Getting Your Home Ready to Sell

As a seller, your No. 1 goal is to sell your home as quickly as possible at or near the listing price. In today’s market, where there is much more competition for buyers, it is important to put your best foot, or in this case, home forward because first impressions are vital.
Many of today’s prospective homebuyers have busy lifestyles and are looking for properties that don’t require a lot of work. Therefore a home in move-in condition is much more attractive. Before placing your home on the market, you may want to invest in making needed repairs.
To get started, inspect both the inside and outside of the home. Take inventory of practical and aesthetic repairs. You may want to apply a fresh coat of paint on the walls, doors, and shutters. Clean the carpet and buff and polish wooden floors. Tighten and polish hardware. Repair cracks in sidewalks and driveways, and clean any stains on them. Replace missing or warped roofing. Clean or re-grout kitchen and bathrooms. Repair dripping faucets and drains or plumbing fixtures that aren’t operating.
Fix sticking doors and replace old locks and doorknobs. Replace old bulbs and broken electrical sockets. Replace cracked windows and torn screens. Repair broken fencing and reseal the deck. Clean up stains on the tiles and countertops.
Some experts also recommend hiring a certified home inspector to thoroughly and impartially evaluate the property. (For a list of inspectors in your area, visit the American Society of Home Inspectors website, www.ashi.com, or ask your real estate professional for recommendations.) A standard report will review the condition of the home’s heating system, central air conditioning, plumbing and electrical systems, the roof, attic, walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors, the foundation, basement and visible structure.
If there are recommendations for improvement, consult with your real estate professional in prioritizing the list of repairs.
Depending on your goals and budget, you may want to repair only items that could cause significant deterioration to the home, such as a leak. In addition, your local market conditions may dictate how extensive your repairs need to be. Let your budget and your real estate professional guide you.
However, be careful about major repairs. Sellers rarely recoup money on major remodeling projects, and you may want to save funds for your new home.
A home in good condition demonstrates pride of ownership. Taking the time to make small repairs to your home can go a long way in making sure that your home is presented to potential buyers in its best possible light. They also just might make the sale.

Resolve to Get Your Home Documents Organized

As a homeowner, you begin to accumulate all sorts of records and papers the moment you made the offer on your home. Loan documents, inspection reports, title insurance policy, home improvement receipts, appliance warranties are just a few of documents that you may at one time or another need. Would you be readily able to locate these items? Are they filed away or in different junk drawers around the house? Knowing where these items are can save you a lot of time and even money in the long run.
Consider investing in a record-keeping system. It doesn’t have to be expensive. You can purchase an accordion file and label each flap with a different category. Then use the following tips as a guide to get started.

Contracts and Legal Papers
Keep all the papers signed and/or given to you at the closing together in one place, preferably in a safe deposit box. These documents include the deed, settlement statement, appraisal, disclosures, mortgage note, inspections and any other reports, and title insurance policy. You will need these records again if you decide to refinance or sell your home.

Insurance Policies
Keep a copy of all insurance policies relating to your property together. This may include homeowners, flood and earthquake policies. With these documents, keep a list of insurance agents or companies and copies of correspondence related to claims.


Purchase and House Data
It’s also a good idea to keep a copy of the original listing of your house, comparable market analysis, floor plans, blueprints, and historical information. If you own a newly built home, keep a list of contractors and material suppliers as well.

Property Taxes
Keep your tax bills and record of payment for as long as you own the home and possibly even longer. You may need these items if your tax returns are ever audited.


Home Maintenance and Improvements
Records in this category include receipts for repairs or replacement expenses, names of contractors, contracts, and a log of maintenance tasks.


Warranties, Manuals and Receipts
These documents provide you with a proof of purchase date and determine service and parts guaranteed. In addition, the manuals usually provide care information so you can help ensure your household appliances are being properly maintained. You should keep your warranties, manuals and receipts for these items for as long as you own the appliances.


Home Inventory
If you were ever to lose any of your possessions due to fire, burglary, or vandalism, having a home inventory can help you avoid a lot of heartache and make it easier when filing an insurance claim.
Start with a sheet a paper for each room in the house. Go around the room and list every item. Don’t forget the attic, basement or other storage places. For each item, write the original cost, purchase date, replacement cost, model number, brand name, where purchased, and a general description. You can also use a computer software system so that you have an electronic copy.
Besides a written inventory, take photos or video of each room for visual documentation. It is also a good idea to arrange valuable collections, silver, jewelry, etc. and take close up photos.
Keep a copy in your home files and the originals in a fireproof safe or safe deposit box. Make sure you update your home inventory photos and list at least once a year.

Organizing your home files may take a considerable amount of time initially, but it will definitely be time well spent in the event you need the documents later on.

The Benefits of Staging Your Home

You may be asking, what is home staging? According to Wikepedia, "Home staging is the act of preparing a private residence for sale in the real estate marketplace. The goal of staging is to make a home appealing to the highest number of potential buyers, thereby selling a property more swiftly and for more money. Staging techniques focus on improving a property's appeal by transforming it into a welcoming, attractive product that anyone might want."

Keep in mind, staging is not the same as preparing a home for sale. When preparing a home for sale there will naturally be small repairs and fixes that need to be done. Staging, on the other hand, is improving the design and organization aspect of the home for better visual appeal.

The benefits of home staging are many!

Staging causes you to get rid of the clutter:
When it comes time to move, you will be happy your home staging efforts gave you a head start! Clear out and organize the closets, cabinets, and shelves. It will make things much easier for you later anyway.

Staging increases the chances of a sale.
Any effort to increase the chance for a sale must be taken, and that includes the details. You would be surprised how much seemingly small details can make a difference. Staging gives you that extra push.

Staging helps you reach your asking price.
Especially in times when the market leans toward the buyer, justifying the asking price is necessary. Staging your home will create a higher value in the mind of the buyer and help you reach your desired price.

Staging helps you reach a sale more quickly.
The least amount of time a home is for sale, the better. When you stage your home effectively, you will move the sale more quickly.

Staging helps you think like a buyer. When you are staging your home, you will be looking at it objectively as if you were the buyer. Having this mindset will help throughout the entire process.

Any other benefits to staging your home? I would love to hear them!