Michelle’s rules to a successful home sale.

(Everything works, nothing doesn’t.)

BUYERS HAVE A LOT OF POWER THESE DAYS. They will either make an offer on your home OR they will make an offer or another home.

Buyers have the power to walk away or just keep driving by. All the marketing in the world will not get buyers into your home if it is not in showing condition (unless it is under priced – which is NOT THE GOAL FOR YOU). It’s that simple.

I can do my job to market your home, get the offer and negotiate the best possible price for you…BUT, you my Seller MUST put your best foot forward from the start.

Use this tool, my handy, very realistic, very practical guide below. I compiled it based on working with hundreds of buyers, what they really look at and what they really look for (it may not be what you think – and they don’t/can’t ignore the obvious things that some sellers try to).

My goal for you is a smooth, simple and quick sale of your home at top dollar. Top dollar comes sooner, not later in the ‘days on market’. These rules below, along with my professional expertise, will help you GET YOUR HOUSE SOLD FOR TOP DOLLAR.

No home is perfect. BUT, there are definite steps to take that make a HUGE difference to a buyer. Even if your home is newly built, there will be some details you need to tend to. Taking care of these details BEFORE the buyers point them out is a BIG DEAL – especially if that buyer makes an offer.

You may have heard that buyers will deduct at least 2x’s the ‘realistic cost’ of something when making an offer. It’s true. Save yourself the headaches and ‘huge buyer discounts’ by going around your home and acting as a prospective buyer for your home. Or go around with someone you trust and get their feedback – use the list below as a general guide – and see what is needed

You will (almost) ALWAYS expend energy and maybe money when putting your home on the market. YOU HAVE TO. Even if you try to ignore items that you don’t want to deal with, prospective buyers and their Agents won’t!!

Large ticket items you feel need to be redone –

Let’s talk about them first and make good choices that will appeal to the masses.

Light fixtures – inside and outside

Replace burnt out bulbs

Replace any broken, cracked or missing pieces or parts

Clean dust from them

            Lighting can make a DRAMATIC difference to a buyer.

            Discard dark light fixtures for some (really inexpensive) new brighter ones!

Air conditioner(s)/Central Air

Make sure it looks clean

Run A/C in the summer (even if you normally don’t use it all the time). Your house will feel better to prospective buyers on those warm and humid days (and your home may be the coolest of all the homes they are seeing that day!). Even if people don’t like to use A/C – they like to know it’s an option if they need it or are having company.

Home inspectors will run these once the temperature outside has hit a certain number.

Throw rugs inside doors

Most people will be looking for a place to wipe their feet or put their shoes depending on the season.

Be sure to offer them a place to do that – out of respect, many will go to clean their feet, and if you DON’T have a spot for that, they always wonder about the upkeep and condition of your floors

Make sure the rugs you choose match your décor and are not ‘ratty’ or ragged, remember, this is a first impression!

Driveways and ALL Entryways

These are the GATEWAY to your home (AND FIRST IMPRESSIONS).

Be sure these ‘hard to maintain’ areas are neat and CLEAN! (your mud room is a buying feature for a prospective buyer…but they don’t want to buy your mud!).

During the warm months, keep everything trimmed & neat, don’t overlook walkways and flower beds around trees.

During winter months, keep driveway & paths shoveled. Keep ice away!!! (There’s liability for you here). If we need to change the entry for showings due to a storm, etc., then let’s do it!! Keep everyone safe! (I’ve never seen a buyer impressed with a snowy walkway or a slippery driveway.)

Landscaping & Yard

This may be the one time you decide to pay someone to do this for you -either as a one time cleanup or to maintain your property while it’s on the market. It makes a BIG difference to prospective buyers (and to the price they will offer you!). An unkempt yard screams out ‘lowball price – these owners are desperate to move’!! Buyers will walk the yard (be sure to note any poison ivy or the like!

If your home is ‘shrouded’ by tree branches and really tall shrubs, it’s time to make them go away. Let in as much natural light as possible (it makes a huge difference as a buyers drive by AND from the inside looking out.

Mulch (bagged is ok) can also freshen up a front yard and the look is worth the money!

Take a PICTURE of the front of your home from the street. What do you see?? (The hose or the toys or the pile of leaves doesn’t look very appealing do they?)

Exterior

The outside of your home tells people what you’ve done (or haven’t) over the years.

Eliminate mildew and dirt build-up from walls, walkways, driveway, doors, etc.

Scrape and paint peeling paint, especially trim. Repair and replace any damaged or rotted wood on your home, deck, windows, etc. and eliminate the water source. Any wood damage will be pointed out, in detail, by a home inspector. (If you scrape, be sure to prime right away – the ‘scraped’ look is not impressive to buyers -  even if they know you’re painting.

ROOFS should not be curling, not have missing shingles, and not be past their useful life, if any of these conditions exist, buyers will automatically be looking to take money off the price they offer unless you are truly priced ‘under’ market value’ (and the amount they deduct is usually significantly more than it would cost you to have it redone prior to selling). Have a roof estimate handy so buyers can see the reality of what it will really cost them, or save yourself the haggling and do the roof yourself if you can afford it. It is something that will make a BIG difference.

