Our Offices:
Lexington
- 5543 S. Main St. PO 640
- Lexington, MI 48450
- Phone: (810) 359-5000
- Fax: (810) 359-5809
- Open 7 Days a Week
Port Sanilac
- 7296 Main St. PO 429
- Port Sanilac, MI 48469
- Corner of M46 & M25
- Phone: (810) 622-5000
- Fax: (810) 622-5002
- Open 7 Days a Week
Sandusky
- 52 South Elk St. Suite 2
- Sandusky, MI 48471
- Phone: (810) 648-4600
- Fax: (810) 648-4619
Getting the House Ready to Sell
Your first step in getting your home ready to sell is to de-personalize it. Put away those cherished family photos, memorabilia, collectibles, knick-knacks until after your move. When boxing up you items consider renting a storage unit. As part of de-personalizing is also to remove clutter. Make your home 'anonymous' so that potential buyers can picture themselves there. Your home can have character without being personal.
After years of living in a home clutter can collect in ways that aren't always evident to you, the seller. However, it does affect the way a buyer sees the home even if you don't realize it. Clutter collects on counters, shelves, in drawers, closets, garages, basements and attics. You don't want potential buyers to think there isn't enough room or storage in the home. You do want as much open clear space as possible. Every extra little thing needs to be cleared away. Pretend you are a buyer looking at your home. Or if you have a friend whose views you can accept without getting defensive ask them to point out problem areas. Let your agent help you too.
The Kitchen
This is one of the most important rooms in the house. How buyers view the kitchen can make or break a sale, or effect the perceived value of the home. It is also often the easiest place to start.
First, clean everything off the counters. Absolutely everything. Find a place where you can store the coffee maker and toaster and take them out when in use. If you can't find a place for everything in a cabinet or drawer then it's time to clean them out. Box up the dishes, pots, pans and gadgets that rarely get used. Put them in storage for when you move. Buyers will open cabinets and drawers to be sure there is enough room for their 'stuff'. If your cabinets, pantry and drawers look jammed full it sends a negative message to the buyer announcing that there isn't enough space. You want to have as much empty 'space' as possible.
If your pantry has an over abundance of foodstuffs crammed into it or on cupboard shelves it's time to start using it. You don't want to be lugging a lot of heavy canned goods around when you move anyway. Let what you have on your shelves determine your menus and use up as much as you can.
Another critical area of the kitchen is under the sink. It should be as empty as possible. Remove all extra cleaning supplies. Scrub the area and take not of any tell-tale signs of water leaks. If there is a problem, fix it. Buyer may hesitate if they see a problem. Materials to fix drains and such are inexpensive and readily available. An easy do-it-yourself project. Paint if necessary.
Giving the whole room a fresh, neutral coat of paint. Painting dingy cabinets or cleaning tired looking wood ones with lemon oil or other wood cleaning and feeding product will give the room a whole new look in a buyers eyes, along with cleaning and polishing appliances and windows. While a couple of years ago we may have suggested new counters and appliances for some of the homes we list as they would quickly show a return on the investment, in today's market, however, it probably is not a good idea without careful consideration.
Closet Clutter
Although you may not think of it as clutter, closets to tend to accumulate a lot of things. Things you rarely ware, but can't live without. Extra clothes, shoes, hats, purses, personal items etc. Box up whatever you can do without for a couple of months and put it in storage. A closet that isn't crammed full appears larger to the buyer.
Furniture Clutter
Living in a home for a few years we all tend to make it comfortable to our particular lifestyle needs. Without realizing it we may have collected too much furniture in certain rooms. Not too much for our needs, but, too much to give the illusion of space that potential buyers are looking for. Try touring a builders model home to see how it has been staged for inspiration. Or watch some of the numerous staging shows on HGTV. They can help you with some ideas on what to keep and what to remove as well as creative ways of arranging your furniture to best advantage.
Storage Area Clutter
Garages, basements, attics and sheds seem to have a tendency to collect, not only clutter, but junk. These areas should be as empty as possible to allow buyers to envision what they would do with the space. Get rid of junk you don't need to keep and remove anything non essential. Put it in a storage unit until you move. Maybe even have a garage sale.
Repairs
You don't have to do anything expensive, such as remodeling. And you certainly don't want to go charging up credit cards or obtaining new loans. Remember that part of selling a house is also preparing to buy your next home. So don't do anything that will affect your credit scores or hurt your ability to qualify for your next mortgage.
Prospective buyers like to play with things when going through a house. They open everything with a handle. They turn on faucets and flush toilets. They flick light switches on and off. All of these should be in good working order.
Sink fixtures should look shiny and new. If cleaning isn't enough, buy affordable new ones. Make sure knobs turn easily and faucets don't leak. Replace the washers if they do. This is really a simple thing that anyone can do. Remove any stains from porcelain. Consult professional cleaners if you have a stubborn stain for tricks to make the stain go away.
Check ceilings for water stains or leaks around windows and fix that faulty roof, plumbing or weather stripping and caulking. You don't want your buyers finding out later that there are leaks. They won't be happy.
Walls, Ceilings and Painting
If you have an outdated color scheme, accumulated stains or dirt spots or too bold a color scheme you may want to paint. Paint can be your best investment when selling your home. It's not very expensive and is often a do-it-yourself project. Do not choose colors based on your own preferences. Do choose colors that would appeal to the widest possible number of buyers. Off-white colors help your rooms appear bright and spacious. Their are many good resources online to help you with your color choices.
Floors and Carpets
Usually most people can get by with a really good carpet cleaning. If your carpet appears old and worn or is an outdated style or color you can consider replacing it with something inexpensive and neutral in color.
You don't want to totally replace flooring. But do repair or replace broken or damaged floor tiles. Your goal is for as few negative impressions as possible.
Doors and Windows
Check to make sure everything opens and closes easily. Get out the WD40 and give creaking hinges a shot. Door knobs should also turn easily and be cleaned and polished. Cracked or broken windowpanes should be replaced. Curtains and blinds should be cleaned.
Odor Control
Smokers should minimize smoking indoors while their home is on the market. There are ozone sprays on the market that will help to remove odors without creating a masking odor.
Homeowners may not notice buy their indoor pets often come with odors that are immediately noticeable to buyers. Make sure litter boxes are emptied daily and use plenty of baking soda. Keep larger dogs outside as much as possible. Sprinkle carpet freshener on the carpet periodically.
The Outside
A buyer's first impression is based on their view of the house as they drive up. Curb appeal really is important. Walk across the street and take a good look at your house. Look at nearby houses as well to see how they compare. Then get to work. Mow the lawn, weed the gardens, trim the bushes and rake up leaves and grass clippings. If the landscape isn't up to average for the neighborhood consider adding a few bushes. However, trees will not give you back your investment. Plant some colorful flowers in beds. Freshen mulch if you have it. Re-sod dead spots in the lawn.
Clean windows and paint trim if necessary. Repair screens. If the deck, porch or siding is dirty and tired looking pressure wash them. Only paint if necessary. If you do paint it has been shown that different shades of yellow get the best response from buyers, either in the trim or basic color of the house. Painting a house red has been shown to be least appreciated by buyers. Homes painted white have been shown to sell faster.