Tips for Sellers: Use These Tips to Clinch the Sale

Whether the market is up or down, it’s up to you to make your move attractive to potential buyers. Walk through your property, putting yourself in a potential buyer’s shoes.

Start at the front door, and try to see every room as if you’d never been there before. Imagine that first impression – is it of a warm, inviting home? Does it convey the image you want? Is the lighting comfortable for the prospective buyer, who will want to see all there is to see?

Some simple steps might you take to make that first impression a favorable one:

• Conquer your clutter.
  
  We all face it… unread mail, last week’s newspapers, the sweater you keep handy on the arm chair. If there’s ever been a time to make a clean sweep, this is it. Be ruthless. Your rooms will look larger if there’s less “stuff” in them.
  
  
• Empty the closets.
  
  Packed closets can give the impression that your property lacks adequate storage space. If your closets are filled to overflowing, take a hard look. Pack up the out-of-season clothes and sports equipment. You hope to move anyway, start now by boxing up those space-hogging holiday decorations, often-read or unread books and seldom-worn shoes…take them to a self-storage locker. You can rent a small storage unit for a few dollars a month. Your neat closets will look spacious to potential buyers.
  
  
• You’re on a roll…keep emptying!
  
  Are your rooms filled with furniture? People often have more than needed, creating a crowded look. Take those extra tables, folding chairs and what-nots to that storage locker you just rented. Your rooms will look bigger andmore impressive to buyers.
  
  
• Should you redecorate?
  
  Probably not… but if your walls are painted an outlandish color, are terribly abused, or look faded, dull or dingy, try a fresh coat of paint. At the very least, be sure that fingerprints and smudges are removed from walls and doors, the windows are clean, the flowers on the table are fresh.
  
  
• Have your carpets cleaned.
  
  There’s nothing like an expanse of pristine carpet… and nothing quite so discouraging as spotted or matted wall-to-wall. Hire a good commercial service – ask your neighbors or property manager for references.
  
  
• No more delays – fix those nagging little problems now.
  
  The loose doorknob or cabinet handle. The burned-out bulb in the closet. The leaky kitchen faucet. You may have gotten accustomed to them, but a buyer will see only signs of neglect.
  
  
• If you have a pet, remember that your prospective buyer may not.
  
  Living with Kitty or Fido may make you immune to the unattractive aspects of feeding dishes or litter boxes, but a buyer will notice them immediately. If at all possible, send your pet to visit a tolerant friend, at least during the time when your buyers will be touring your property. Remove the pet paraphernalia, and open the windows for a while.
  
  
• Point out your property’s best features.
  
  If you have a great view overlooking the rolling landscape or a terrific patio, be sure the drapes are open and the patio furniture inviting. Something convinced you to buy the property – tell buyers what attracted you, and what other terrific features you found once you moved in.
  
  
• Consider conservation.
  
  If your property has low-flow showerheads and water-saving toilets, be ready to explain the advantages.
  
  
• Know your numbers.
  
  What are your utility costs? Taxes? If your property is a condominium, your monthly common area fee will be important to a buyer, but it’s only part of the picture. Has your association been diligent about maintenance? Does it have adequate reserves? What are you getting for your monthly fee?
  

Today’s buyers are more astute than ever…make sure that you are, too.

There’s no magic formula to guarantee a sale, but there are many ways to avoid the pitfalls that can keep your property on the market longer. An honest evaluation, a little effort and proper pricing will put your home into the “sold” column in a reasonable time.

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