What is Curb Appeal? It’s the way a home looks that could compel drive-by buyers to want to come inside the home. The cost of a quick clean up by a landscape crew or a coat of paint usually pays for itself through a faster sale near the asking price. It’s important to keep your yard and exterior in a condition comparable to the neighboring homes. Especially if there is competition nearby. Our brokers are ready to make recomendations for any cosmetic adjustments.

Should You Make Repairs? Presenting your home in its best light can add thousands of dollars to the market price. A few quick cosmetic upgrades might take years off a home’s appearance. Neutral paint colors have the best appeal and may also make rooms look a bit larger. Are significant repairs prior to putting your home on the market necessary for the best return, or should you sell your home “As Is” in it’s present condition? It’s our job to help with that decision. Often buyers pay to have a home inspected and MAY require certain things to be repaired as terms of the sale.You will also be required to disclose anything to the best of your knowledge that need repair such as a furnace or water heater. Performing a termite inspection or radon test prior to selling may be necessary depending on the age of your home. Knowing ahead of time what might be an issue and fixing them prior to putting your home on the market is always the best strategy. Consult with your broker before spending any money – we will advise you on how best to allocate your budget.

Guess Who’s Coming? When you sell your home you open it. Let buyers visualize their own belongings in the house. Your broker is able to see your home as a buyer will and can recommend how to show it in its best light. Often you will have numerous showings in a day just as if you were inviting company over. Keeping it in a condition similar to having guests is the best practice. Turning on lights, even in the day time, makes your house appear more inviting, cheerful, and even spacious. Having your carpets professionally cleaned can help remove some odors that you may be used to, like smoke or pet smells. These aromas can be offensive to potential buyers. As touchy as the subject can be, we care enough about selling your home for you that we won’t hesitate to let you know if we feel these or any other issues exist.

Your role during showings: We recommend you leave during the showing for several reasons. Buyers are more comfortable discussing the home’s pros and cons with their broker if you are not there; they might even feel like they are intruding if you are home. Your broker is experienced in dealing with others on your behalf and has a professional obligation to represent your interests in the best way possible; let them do the talking. This way, you don’t accidentally volunteer information that another broker could use more strategically during negotiations.