Jesus M. Fernandez, REALTOR® 786-553-7530
Morris Williams Realty: 888-326-3949
There is no town like my hometown! I have it all here!
Preparing the property for the sale
First impressions matter! Why? Because they matter to you!
It's hard to argue with the facts. Studies have shown that a well-prepared property seller usually nets close to asking price—or above. Well-prepared sellers understand the key dynamics of a sale and take the steps that lead to a positive outcome. Your property does not need every upgrade known to man to show value. However, if you want to get the most from the sale, the house does need to be clean, orderly, and presentable when shown. Addressing deferred maintenance can go a long way toward creating perceived value and giving buyers confidence that you took care of the home. Remember that once the property is up for sale, buyers will compare it with other homes in the area on price, condition, features, and terms. Show value, give buyers peace of mind, and win.
As a property seller, you will need to decide whether to sell your property, as-is, make minor repairs or improvements.
Properly preparing a property for sale is often overlooked by many sellers—and, unfortunately, by many agents too. Yet a property’s condition is the second most cited reason in the United States that a home does not sell quickly. When it eventually does sell, it usually sells below market value, even after its condition has been taken into account.
Deferred maintenance, clutter, odors, and poor lighting—issues that can often be corrected easily and inexpensively—should be addressed whenever possible. A fresh coat of paint, brighter light bulbs, some new sod, well-kept landscaping, and other inexpensive repairs can show pride of ownership and help you net more from the sale.
"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail."
-Benjamin Franklin
Which of the two photos below inspire confidence?
A house in order, will get the order!
Planning your sales and purchasing strategy, will put you in control.
Inspire confidence, avoid creating doubt in the buyer's mind!
An important first step toward your new life is properly preparing your property’s overall appearance. Start with an honest assessment of its condition and complete any overdue maintenance. Clean and organize both the interior and exterior of your home. A property that shows pride of ownership typically sells quickly and for more than comparable homes in the area.
How important is "curb appeal" to you?
It may not be important to you, but study after study has cited curb appeal as extremely important to the majority of buyers. In fact, some studies suggest that 70% of buyers make up their minds to purchase even before entering the property. While you can’t change your home’s location, you can certainly improve its outward appearance and make it more attractive. A fresh coat of paint can usually do the trick, or a simple power wash can make it sparkle. A few well-spent dollars on curb appeal can help you sell faster and at a higher price.
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Do you know what is really important to buyers visiting your home?
Today’s buyers are more sophisticated than ever. They have more information than ever before and know what to look for when viewing a home. In a nutshell, they primarily look for value and peace of mind when they purchase. As your real estate broker, we can help you identify issues beforehand that may concern potential buyers. It’s important to remember that, as your broker, we have no emotional attachment to your home. We can provide honest, objective advice so you can decide what improvements (if any) you want to make to get the most from the sale.
PLEASE NOTE: Knowing the true condition of your home puts you in control of your sale. If you have any concerns about the condition of your home or any of its components, like the roof or AC, for example, consider hiring a property inspector. It's much better to identify issues early on, before placing your home on the market, rather than finding out while under contract, from the buyer's inspector. If a problem is uncovered by the inspector you hire, it can be corrected, if possible. Inspecting your beforehand will avoid any future buyer from walking out of the deal, during the inspection period, or having to renegotiate the purchase price all over again.
Demonstrate value and you will sell quickly and get more from the sale. Ignoring issues that are a concern to buyers, and be prepared to wait and sell for less. Inspect your home! Avoid surprises!
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Food for Thought
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Does your property have a major defect, like a leaky roof?
Occasionally, a buyer may not be able to obtain financing on a property, due to a property's condition. Typically, some defect is discovered during the buyer's inspection period, like a leaky roof, which no lender will finance or insurance company underwrite. If your property has any major defect, like a bad roof or termites, just to name two, it can make financing nearly impossible for buyers, using conventional or FHA financing. Only buyers purchasing with cash or a renovation loan, like an FHA-203K, will be able to purchase your home. Obviously, a property with a major defect, lowers the pool of potential buyers and affects a property's selling price. If a property cannot be financed, it substantially decreases your opportunity to sell above or at the average market value, when compared to similar properties in your neighborhood.
Are there any open permits or liens on your property?
Open permits, municipal fines, mechanical liens or other statutory liens can also impact you ability to offer your property to a large pool of buyers. Its important for you to make sure that your property is free of these types of title defects. If you have open permits, try to close them. Banks do not finance properties with open permits. If your municipality has fined you, pay the fine or dispute it. If a contractor filed a lien on your property, if you have a tax lien, or there are any statutory liens on your property, these can be satisfied at closing, from your proceeds of the sale. Too check if your property has liens or code violations, click LIEN SEARCH.
PLEASE NOTE: Title defects (if any) and the physical condition of your property will have a direct impact on the terms that you can offer buyers. The less defects, the wider net you can cast for a buyer. We can consult with you and answer any questions you may have, regardless of your property's condition.
Food for Thought
You like a good deal right? And, so do buyers! To gain a competitive advantage, you need to show value at the listed price. We can show you how!
Preparing your property for sale does not have to be expensive. In our experience, it is usually more expensive not to. A few dollars spent well can return thousands more.
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As property staging experts, we will give you an honest evaluation of your home so you can decide which cosmetic changes or repairs—if any—are worth doing, while staying within your selling budget.
