Loading Search Form
Please Wait
FOR SELLERS
For home sellers:
I believe every house has a story that needs to be told. The years of fun, the kids growing up, and the little touches and improvements that you and your family have made over the years that have made what was once, in the beginning just a house, your home. You have made your home some place special that new owners will appreciate for years to come. By communicating what makes your home special to potential home buyers, I can set your home apart from other houses for sale maximizing your home’s value.
Putting your home up for sale
I know the emotional commitment of putting a home up for sale. The sale of your home is personal to you and once you have started the process I am sure you want to complete it as speedily as possible. My commitment to you is to make sure you get a fair price for your home as quickly as the sale can be completed so you can move onto your next home or chapter of your life. Please contact me and I will put a plan together to make the sale of your home happen. I and my team here at Howard Hanna are experts at handling all of the legal and technical documents to make the sale of your home a stressless process for you.
The Biggest Mistake You Can Make
The biggest mistake you can make is over pricing your house. If you are “testing the market” and your price is too high your home will not sell but it will accumulate numbers of Days On Market. After you house has been on the market for a long time it will become harder and harder to sell because buyers will wonder what is physically wrong with your house, significantly DECREASING the home’s value. Contact me and get a free accurate evaluation of your home’s value. I look at actual sales of homes in your area that have similar characteristics to yours, houses that are currently for sale, and your home in particular for features, upgrades and additions that might set your home apart from the competition.
What can I do to increase the value of my home and make it sell quickly? I’m glad you asked!
Please Do…..
CLEAN: Nothing turns off a buyer quicker than a dirty house. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is not getting the home in the best possible condition. The home should be neat and clean and free of all debris. If the carpets are old and smelly they should be replaced. If they're relatively new, you should at least have them shampooed.
SIMPLE UPDATES: Update the drawer and cabinet pulls in the kitchen if you have dated or original fixtures. This is a simple detail that buyers notice and it is easy to do. It's surprising how a seemly innocuous element like a cabinet door knob can make your kitchen look cheap or dated. Updating this hardware can give your kitchen a face lift whether you redo your cabinets or not.
REMOVE THE WALLPAPER: Your mom may have loved it as a room accent, but today's buyer wants no part of wallpaper. Wallpaper is extremely personalized. You probably spent hours looking over books to pick out the wallpaper you have. So what are the odds that the person walking in the door will also like that wallpaper that you picked out? Wallpaper is a pain to remove and simply adds another chore to a buyer's to-do list. Take away that objection.
UNCLUTTER YOUR HOME: Psychologically, when buyers tour a home, they're trying it on to see how they will fit into it. If your house is cluttered with too many of your personal items a potential buyer is going to have a harder time envisioning themselves in your house. Anything that makes your house scream 'you' is what you don't want. Sellers should try to eliminate personal items, including family photos, personal effects and even unique wall colors. Normally you decorate your house for how you want to live in it but NOW you are trying to sell your house so you now are DECORATING TO SELL. Your house in no longer about you. It is now all about attracting a buyer.
TAKE A HARD LOOK AT YOUR CARPETING AND IF YOU HAVE HARDWOOD FLOORS, SHOW THEM! If the carpets are old and smelly they should be replaced. If they're relatively new, you should at least have them shampooed. If you are lucky enough to already have wood flooring, refinish it if it needs it and uncover it if it is carpeted over. Buyers today like the look of wood floors. In the Cleveland area many homes built before 1965 already have wood flooring in most if not all of the first and second floor rooms. Swapping carpet for wood adds style and creates a more spacious feel. Show your wood floors off with affordable synthetic fiber Oriental rugs from Home Depot or Lowe’s.
PAY ATTENTION TO THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOME: Curb Appeal. Much is made of curb appeal and for good reason: It's your home's critical first impression that lasts with most buyers (Heck, there are TV shows about nothing but curb appeal!) What will make your home stand out (in a good way!) from others on the street? Flowers, shrubs, painting, etc. along with mowing, weeding, edging, and fertilize the lawn. The outside of your home should be as clean and uncluttered as the inside of your home. Every little detail counts.
