By: G. M. Filisko
Published 2010-02-10 11:12:47
Working to get your home ship-shape for showings will increase its value and shorten your sales time.

Many buyers today want move-in-ready homes and will quickly eliminate an otherwise great home by focusing on a few visible flaws. Unless your home shines, you may endure showing after showing and open house after open house—and end up with a lower sales price. Before the first prospect walks through your door, consider some smart options for casting your home in its best light.

1. Have a home inspection

Be proactive by arranging for a pre-sale home inspection. For $250 to $400, an inspector will warn you about troubles that could make potential buyers balk. Make repairs before putting your home on the market. In some states, you may have to disclose what the inspection turns up.

2. Get replacement estimates

If your home inspection uncovers necessary repairs you can’t fund, get estimates for the work. The figures will help buyers determine if they can afford the home and the repairs. Also hunt down warranties, guarantees, and user manuals for your furnace, washer and dryer, dishwasher, and any other items you expect to remain with the house.

3. Make minor repairs

Not every repair costs a bundle. Fix as many small problems—sticky doors, torn screens, cracked caulking, dripping faucets—as you can. These may seem trivial, but they’ll give buyers the impression your house isn’t well maintained.

4. Clear the clutter

Clear your kitchen counters of just about everything. Clean your closets by packing up little-used items like out-of-season clothes and old toys. Install closet organizers to maximize space. Put at least one-third of your furniture in storage, especially large pieces, such as entertainment centers and big televisions. Pack up family photos, knickknacks, and wall hangings to depersonalize your home. Store the items you’ve packed offsite or in boxes neatly arranged in your garage or basement.

5. Do a thorough cleaning

A clean house makes a strong first impression that your home has been well cared for. If you can afford it, consider hiring a cleaning service.
If not, wash windows and leave them open to air out your rooms. Clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate cooking odors, smoke, and pet smells. Wash light fixtures and baseboards, mop and wax floors, and give your stove and refrigerator a thorough once-over.

Pay attention to details, too. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates, clean inside the cabinets, and polish doorknobs. Don’t forget to clean your garage, too.

G.M. Filisko is an attorney and award-winning writer who has found happiness in a Chicago brownstone with the best curb appeal on the block. A frequent contributor to many national publications including Bankrate.com, REALTOR® Magazine, and the American Bar Association Journal, she specializes in real estate, business, personal finance, and legal topics.

Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

A clean, spacious kitchen will sell a lot faster than one cluttered with dishes and refrigerator magnets.

You want your home to sell quickly, for the right price, but it’s hard to stand out in a buyer’s market. Home staging is an increasingly popular, cost-effective way to give your home the punch it needs to catch a buyer’s eye. One survey by the International Association of Home Staging Professionals even claims an 83 percent reduction in time on market for staged versus non-staged homes.

Even a fraction of that could more than pay for the cost of home staging, but why throw away money if you don’t need to? Here are four tips to follow before you bring in a home stager to make sure your staging experience is as inexpensive and productive as possible.

DIY First

Before they build up, home stagers need to tear down. To become the roomy, airy canvas a home stager requires, your house needs to be thoroughly cleaned and decluttered. The more of this you do beforehand, the faster and less expensive your staging will be. And if your house is on the market, you really should think abbot packing, anyway. Later, when you do your initial walk-through with the stager, ask which pieces of decor and furniture should stay, and sell or pack as much as you can of the rest.

Avoid “Junk Drawers”

Open houses are invasive, and you can’t expect to hide much from a prospective buyer. Don’t declutter your living areas by cluttering sheds, garages, and closets. If you hide it, someone will find it, and all of your junk won’t leave room for the buyer’s dreams. Look into self-storage units and portable storage nits that can be dropped back at your house after the open house–or delivered directly to your new home.

Hit the Cheap Fixes

Inside or out, paint is the single easiest, cheapest way to freshen up your home. Just exercise some restraint. Stick to neutral colors, classic colors and let your decor do the talking instead. Art, lighting, and furniture are all far less permanent ways to make an impression, and can be changed by a buyer without any hassle.

Another low-cost fix is as simple as opening the curtains. Letting natural light into your home makes it appear larger and more inviting. Tie back drapes, and consider removing heavier, more oppressive window treatments altogether. And don’t forget to trim back trees and bushes that might be obscuring natural light. Your stager may suggest alternate window dressings, as well.

Get References

A good home stager will cost you, beginning with the initial consultation. As a result, it’s important to get as many references as possible before beginning. The best place to start is your REALTOR®, who can offer the names of home stagers who have proven useful, personable, and worth the investment. Next, get referrals from the prospective stager. These will be overwhelmingly positive, but you can pick up some interesting tidbits (like the names of other stagers the homeowner considered) along the way. Finally, search locally focused sites like Angie’s List and Yelp for unsolicited reviews.

You should also ask the stager for before and after pictures of a number of rooms and homes, to get a feel for his or her style. You can do this over email to keep down costs and time involved for both parties.