Stage Your Home for Success

Next to price, the physical appearance of your property is one of the most important factors influencing a buyer's decision to purchase. For MOST BUYERS, it is less expensive in the long run to purchase a home which is in nice shape and ready to move into as opposed to a 'fixer-upper'.

Most buyers fall under one or more of the following circumstances:

• 1. They need to move into a property soon.
• 2. They want the nicest house they can afford.
• 3. They do not have enough money, post-closing, to do the fixing up.
• 4. They do not have time, post-closing, to do the fix-up work.
• 5. They do not have the knowledge and/or tools necessary to fix the problems.
• 6. They've done the math and figure the fixer-upper will cost more than simply buying a home in nice shape.
• 7. They do have the ability to pay a higher price for a property which is in great condition, ready for someone to just turn the key.

If you want to sell your property fast and profitably, market it to the MAJORITY of buyers -- buyers not looking for a fixer-upper.

You get ONE SHOT at a first impression, make it count. How does the property look? How does it feel? How does it sound? How does it smell? How does is compare to other similarly priced homes on the market?

Make it GREAT all the way around and you will maximize your price and minimize your time on market.

1. Curb Appeal. Make the Buyers' initial response be to leap to the front door. If you have a yard, make it sparkle. * Mow, rake, and take care of the lawn. * Trim the shrubs and trees. * Get rid of any garbage, dog droppings, or slash. * Keep it green; think living. * Make it colorful with flowers blooming. * Store or hide all yard-related tools; you certainly don't want a buyer thinking it actually takes effort to keep it looking this way. * If you have an exterior (unlike most condo owners), make it SHINE. * Re-paint if it shows any wear and tear. * Re-finish decks and stairs so they look new. * Replace the door hardware if it is worn, replace or re-paint the front door if it appears weathered. * Make certain your doorbell is operative. * Repair any loose or missing shingles. * Re-surface the driveway if it shows signs of neglect. * If you own any ugly-duckling cars or trucks, hide or get rid of them. * In the winter time, be sure to keep all of your driveways, walkways and all decks free of snow and ice. If buyers cannot access it, they will NEVER buy it.

2. Clean it inside. Clean it thoroughly. Keep it clean. * Windows: inside & out. Make them perfect. * Appliances: inside & out. Clean as if it were a restaurant with an open kitchen. Make sure you want to eat at that restaurant.. * Closets: cabinets and other storage areas; make them orderly and eliminate or store all excess stuff. You want to make it look as though there is PLENTY OF STORAGE SPACE. * Light fixtures: get rid of the funk keeping the light from shining through. * Bathrooms & kitchens: Advertisement-clean. Make your fixtures shine, redo the caulking if needed, scrub what remains. Put away all items on the countertops. Get rid of clutter & make it look bigger. * Bedrooms: make the beds everyday with your best linens, put your clothes in your closets and dressers, and hide the dirty laundry. Keep it neat and organized. * Professionally steam clean all carpets and furniture if needed.

3. FIX IT NOW * Everything in your home should work and function properly. Rest assured, if it does not work now, the buyer's home inspector will address the problem, and you will be re-negotiating your deal at a later time. Don't put off the inevitable, do it prior to listing your home for sale. Taking care of these important items won't necessarily sell your home, but they can most certainly save the deal once you have it under contract. Remember, the buyer has the right to walk away from any deal if anything is not working properly within your home. It can save you literally thousands of dollars to plan ahead. * All doors and windows should open, close and lock properly. All appliances, burner elements, icemakers, etc. should work, period. No leaky faucets, no running toilets, no light bulbs that don't work, no putting it off anymore. * All heating & plumbing systems should operate normally. * If you have a septic system, get a inspection and pump your tank if it is needed. Keep the report and receipts. * If you have any air filters, replace them now so an inspector does not suspect negligence when finding a filthy filter. * If you have a well for your water supply, get a well and water quality test performed. It's almost guaranteed to be tested by any buyer, why not find out in advance if there are any problems? * All exterior items should be in good repair and working order. -No loose or missing shingles or siding. -No loose or broken gutters. -No tired or chipping paint or trim. -No broken hot-tubs, fix it or toss it. -No fencing in a state of disrepair.

4. Keep the temperature comfortable. Make the buyer WANT to STAY in your home as long as possible. * If it's cold outside, make it comfortably warm and INVITING inside. You want a buyer to feel like your home is warm and cozy on a cold day. * If it's warm outside, make it refreshing and comfortable to relax in your home. Keep the windows or slider doors open, perhaps a small fan circulating fresh air. Make the buyer want to stay and enjoy your home.

5. Keep it light and bright. * Leave all of your shades and draperies OPEN, and let the natural light shine through. * Leave the lights ON in poor natural light areas, i.e. basements, closets, dens or when the property is going to be shown at night. * Keep exterior lights on at all times. * Replace the bulbs in all of your light fixtures with the maximum allowable wattage. Get those dark spaces as BRIGHT as you can.

6. Keep it odor free and smelling nice. * Eliminate pet odors. * Eliminate smoking odors. * Nothing smells more like home than fresh baked cookies. Bake and put out a plate full when you know buyers are coming by. Hang a sign that says "Help yourself".

7. Keep it sounding nice. * Take Fido with you, if possible, during all showings. Even though you may have the friendliest dog in the world, many people simply do not enjoy animals or their barking. Consider putting on a nice selection of low-volume music when you leave the house for showings. Avoid the radio -- too many ads. * Don't run your dishwasher, washer or dryer when buyers are coming over. Eliminate all excess noise.

8. Keep to yourself, leave the premises if at all possible. * Buyers will always feel more comfortable looking at your home when you are not around. The longer they stay, the better the chances of selling your home. Leave the house if you can for all showings. * If you must remain on the premises, do not tag along nor give a guided tour. Stay away and let them snoop. * ONLY if are asked a direct question by a Buyer should you address their questions. Even then, keep it short and to the point. Remember that you do not want to disclose your reasons or eagerness to sell. Do NOT show your cards for any reason. Do not discuss price, terms, closing dates or anything concerning the contract. Let your broker work on your behalf and negotiate your best possible deal. * Never apologize for the condition or appearance of your home -- you may very well bring a defect to the Buyer's attention they would have otherwise overlooked. Your attention to it, may mean future buyers will care about it, even if the current prospect are unconcerned. * Never argue with objections to your home. Very rarely is a home perfect in every respect. The mere fact that a buyer is objecting to one specific problem, in all likelihood, means they like other attributes. Let them quibble.

9. Consider new flooring and paint if your home is dated. * Be sure to go neutral on all color selections * Consider new carpet where necessary, re-stretch if needed * Re-finish hardwood floors if they have been neglected.

10. Make your home less YOU-oriented. Sure it's yours, but you want for it to be someone else's very soon. * Remove excess personal photos on the walls and tables. You want the buyer to feel like it could be their home. * Clean up your office space, put away the bills, and remove business documents from view of potential buyers. * Take the children's "artwork" off the walls and remove the report cards from the refrigerator. 11. Remove items that are not going to be included in the sale of your home!. * If they can't see it, they can't want it. * If it's attached with a screw or a nail, it's considered part of the property and, therefore, part of the sale UNLESS specifically excluded. * If you know, for example, that you don't want to include a hanging lamp with the sale of your home, take it down now and put it away. Many deals have been lost because of a hanging-lamp misunderstanding. Don't allow this to kill your deal down the road.