We will also help you set terms that attract buyers and help you compete against similar properties in your neighborhood.
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We will get it sold, regardless of condition.
Below, you will find a checklist with some tips to make your home sparkle. The list may seem daunting, but as the saying goes, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”
TIPS FOR THE INTERIOR OF PROPERTY
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The front entrance, foyer, and living room should be organized and clutter-free.
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Depersonalize the home if possible by replacing personal photos with paintings or other artwork. (Seeing pictures of you and your family, although they are a treasure to you, distracts buyers from taking psychological possession of your home.)
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Replace burned-out or dim light bulbs with 75-watt bulbs or brighter. (Your house needs light to shine!)
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Clear air-conditioner vents in all rooms and the main return.
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Change the air-conditioning filter to minimize dust after cleaning.
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Clean ceiling-fan blades.
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Clean curtain rods, draperies, or blinds. Replace or repair them if they are broken.
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Dust ceiling lamps, chandeliers, and other light fixtures.
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Clean all interior windows, windowsills, and sliding glass doors.
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Organize the kitchen and declutter the pantry and kitchen cabinets. Pack away pots, pans, and small kitchen appliances that are rarely used so the cabinets look spacious. (Buyers will look there!)
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Clean your oven and stove. (Buyers will look there too!)
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Clean the exterior and interior of your refrigerator and keep it sparse if possible so it appears roomy and sanitary. (Yes, serious buyers look there too!)
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Clean all kitchen appliances.
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Clean cabinet doors and drawers.
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Keep the kitchen sink clean and countertops free of personal items during showings.
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Declutter the master bedroom and closets. (Buyers need to determine whether their belongings will fit.)
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Clean, organize, and maintain all bathrooms in your home. Remove any moldy caulk around the tub, shower, sink, and toilet. When showing, towels should be folded, toothbrushes put away, and trash cans emptied.
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If the caulk around the bathtub, shower, sink, or toilet is missing or moldy, clean it or recaulk. (This is a major buyer turn-off if left undone. Your bathrooms may need updating, but they can still look clean and well maintained.)
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If rooms in your house are brightly painted, consider painting them a neutral color. We suggest a flat eggshell finish, which hides wall imperfections very well.
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Organize and declutter linen closets.
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Organize and declutter all bedroom closets. (Buyers are picky when it comes to closet space.)
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Organize and declutter children’s bedrooms or the home office.
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Organize your garage, if applicable.
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Clean and organize the laundry room. Clean the exterior of your washer and dryer.
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Clean the top of your water heater and the surrounding area.
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Check ceilings for dust and stains. (Water stains can usually be removed with a 50/50 mix of water and bleach. Use caution! Do not overspray, and always wear gloves and eye protection.)
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Patch and paint holes in interior walls.
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Replace broken electrical switches and outlets. Make sure they all work.
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If you have a tiled floor, replace broken tiles if possible. Clean the floor before showings.
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Clean baseboards or repaint them.
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If your home has carpeting, steam-clean and deodorize it.
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If you smoke or have pets, consider deodorizing your home.
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Check all interior doors; clean the surfaces and oil the hinges if they squeak. Remove decals and any signs from children’s rooms, if any.
TIPS FOR EXTERIOR OF PROPERTY
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Spruce up the landscaping and add sod if needed to increase curb appeal.
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Clean the exterior of the property. Power-wash the walls to remove cobwebs and dirt.
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Consider painting the exterior if the paint is peeling. You can do it yourself for about $200–$300 for most homes.
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Clean or refinish the front door if necessary. (Front doors make first impressions!)
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Power-wash or paint your driveway if necessary.
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Clean and maintain the front entrance to the home.
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Replace the doormat if it is old and torn.
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Replace the front-door rug if it is old and worn.
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If the water hose is old and easily visible in front of the house, remove it or replace it with a new one.
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If fascia boards (the wooden boards typically found under the overhang of your roof) are damaged by termites or wood rot, replace and paint them. (A handyman or roofer can make the repair; costs vary depending on the damage.)
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A roof inspection is recommended if your roof is more than 10 years old. Have the roof professionally inspected and correct any issues before the buyer’s inspection. Give buyers confidence with a roof that recently passed inspection. (Your roof may be old, but you can prove to buyers that it is in good shape!)
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Power-wash the roof if needed (tile roofs).
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Clean the roof—remove debris and leaves.
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Trim back overhanging tree limbs or bushes near or over the roof.
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Check the air-conditioner compressor motor. If it squeaks when it runs, apply a little household oil.
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Check all exterior doors; clean them and oil the hinges if they squeak.
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Clean window exteriors and screens.
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Clean or repair sagging gutters.
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Remove dead plants from the yard and throw out empty flower pots from the patio.
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Remove debris from the backyard and the sides of the house.
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If you have a sprinkler system, check it and repair it if needed.
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Declutter your shed if you have one. (Remember, buyers need space for their stuff!)
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If you have a pool, make sure the water is clear at all times.
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If repainting interior rooms of your home, use neutral colors, with an flat eggshell finish.
A clean and orderly home, is the best marketing you can do for your home!
A few well spend dollars sprucing up your home, can return many thousands more!
Contact us. As staging experts, we can suggest cost-effective improvements that help your home shine.
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Call us today. We specialize in home staging and can offer budget-friendly recommendations to present your property at its best.
Call us for a private consultation, about your personal selling situation.
One Home is all we want! And when you help someone find theirs, it's magic!
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