Sell Your Louisville Home

Preparing a House to Sell
Selling your home can be a very emotional and overwhelming time in your life. Not only do you want to get the most for your home but also you want it to be sold in a timely manner. You should first work on removing your emotions from the equation. To do this you should begin to think of your home as a being real estate or property. The goal is to help others see it as their “home”. To speed up the process of selling your house, you want potential buyers to visualize themselves living in your home.

To further help you in preparing your house to be sold I have provided some simple and cost effective tips to make your home more marketable. Also, I have detailed what to you should expect throughout the real estate transaction.

Eliminate Clutter
To avoid shattering a homebuyer's illusions of owning the house remove any photos, knick-knacks, trophies and other personal items and store those away until your house sells. You should also remove any clutter in areas such as the attic, basement, garage, shelves, drawers and closets. This can be a difficult task because most people are attached to everything in their home. Your real estate agent can help you recognize unsightly clutter. You may want to begin to de-clutter by having a garage sale or renting a storage space. For ideas on what furniture arrangement and what to remove to maximize space, tour some builders' model homes.

Homebuyers want to be sure there is ample space for all their stuff. Empty space helps to promote that visualization. Full cabinets and drawers makes your space appear inadequate. So in addition to clearing everything off the counter tops of seldom used appliances be sure to rid the kitchen drawers of any unnecessary items and put those rarely used dishes, pots and pans in storage, too. Also, begin using up your food items, especially canned goods, so that you don't have to move those or pay a mover too.

Clean out all the closets and other storage areas including the basement, attic and garage and store anything you can do without for a few months, such as seasonal clothing, shoes, and other items to avoid having your closets look crammed full.

Clean and Shiny
Scrub under the kitchen and bathroom sinks and remove any extra cleaning supplies. Check for any signs of a water leak that would dissuade a homebuyer from purchasing your home. Replace any plumbing fixtures that don't appear shiny and new and knobs that are not easy to turn. This is relatively inexpensive and simple to install. Also, make sure that the faucets do not leak. Replacing a washer on a leaky faucet is not difficult to do at all. Cleaning crews are excellent at making difficult stains on porcelain disappear. Do not forget to check your water pressure.

Check the walls for any stains. Also, check the ceilings for water stains from old or current leaks. You will need to repair any leaks whether it is a plumbing problem or if the roof leaks.

Make Your House Look More Cozy
When selling your home painting can be your best investment. It is inexpensive and you can do it yourself. You should choose an off-white color to help your rooms appear bright and spacious.

When replacing carpet that is old or worn or an outdated color you should choose something inexpensive in a neutral color. Otherwise, hire a good carpet cleaner to remove stains. Replace any broken or missing tiles.

Replace any broken windows or doors before you begin showing your home. Spray WD-40 on windows and door hinges to help them to open and close easily. Be sure the door knobs turn easily and that they are clean and polished.

Remove Smoking And Pet Odor
If you smoke, smoking outside or purchasing an ozone spray will help eliminate odors. Pets can also cause odors. If you share your home with cats be sure to empty the litter box daily. Carpet freshener used periodically helps to eliminate pet odors as well.

Remember, part of selling your home is preparing to purchase your next home. When making repairs do not do any expensive remodeling. Try to avoid using credit if possible so you don't affect your credit scores that may affect your next mortgage.

Curb Appeal
It is best to work outside the house last unless there is a major project. Getting the inside of the house is easier and it prepares you for selling your “home” and seeing it as marketable equity. Also, the exterior is most important because the homebuyer's first impression is established from the real estate agent's car. Take a walk through your neighborhood and see how your house compares.

If your landscaping is inadequate, plant a few bushes they are inexpensive and you will not get back your investment for mature trees. Mature colorful flowers create a good first impression. Do not plant bulbs or seeds. Homebuyers will be only be viewing a brown patch of earth, instead of colorful flowers.

Your lawn should always look freshly manicured with no loose leaves or cut grass. If you have areas that need re-soding you should do that before working on the inside of the house.

If your house looks tired from across the street you should consider repainting. It is often a good investment and it spruces up the house. The color should fit well in your neighborhood. Yellow often elicits a positive response in homebuyers.

If you roof is leaky you should replace it. A leaky roof must be disclosed to the buyer and will have to be replaced anyway.

The back yard should also be neat and tidy. Keep pools and spas clean and maintained. Keep the area clear of dog “debris”. It makes more sense to remove children's playground equipment than to leave them in place. This helps your back yard to look as spacious as possible.

The entry way should be especially sharp. Repaint or refinish the door if necessary and polish the door fixtures. Remove any plagues with your name on it. Invest in a new door mat that you can take with you when you move.

When an agent brings a homebuyer out to your home you want to be sure that the lock works easily and the key fits properly to avoid a negative first impression.

Do You Have a Real Estate Question? Ask Laurie Wolberton!

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