Ready. Set. Sell.
Ready - Set - sell
At GEORGIA Real Estate & Management Co., we perform market evaluations to determine a competitive price for your home and we inform you of other similar homes currently on the market. Potential buyers will be comparing your home to these homes, so we want to ensure the comparison will come out in your favor.
Below is a list that we have compiled of things to do BEFORE your home hits the market in order to ensure your property comes out on top! These simple steps can greatly increase your chances of a quick, quality sale!
1. REMOVE CLUTTER
Get rid of anything you will not be taking with you when you move. Clean and organize each room; closets, kitchen and bathroom cabinets, attic, under beds, garage, exterior porches and buildings. Anything not used in the last year, should go! Remove and store EVERYTHING you can from counter tops, tables and other flat surfaces. Less is more when it comes to selling your home!
2. DE-PERSONALIZE
Now that the clutter is gone, it’s time to make your home feel less personal. Buyers want to visualize your home as their home – we all love that gorgeous family photo on your mantel, but it marks the territory as yours, making it difficult for buyers to envision as theirs. Pack all family photos, religious décor and other memorabilia and put them in storage.
3. MAKE IT SPARKLE!
It’s time to get down and dirty! Clean EVERYTHING! This includes all those areas we don’t like to think about, like the top of the refrigerator and the blades of the ceiling fans. Have carpets professionally cleaned, polish wood floors, deep clean tile grout. Clean and dust all light fixtures. Clean behind appliances and inside cabinets. Clean windows inside and out. Pressure wash your homes exterior – siding as well as porches and sidewalks. Use this time to clean up your landscaping as well. Re-straw or mulch, remove dead plants, trim bushes and hedges, plant new flowers.
4. REPAIR, REPAIR, REPAIR
In our current market, most buyers will ask for a due diligence period. During this period, they will hire inspectors to inspect every inch of your home. After the inspection, you will be given a repair list suggested by the inspector. Get ahead of this by taking care of as many repairs as you can BEFORE the inspection. You must do it anyways, so make your home more attractive by taking care of it now. Check the following areas:
- Exterior: Roof, door jambs (look for wood rot and peeling paint), exterior soffit (check for rot), gutters (clean and repair), fence, garage doors, replace missing window screens, re-screen porches with loose or damaged screen, repair/repaint damaged wood/siding, make sure all exterior electric outlets are in working condition and have proper covers
- Systems: HVAC system (have checked and serviced, keep invoice as proof), all appliances (make sure they are in proper working order), plumbing (check for leaks, clogs), septic system (keep record of last clean out or have pumped)
- Interior: Repair/fix damaged carpet, wood and tile floors. Have an electrician check/repair all electrical outlets and make sure GFCI outlets are in proper working order. Adjust doors that aren’t closing property and wobbly door knobs. Re-paint walls and ceilings with scuffs, scratches and stains.
Remember a well-maintained home is very important to buyers. Buyers are drawn to homes they can move in without a lot of trouble and expense.
5. THE PRICE IS RIGHT!
Buyers in today’s market are very educated about comparable sales in the area. The homes that look like a great deal are the ones that get the most showings. Pricing high with the intent to lower will only keep your home on the market for a longer period which will in turn lose good buyers. Price it right, right now.
6. BE READY. ALWAYS!
Now that your home is de-cluttered, de-personalized, cleaned, repaired and priced right, you must make it AVAILABLE! Homes that don’t get shown, don’t get sold – period.
Go the extra mile to make sure your home is not only available but show ready. Open blinds and turn on lamps. Have a plan for your pets, take pets with you or have a neighbor or friend on standby to take your pet during showings if you are at work. Remember buyers want to see your yard too, so putting pets in the back yard only limits buyers access to your yard. Make sure your pet’s litter pan is clean so your home smells fresh. Buyers don’t want to smell last night’s dinner – take out trash, burn a candle, or even bake cookies if you have time.
Make sure your home is available with as little notice as possible – That can mean less than an hour or even five minutes. We understand living in a show ready home can be a little exhausting, but it will be worth it!
7. LISTEN TO YOUR AGENT.
Lastly, listen to your real estate agent. When we make recommendations, it’s only for the benefit of selling your home. Remember we don’t get paid unless your property sells. Our job is to sell your property at the best possible price as quickly as possible.