73
Quick & Easy
Fix-Ups
To Sell Your Home Faster
& For More Money
One of the oldest sayings in real estate is “You’ll never get a second chance to make a
first impression”
And that’s the purpose of this SPECIAL REPORT. As any real estate professional will tell
you a well-cared for home, a home that looks bright, clean and fresh will not only sell faster
but it will usually sell for more money than it’s competition.
Additionally, buyers feel more comfortable with a well-cared for home. They reason that if
what they can see appears in good order then what they can’t see is probably also in good
order. All this adds to the positive impression your home leaves with buyers.
And it’s not hard to add a few extra thousand dollars to your eventual sale price – simply
begin with the checklist that starts on the next page.
But first a word of warning. All the tips that follow are inexpensive – most cost nothing
other than your time and a little elbow grease. And there’s a good reason for this – you
don’t need to undertake major renovations to add extra value to your property. So, if
you’re thinking of selling, now is not the time to replace your old kitchen or completely retile
the bathroom. Stick to these 73 easy fix-ups and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
And that’s the purpose of this SPECIAL REPORT. As any real estate professional will tellyou a well-cared for home, a home that looks bright, clean and fresh will not only sell fasterbut it will usually sell for more money than it’s competition. Additionally, buyers feel more comfortable with a well-cared for home. They reason that ifwhat they can see appears in good order then what they can’t see is probably also in goodorder. All this adds to the positive impression your home leaves with buyers.And it’s not hard to add a few extra thousand dollars to your eventual sale price – simplybegin with the checklist that starts on the next page.
Your Exterior Checklist
1 Walk up to your own house and take a critical look. What would a buyer
see ? What would they think ? Would the outside appearance of your
house excite a buyer ? If not, ask yourself now, while you're standing out
front, what can you do to improve the "curb appeal" of your property.
Take a note of everything you come up with so that you can start a list of
things to do.
2 First thing - Mow the grass, rake the leaves and weed the garden beds.
Then have trees and bushes trimmed, cut back excess overgrowth and edge
the driveways to give your home that manicured look. Replace dead
plants and trees, and finally, fertilize the lawn.
3 Paint or wash the exterior (including window casings, shutters and doors)
- check for peeling paint.
4 Check / clean out gutters and chimneys.
5 Check the foundation, under-house brick piers, steps, walkways, walls
and patios for cracking and crumbling.
6 Repair and replace loose / broken roof tiles.
7 Get a pest inspection. It's best to find out now, before the first buyer
comes along, whether you have a termite or pest problem. If a buyer
finds out before you do it may cost you a sale or a large reduction in the
negotiated sale price.
8 Add some colourful annuals in pots near the front door.
9 Keep your garage door closed and cars off the drive.
10 Check for cracks, leaks and signs of dampness around the foundations
and in the walls.
11 Repair / replace cracked or broken windowpanes, mouldings and other
woodwork.
12 Fill “empty holes” in the garden with new plants.
13 Remove grease and oil spots from driveway. Good products for this
purpose are now available from auto stores, Walmart, etc.
14 Replace missing / damaged railings, stakes, posts or panels in the
fencing.
15 Check that gates swing freely and without squeaking.
16 Make sure garage doors open freely and without squeaking – check for
operation of automatic door opener.
17 Replace worn / damaged items such as letterboxes and doorbells.
18 Add a doormat to the front door that says "WELCOME"
19 Put clean, uncluttered outdoor furniture on the patio or BBQ area –
preferably a setting that is a little too small for the space allowed - this will
make the patio appear larger.
20 Put all the gardening equipment away neatly in the garden shed or
garage – not left in the back yard.
21 Clean up the outdoor BBQ – it doesn’t have to work, just look good.
22 Repair and replace damaged or bent flyscreens.
23 Cut back plants / shrubs that restrict natural light in windows.
24 If you have an outdoor sprinkler system, test and make sure its in working
order.
25 Make sure you have an easy to read house number on the home or on
the letterbox.
26 Clean the pool – super chlorinate, add algaecide and vacuum thoroughly.
27 Wash windows inside and out.
Your Interior Checklist
28 Take a notebook and walk around the inside of your home - inspect every
room and look in every cupboard. Ask yourself how a buyer might view
the interior of your home. If you see anything that might not excite a
buyer, write it down and start a list of things to do.
29 Paint high traffic areas, dingy, soiled or strongly coloured walls in an offwhite
or neutral tone – this will clean as well as brighten the appearance
of your walls.