GET YOUR HOUSE UP TO THE LOCAL HOUSING CODE AND VIOLATION FREE STANDARDS BEFORE YOU PUT IT ON THE MARKET: Have a professional do your repairs. Your buyer is going to have an inspection done. If you have unrepaired or poorly repaired pipes, wiring, roof leaks, etc. in your house, the inspector is going to find them. Then the buyer is going to request THOUSANDS in price-reductions because of the repairs they have to fix, or else they’re going to walk away. At that point, your house has been aging on the market and you’re looking at a possible loss. Fix it right the first time. You’ll save money in the long run.
IF YOU HAVE A PET HAVE A PET PLAN. You need to eliminate all evidence of pets including pet odors. It's important to get rid of pet paraphernalia and have a "pet plan" to make sure the animals are not around when the house is shown. A lot of times, people will leave pet items out -- dog dishes, cat litter boxes, etc., and that immediately turns off a buyer because they wonder, 'What has that animal done in the house?'
Have an older home that might be in need of some help to maximize your home’s value? Here are some popular cost-effective options for breathing new life into an older home.
Do not do anything expensive, such as remodeling. If possible, use savings to pay for any repairs and improvements – do not go charging up credit cards or obtaining new loans. Remember that part of selling a house is also preparing to buy your next home. You do not want to do anything that will affect your credit scores or hurt your ability to qualify for your next mortgage.
When looking at a house, prospective home buyers often do not really know what to do. So they play with things. They flick light switches. They open everything with a handle. They turn on all the faucets and flush all the toilets. Having nice shiny fixtures makes an impression.
All your sink fixtures should look shiny and new. If this cannot be accomplished by cleaning, buy new ones. Make sure all the hot and cold water knobs are easy to turn and that the faucets do not leak. If they do leak, replace the washers.
The front door should be especially sharp, since it is the entryway into the house. Polish the door fixture so it gleams. If the door needs refinishing or repainting, make sure to get that done. And make sure the door hinges do not squeak like an old haunted house.
If you have a cute little plaque or shingle with your family name on it, remove it. Even if it is just on the mailbox. You can always put it up again once you move. Get a new plush door mat, too. This is something else you can take with you once you move.
Make sure the lock works easily and the key fits properly. When a homebuyer comes to visit your home, the agent uses the key from the lock box to unlock the door. If there is trouble working the lock while everyone else stands around twiddling their thumbs, this sends a negative first impression to prospective homebuyers.
The Kitchen
The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in any house, since it is a space where people spend a lot of time – from cooking dinner to entertaining friends. One of the most dramatic changes that can be made to a kitchen is adding new countertops. It alters the appearance of the space by changing the color scheme, depth, and texture of the whole room.
Flooring
If the carpets are old and smelly they should be replaced. If they're relatively new, you should at least have them shampooed. If you are lucky enough to already have wood flooring, refinish it if it needs it and uncover it if it is carpeted over. Buyers today like the look of wood floors. In the Cleveland area many homes built before 1965 already have wood flooring in most if not all of the first and second floor rooms. Swapping carpet for wood adds style and creates a more spacious feel. Show your wood floors off with affordable synthetic fiber Oriental rugs from Home Depot or Lowe’s.
Paint
New paint makes everything look clean and bright again. And don't forget the ceiling. Paint the trim a contrasting color. Unfortunately, most people live in their houses for many years and never think about painting, until it comes time to sell. For most people, it just seems like an unnecessary expense, and for those who love to decorate, you might have every room a different color. In either case, you are probably going to need to paint your house before you put it on the market. Remember that you are painting this house to make it appealing to other people. So find neutral colors that complement each other. If you are painting the interior, I recommend going with an updated color selection like; white ceilings and trim, and tan, sage or beige walls. Sticking with neutral colors will make your home appeal to a broader selection of people, which will help your house sell faster.
Need an expert to help you through the process of getting your house ready to be sold? Contact me! [email protected] or call me at 216-224-1027 to set up a free consultation. Let’s get your house SOLD!