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How to Improve the Marketability of Your Property
You may not be able to change what is going on
in the market today but there is a lot that can be done to improve
the saleability of your particular home.
When it comes time to sell or appraise your home,
it is important to look at your house through a "buyer's
eyes." People buy what they see. So always look at your
home as if you were in a buyer's shoes. Make your home as appealing
and uncluttered as the home you would like to buy.
Exterior
Foyer
Living Room
Family Room
Kitchen
Bathrooms
Children's Bedrooms
Garage
Basement
Let Greg and Marisa
Sell Your Home
Exterior
-Mow the lawn, trim trees and shrubs away from the
house. You can't sell a house if you can't see it. Rake leaves,
remove dead plants, flowers or shrubs.
-Put away tools, garbage cans, hoses, toys and building materials
neatly in the garage.
-Check for broken roof shingles, straight lines on gutters,
shutters, windows, and siding.
-Seal or resurface driveway.
-Clear patios or decks of planters, flower pots, charcoal,
barbecues.
-In the front yard, dress up around shrubs and
lamp post with large quartz stones, railroad ties, and pine
bark mulch,etc.
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Foyer
-Use bright light bulb in foyer light fixture.
-Turn on all lights in home in the evening to welcome potential
buyers.
-Fill the house with the pleasant aroma of cinnamon, or other
fresh scent.
-Spotlessly clean woodwork, carpeting and windows throughout
the house.
-Clear window ledges of all objects to give a nice glimpse
inside and out.
-Repaint walls if necessary, in neutral color
such as antique white
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Living Room
-Discard worn furniture and move extra to storage
area. Too much furniture makes rooms look small.
-Visit a model home to get decorating ideas.
-Clear away all magazines, books, and unnecessary objects from
furniture throughout the house.
-Take down pictures that hide walls. Patch nail holes and paint.
-Add lamps and lighting if dark.
-Open curtains.
-Set out fresh flowers.
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Family Room
-Clean fireplace. -Replace carpet if it's a loud
color. (I know. It costs money, but you'll get it back.)
-Remove all magazines, books, toys and worn furnishings that
might influence a buyers feelings about the room.
-Create and easygoing relaxed atmosphere in your
family room. This is where most families spend their time so
make it look good.
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Kitchen
-Professionally clean oven and stove.
-Clean all appliances inside and out until they are spotless.
-Discard old food and leftovers from the refrigerator.
-Clean refrigerator front of messages, pictures and magnets.
-Clear all magazines, small appliances, and cookware from counter
tops.
-If it hasn't been used for months...put it away!
-Wax and polish floors.
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Bathrooms
-Remove any unnecessary items from counter tops,
tubs and commode. Put as much away as possible, and make each
bathroom look like "a guest bathroom."
-Sink, commode, bathtub, tile and shower curtain should look
immaculate, no soap film or hair. Fix leaky faucets, rust stains
and faulty plumbing that may squeak or bind.
-Caulk and grout tile. Bleach discolored grout. -Replace or
remove any wall paper that isn't conservative.
-Coordinate towels to one or two colors only.
-Place softer bulbs in bathroom fixtures and scented flower
arrangement on vanity top
Master Bedroom. -This is the second most important-to-be-appealing
room in a home (after the kitchen, and before the family room
and the garage).
-Define areas, sleeping, dressing and sitting by furniture
arrangement. Try to have bedroom look as simply furnished as
possible.
-Be sure all clothes are hanging up, not lying out in room.
-Make closets more appealing by storing off season
clothes elsewhere.
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Children's Bedrooms
-Here's a challenge: ask children to help by
thoroughly cleaning up their rooms, removing all posters, questionable
photographs. Low lighting and clutter make bedrooms look smaller
or darker than they are.
-Patch and paint walls if necessary.
-Open curtains.
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Garage
-The Perfect garage contains only cars. But if this
is not possible, clean up, fix up, sell or toss out unneeded
items. (This may be your only opportunity.)
-Clean and seal cement floor.
-Neatly stack tools and clean up work bench and
tidy up storage shelf areas.
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Basement
-A finished basement is great! Just follow same guidelines
given for preparing the family room.
-If unfinished, make sure concrete floor is well swept and
clean.
-Seal or paint concrete floors (battleship grey)
-Clean water heater, change filters, and put strong light bulbs
in fixtures.
Q&A Q. Should we Remodel or Decorate?
A While redecorating can make a home look more attractive,
is is difficult to anticipate what a new buyer may be looking
for in your home. It's best to simply prepare your home with
a clean, uncluttered appearance.
If anything, you may want to invest in some fresh paint. Paint
can go a long way in enhancing the appeal of your home.
If your home is in need of paint or carpeting, it's
better to invest the money and buy it ahead of time. Rather
than hope a buyer has a vivid imagination of what your home
will look like without spots on the carpet and chipped paint
on the walls, make it look its best when they see it. You only
have one chance to make a good first impression!
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Let Greg and Marisa Sell Your Home
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