Health & Fitness
Advice to Those Wanting to Sell a House
How to actually sell your house in a tough market.
This economy is tough enough without having to sell your house. No matter the price range, buyers can be very picky and they normally choose the house that is in the best condition.
I walk through a lot of houses with potential buyers and the most frequent questions they ask are: Why are these people moving and why do people put their home on the market looking like this?
Sellers: Do yourself a big favor – Paint the house, clean the place and put the laundry away before you list it with an agent. Take the dogs to the pet sitter or for a walk around the block while the house is being shown. I recently showed a house where the dog followed us around the entire time we were looking at the house! It is un-nerving, especially if the buyer is afraid of dogs! We couldn't get out of that house fast enough, so the dog was a deterrent for the buyer to consider that house.
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There are small things you can do to make your house more appealing. Forget the cookies, people don't actually fall for that! You can't make someone fall in love with a house because it smells like cookies.
The very first impression should be lots of light – open all the blinds and curtains. The last thing you want the buyer to feel is gloomy when they walk into the door. So let the sun shine in and make the house as bright and airy as you can.
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Think of selling your house this way: You are hosting a dinner party and your guests are very important to you. I am sure you would not leave dirty dishes in the sink, or have dirty bathrooms and un-made beds or toys everywhere. So why would you do that when your most important guest – a potential buyer – comes into your home? Let them know how much you care about your home by showing how well you take care of it.
Maybe then they won't worry about whether or not you actually change the air-conditioning filters or generally take care of things they can't see. Make it easy for other agents to show your house and remember that they are showing multiple homes and yours needs to stand out.