30 Wash walls where paint is inappropriate (wallpaper, panelling, etc)
31 Wash all floors and tiles, shampoo all carpets (whether they need it or
not)
32 Get rid of clutter. The fewer items in a room the bigger the room will look.
Many home sellers hire a storage unit (from someone like Kennards or
Millers) to store all their excess belongings during the time their property
is on the market. Remember, a purchaser won’t consider buying a house
they can’t see.
33 Replace / clean air filters in air conditioning or exhaust fans.
34 Get on to those leaking taps and showerheads - tighten up the plumbing
or change the washers.
35 Clean under the sinks – look for leaks while you're there.
36 Open the windows and a use a strong deodoriser to get rid of cigarette
and pet odors. If you are a pet owner you may not notice the smell but
most buyers will notice and they won't come back if the home smells.
37 Place scented potpourri around the house.
38 Re-grout tiles where they have cracked and fallen out. This is quite an
easy job - asks your local hardware man for a grout filler kit.
39 Remove items not used very often from kitchen cupboards, linen
cupboards, garden sheds or other storage areas– and store them off site
– maybe have a garage sale – either way, you’re going to be moving so
why not start moving some stuff early ?
40 Repair cracks and holes in plasterboard, wallpaper, tiles, etc.
41 Inspect and repair the plumbing, air conditioning and alarm systems.
42 Buy showy new towels and matching soap for the bathroom – bring them
out only when a buyer is inspecting (otherwise the kids will make a mess
of them before a buyer has a chance to admire your bathroom)
43 Spruce up the kitchen by buying new knobs, installing new curtains or
applying a coat of paint – then keep bench tops cleared at all times when
a buyer comes around.
44 Replace burnt out light bulbs – increase the wattage on all light bulbs –
remember bright light can make a small space appear bigger.
45 Clean out the fireplace or combustion stove.
46 Ease all doors so that they open and close properly and without
squeaking.
47 Keep children's toys in storage boxes located in one room rather than all
over the floor.
48 Polish doorhandles and door knockers.
49 Keep stairways tidy and secure handrails.
50 Make sure all blinds and window furnishings look good and work as
designed.
51 Re-arrange your furniture to give the home the appearance of space.
52 Re-stick or remove peeling wallpaper.
53 Consider insta lling a few shelves in the garage to store items off the
ground.
54 Be sure all light switches, lamps and fixtures are in working order.
55 Be certain that toilets flush correctly and are not too noisy – if so consider
replacing the cistern with a newer model.
56 Vacuum out / clean air conditioner and exhaust fan ducts.
57 Check batteries in smoke detectors.
58 Look at your teenagers rooms – remove potentially offensive posters /
signs and then repair the walls if removal causes damage.
59 Remove all items that might be considered inclusions. Remember,
whatever the buyer sees he or she will consider that it is included with the
sale. So if you want to take something with you when you leave put it out
of sight now, before the first buyer turns up to look at your property.
Your After-Listing Checklist
60 The smell of freshly baked bread adds a genuine "homely" feel to your
property when a buyer inspects. These days you can get par-baked
bread rolls from the supermarket that heat up in 5 minutes and smell
wonderful. Other quick bake goodies that add a great aroma to your
home prior to a buyer inspection are such things as cinnamon rolls. Try
and avoid the overuse of spray room deodorisers as most buyers think
this smell is masking something unpleasant rather than simply
brightening up a room.
61 For busy couples who both work, hiring a professional cleaning service
that comes in weekly while the property is on the market, may be a good
idea.
62 Open all drapes and blinds before a buyer inspection.
63 Get rid of the pets – put them in a cage or take them for a walk - but be
sure they remain out of sight as they can be an enormous distraction to
the buyer.
64 Do not leave dirty dishes in the sink.
65 Do not leave laundry in the washer / dryer.
66 Put on soft music – classical is best, but keep it low.
67 Set the dining room table as if for a meal - there's nothing as welcoming
as seeing a dining table set for guests.
68 Make up the spare bed - and keep it made up.
69 Buy a display of good quality silk flowers for display in your kitchen and
keep them dusted.
70 Keep all the beds made and rooms tidy. This will be a chore if you have
kids, but enlist their help whilst the property is on the market and train
them to put things away after they use them – really !
71 Buy one of those dust cloths that actually pick up dust as you wipe and
take 5 minutes at the beginning of each day to run over some of the dust attracting
surfaces in the house.
72 Be sure mirrors are sparkling at all times – even buyers look at
themselves as they walk past so be sure they see a clear image of
themselves and not a bunch of smudges.
73 Put valuables away. It is actually rarer than being hit by lightning but
there's no need to tempt fate. Put all your jewelry and valuables away
out of sight long before the first buyer inspects your property.
|
