Prepare Your Home to Sell

How We Market Your Home
Our initial marketing campaign takes approximately a week to have everything in place. Web sites can take several days for photos and listing information to appear. We don’t use every real estate resource out there, because our experience tells us to concentrate on the resources that have consistently produced the greatest and quickest results. Some of our best resources, such as LINK’s online service, are only available to other brokers, who represent a majority of the buying public.

Getting Ready for Video/Photos
Preparing your home will help us prepare better marketing materials. The videographer is assuming that when he/she arrives at your home that it is camera-ready. Please keep in mind that a virtual tour will pan entire rooms and everything within the room will be posted on the Web. In addition, still photos will look better in a room that is clean and uncluttered.

· Beds made and smooth
· Pillows arranged neatly
· Clothing put away
· Remove items from horizontal surfaces-lotions, extra appliances, mail, etc.

Home Shape Up
The condition of your home will have a big impact on how quickly it sells, and the price you will get.

First Impressions
Do a "curb to door" check. Stand outside your home and take a good look. If you were looking at this home for the first time, what’s your first impression? Do you have a feeling that is warm and inviting or does your place look tired and run down?

If you live in a multi-unit building, potential buyers may formulate an opinion of their future neighbors by the condition of the common areas. Unfortunately, you might not have as much control over your building as you would like, but you can attempt to make some improvements. You may want to talk with your neighbors or your condominium association about common area issues. You may even want to volunteer to spruce up the common areas yourself if it gives you a better chance at selling your home more quickly.

The entrance to your home is part of making a first impression. Keep a clear path to the entrance. Avoid obstacles that could influence a buyer from not seeing the true appeal of your home. If you have smokers in the family, you might want to consider restricting smoking to the outside.

A good real estate agent should advise you about improvements. Agents view many homes and should know what can enhance or be an obstacle to your sale.

First Impressions Checklist
Front Door and Windows Checklist
· Clean
· Functioning-doesn’t squeak or stick
· Locking mechanisms work properly
· Paint window casings, shutters and doors if necessary
· Front Steps
· No clutter-dead plants, personal belongings, etc.
· Yard
· Well groomed-even if it is very small area
· No litter
· Neatly trimmed bushes
· No clutter with bikes, toys, recycle bins, trash cans, etc.
· Put in a few small flowering plants
· Clean out gutters and downspouts
· Exterior
· Paint/bricks/siding in good condition
· Sidewalk-clean, swept, no graffiti, no trash

Multi-Unit Dwellings
· Clean common areas
· Lightbulbs in working order
· Carpet and floors clean
· No storage in hallways
· If there are strange odors, use some Febreeze or pleasant air freshener

Entry Way
· No storage items-bikes, sports gear, baby carriages, etc.
· No overstuff coat racks
· Don’t store coats, boots, shovels and umbrellas

Size
With properties selling for a high dollar/per foot, you want to make your home look as spacious as possible.
· Put extra furniture and belongings in storage
· Clear out or store neatly items in garage, basement, attic, etc.
· Organize closets so buyers can see the back of the closet

Depersonalize
You are selling your house, not your belongings. A home that represents your personality and style may be harder to sell than a more neutral home. You want prospective buyers to visualize themselves in their potential new home without distractions. This is difficult to do if your home has a lot of items that reflect your personal life such as family photos, political items and religious artifacts. Once you sell your house, you’ll need to pack these items anyhow, so here’s how you can get a jump on the moving game.

Depersonalize Checklist
· Remove excess personal photos
· Consider removing artwork that could be considered provocative

Cleanliness
Cleaning your home is the easiest thing you can do to make it more appealing

Bathroom Checklist
· Polish the fixtures
· Replace old shower curtains
· Remove excess cleaning and beauty products from the shower and surfaces
· Remove hair dryers and shavers from counters
· Polish mirrors
· Streamline horizontal surfaces
· Organize vanities
· Clean drains, drain plugs, and bathtub outer edges
· Organize medicine cabinets
· Throw out products you don’t use and expired medicines
· Put out your best towels and new soap

Kitchen Checklist
· Clean all grease spatters on stove and appliances
· Clean the cupboard and door fronts with a grease cutting cleaner
· Clear out as much cupboard clutter as you can to make it look spacious
· Polish appliances, fixtures and surfaces
· Clean your stove and don’t forget the oven
· Tighten loose cabinet knobs, drawer handles
· Clean and organize drawers-use dividers, organize menus, coupons and other items that tend to get stuffed in drawers
· Get rid of appliances that you don’t use
· Streamline horizontal surfaces
· Clean the inside of your fridge and freezer
· Toss old spices, condiments and donate canned goods that you will never use
· Remove the magnets, notes, and artwork from the fridge and clean the top

All Around the House Checklist
· Clean smudges, especially around doorknobs and light switches
· Dust baseboards
· Scrub and wax tile floors
· Touch up paint/repaint
· Replace/repair cracked tiles
· Vacuum or steam clean your carpets/replace if badly worn
· Polish hardwood floors
· Streamline horizontal surfaces from excess photos, vases, knick knacks, etc.
· Open drapes and blinds to let light in (unless your view is not appealing)
· Counteract odors
· Check for pet hair
· Repair screens
· Remove outdated or peeling wallpaper
· Replace heating and air conditioning filters
· Wash windows and mirrors
· Clean window treatments
· Repaint a watermarked ceiling—even if the damage was repaired buyers will be skeptical

Kids Rooms Checklist
· Work out an arrangement with your kids to keep their rooms neat
· Store toys neatly in containers, bins or baskets
· Get rid of outgrown toys and clothing
· If you have teens or themed rooms, replace bedding and curtains with a more neutral alternative
· Take down any posters, fill holes left behind or replace with framed prints

Bedrooms Checklist
· Make the beds and remove clutter from under the bed
· Clear out extra furniture to make bedrooms appear more spacious
· Replace patterned bedding will plain bedding so buyers are not distracted
· Organize closets-give away old clothes, make sure they can see the back, leave closet half full if possible

Living/Family Room Checklist
· Remove extra furniture
· Declutter items such as papers, mail, magazines, remotes, videos, etc.
· Pack away personalized items: family portraits, trophies, collectibles
· Remove any dying plants and dead leaves
· Make sure there are no obstacles