw and other debris from gutters.
Pull weeds and keep them from sprouting.
Put big pots of colorful flowers near the door; or plant flowers near the entryway.
Remove any wasp nests or spider webs in the leaves.
Clean the front door or consider replacing it. Polish the doorknob, and make sure the doorbell works.

Internal Appearance
Remove all excess furniture and clutter to make your house appear more spacious. Consider renting a small warehouse to store furniture/items that aren't necessary for your day-to-day comfort.
Remove personal family photos and knick-knacks to help the buyer imagine his/her own family in your home.
Set a pleasant mood for the buyer. Make sure the house smells clean and inviting. If you have a stereo, play soft music at low volume. Turn on all lights to brighten up rooms.
Clean and organize closets.
Wash or dry-clean drapes or valances.
Dust blinds and shelves.
Put a fresh coat of paint on walls. Light, neutral colors will appeal most to a wide variety of buyers and will make your home appear brighter and more spacious. If you've recently painted, wash away or touch up any smudges.
Clean the windows until they sparkle.
Shampoo the carpets and keep them vacuumed and spotless.
Focus major attention on the cleanliness and style of the kitchen, master bath and master bedroom. These three areas are the most likely to attract or deter buyers.


Evaluating Your Home 
While your home is being marketed, keep making improvements based on the reactions of potential buyers who visit your home. If the objections raised are reasonable, make changes quickly (within two to three weeks) to avoid losing support from local sales agents bringing potential buyers to your home.

Promoting Your Home 
Although some owners list and sell their own homes, most are sold through real estate agents. A good agent will ask other real estate agents to help sell your home by listing your property in a local MLS (Multiple Listing Service), delivering fliers with your home information to other agents and promoting your home by word of mouth.