Water

Water should not build up near the home. If it pools or puddles near the home a home inspector will point out the detrimental problems it causes. Water should drain AWAY from the home.

Water faucets should not be leaking – repair as needed

Water leakage (overflowing tubs and toilets, slow leaks, basement flooding, etc.), or flooding anywhere in or around the house needs to be disclosed, even if repairs have been made. Water stains arise in the strangest areas, and if the inspector points it out and you don’t, the buyers will be questioning if you disclosed everything to them. Even worse, there’s a liability that rests on you to disclose, disclose, disclose everything you know about the home. (Better to hear it from you than the neighbors)

If you’ve remedied a wet situation, disclose what the problem was and how you fixed it, and if there has been any more problems since (buyers like it when problems have been solved!)

White fixtures and appliances

- including white faucets, white sinks, white counters, etc.– anywhere in the house

If they’re not still a shiny bright white replace them!

            (yellow or a ‘little dingy’ is not white –replace them!)

Toilets

Clean them!

If questionable in appearance -replace them!

Smaller style, stained, rusted, dripping, old, an ‘old’ color, (i.e. pink, blue, avocado, you get the picture) – they’re outdated – replace them!!

            Cracked toilet seats, padded toilet seats, wooden toilet seats –replace those too!!

Rust

Not attractive, never looks good – do what you can to clean, paint or replace any items that have rust (door frames, railings, toilets, sinks, old pools, outside furniture (can be tossed out), old fences, and so many more items, etc.

If it must stay – it should not be rusty.

Cracked counters, sinks, tubs, showers & leaky faucets & bathroom vents/fans

Water is the enemy when it comes to leaking and seepage. Fix or replace these items and check around the area to see if there is any rotted wood underneath or behind the leaky area. Treat mildew & moldy areas with a solution to eliminate spreading.

Clean and replace grout and caulking and eliminate mildew on ceilings and fixtures, if any, due to humidity. Home inspectors will be looking for bathrooms to be vented to the outside (not the attic!!) so that moisture doesn’t get trapped in the home and cause unwanted mold, mildew & damage.

There are primers, paints and wallboard which are made specifically for moist areas. Use these products only.

Carpets

Keep them cleaned and vacuumed…especially if you have children and pets!
If you’re thinking about ‘re-doing’ your carpets, let’s talk about it. It’s a fairly large expense and sometimes is definitely warranted. BUT, it’s important to replace with the right color or style.

(I have more than once seen a family with kids usually turn away from a nice home that fit their needs, but had newly replaced off white carpet. They didn’t want the expense of re-doing new carpet, neither did the seller,  and the buyers don’t want that color because it stains easily.)

Windows

Clean them!

Old windows should open freely or expect to be giving in on price for those. If you can’t afford new windows, we can discuss what to do about price and how it will be affected.

If you have new windows, make sure they all work correctly or use your manufacturers warranty now!

20+/- year old windows – we should discuss these and how they will play into the sale along with the rest of your home.

Replace missing mullions or repair broken ones; Replace/repair crank shafts, locks, etc.

Replace/repair rotted sills

Let the light in!!! You may have beautiful treatments that are tasteful in your eyes, but buyers may not agree on taste with you and you need to let as much natural light in as possible!! Window treatments are one of those ‘very personal’ items in a seller’s eyes. Buyers like blinds, mini blinds, some custom treatments, but NOT ALL.

Don’t be offended, just let the light in and remember you want to get your home sold!! (Sheers are not ‘letting the light in’). Even if you leave shades/drapes closed due to heat & cold or privacy, you need to change that for showings.

People NEED to see natural daylight. They just do. (And you really don’t want them ‘finagling’ with all those strings and openers anyway.)

Drawers, cabinets, closets, etc.

Where do I put all the stuff???!!!!!

Bins, bins and more bins. Store them in the basement or the garage, whichever makes more sense, or if you have off-site storage, all the better. Or toss it, give it away or have a quick yard sale.

I also have names of places that will accept items or help you haul it away.

Get the stuff out so your home seems bigger. Give the new people room to move in! If every space is stuffed, they’ll just walk out and keep looking (even I’m amazed at how big rooms become after ‘de-cluttering’ and I do this all the time!!) Make room for the new owners to ‘move in’. It’s important and makes a HUGE difference.

Also, VERY IMPORTANT, pull out drawers – see the very tops around the edges… open cabinets – what do you see when you first open them? … down on that bottom shelf… Please make sure those are CLEAN. I’ve seen older and newer homes where these areas have fuzzy junk, gook and hair on them. Yes, prospective buyers WILL PULL OUT YOUR DRAWERS, OPEN CABINETS AND CLOSETS.

Kitchen cabinets and drawers with raised panels will accumulate grease just from being in the kitchen. You’ll notice dirt accumulation where you’ve never noticed before. Mix a little TSP (Tri-sodium phosphate) with water for a good cleaning solution – get it at hardware store or Home Depot/Lowe’s – it’s powerful and KEEP AWAY FROM KIDS & ANIMALS!!! It will remove goop and stains- even tobacco stains.

Wallpaper & Paint

No – buyers probably won’t like the wallpaper. Especially if it’s dated or you don’t like it.

Remember, Buyers these days are ‘maxxed out’ with their mortgage payment once they move in. Chances are they don’t or won’t have the money (or time) to update the home. It’s up to you to put your best foot forward. Better to have the job done – neutral colors and tasteful - than to have your home sit on the market for an extended period of time and be offered a much lesser price later on than it would have cost to make the walls look good.

Dark/dated walls are out. Fresh bright paint over old paneling and dark outdated trim makes a much better impression for an updated look. We can discuss this in more detail before you make, what could be depending on the size of your home, big money changes. I know what buyers are looking for – and I know what they’re not!!

Floors

Flooring in good condition can be a great selling feature. Flooring in worn condition screams ‘take money off the price!!’. Let’s talk about your options here.

REMOVE tattered throw rugs, big or small, or rugs that really don’t go with the décor. They will stick out like a ‘sore thumb’ to buyers, and if they’re being used to cover bad floors, that’s even worse. Buyers will look under rugs.

Bad odors

There are no ‘good odors’ (just ‘pleasant scents’)J

Vinegar is a neutralizer. Leave a dish of vinegar overnight (not for showings) out in a room with strong odors. Or use a spray bottle, mix vinegar and water and spray on smelly or musty odors. Works on porous areas, carpets, drop ceiling tiles, etc. and will neutralize many odors.

If that doesn’t work it’s time to take more drastic measures, but GET RID OF ODORS. The most offensive are pet urine and musty smells. The vinegar may make your home smell like salad for a bit, but the vinegar smell will dissipate on it’s own without leaving an ‘after smell’.

DO NOT USE VINEGAR IF YOU HAVE SHOWINGS SCHEDULED.

DO NOT USE PLUG IN’S OR SCENTED SPRAYS TO MASK ODORS. People with a high sense of smell get really turned off when they encounter ‘masked odors’.

SMOKERS: Homes where there are smokers may need to actually prime and paint walls and ceilings (first clean tobacco yellowing/browning off walls and ceilings first with TSP or other cleaner will eliminate bleed through when priming).

Nothing personal, but smokers and pet owners need to understand that they have become immune to the smell of smoke & pet odors. BUT non-smokers, non-pet owners, and people with allergies can definitely detect even the slightest bit of cigarette smoke or pet odors. It’s inevitable. Let’s deal with it up front so there is no disappointment later. It’s even a problem for smokers and pet owners, because they don’t want to buy someone else’s second-hand smoke or pet odors.

Seller’s Disclosures

You will fill out Seller’s Disclosures as part of your listing agreement and we’ll make sure you list all updates you have made to your home.

If you’ve had work done or major systems replaced, you should find all receipts and I’ll make copies for the new owners. Receipts are helpful, and sometimes necessary to back-up or disprove findings based on the home inspections.

Pumping your septic is something many buyers will expect and it’s nice to have it done before they have the septic inspection.

If you’ve had flooding either this year or last year due to the storms, even if those were the only times, you need to disclose it.

Home Inspections

Buyers will have your home inspected as part of the Purchase & Sale. It is ‘infrequent’ that they don’t have an inspection and most REALTORS encourage buyers to have them.

The home inspection takes place after both Buyers and Sellers agreeing on and sign the Purchase & Sales Agreement.

Buyers pay for the home inspection. Sellers are not present at time of home inspection.

Buyers need to respond to Sellers with their findings based on the number of days noted in the P&S (usually somewhere around 14 days).

Things Buyers usually test for: General Home Inspection, Pests, Water, Septic, Radon Water & Radon Air, and in rare cases Lead Paint and/or Hazardous Waste. There are other things specific to your home that may be included.

What really ‘bugs’ you about you about your home???

Chances are it will ‘bug’ prospective buyers too. So, if it’s possible and cost effective …fix it, change it, or eliminate it…today. If not, let’s talk about it. All obstacles can be overcome with good planning.

As your REALTOR, and the person on your side who wants to see you succeed in a profitable sale, I do realize that there may not be enough time or money in your life to take care of the things above as needed. Time will convert into money and buyers will discount for many ‘undone’ things I’ve mentioned above. I have many resources to help you out and we can discuss what is realistic and affordable for you at this time. I want to get you the best possible price in the most reasonable amount of time. All homes will sell, and for every home there truly is a buyer. Let’s talk about who can help you and when. I’ll help you with whatever resources you need and strategize how to accomplish as much of this list as realistically possible.

Yours in success,

Michelle Palys, REALTOR                         EXTREME Customer Service

Cell (603) 493-0577                         realtor@michellepalys.com

Keller Williams Realty Metropolitan, 2 Bedford Farms Dr., Bedford, NH 03110

Office: (603) 836-2725                                                   Fax: (603) 628-2246