Practical Guidance When Selling Your Home

PROPERTY IMPROVEMENTS

When it comes to listing your home, there's no single set of black-and-white rules regarding potential property improvements that apply to every property and every seller. Any upgrade or change you make should only be considered if the change is likely to have an appreciable effect on the market value of your property in the minds of most buyers.

Below are some common suggestions on Do's and Don'ts on property improvements for your listing:

The Do's:

Painting - A fresh coat of a neutral-toned paint could make the sale easier. Let's face it – we all like things fresh-looking.

Minor kitchen issues - Things like plumbing leaks should be fixed, and small updates like swapping out light fixtures can make a big difference. You might even consider sanding, staining or painting worn-looking cabinets. Replacing old cabinet hardware is a low cost improvement that makes a big difference in appearance.

Floors - From fixing scratched wood floors, to replacing cracked tile, to cleaning dirty carpet, a little money spent on sprucing up floors can be well worth the investment.

The Don'ts:

Major kitchen upgrades - Unless there are major structural issues, most new buyers would prefer to do something to their own taste.

Energy efficient windows - While adding new windows can be a major selling point, it's also a project that can quickly snowball in time and cost.

New gardens or ornamental landscaping - It's always a good idea to spruce up your outdoor space and make sure everything is orderly, but don't waste your time adding anything new. If the potential buyer is not horticulturally inclined, new plants and flowers won't add to the offering price. The same can be said for expensive fences and stone walls – they look nice, but buyers don't pay up for them.

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HOME STAGING

From the day that your house goes on the market to the day it closes, your property needs to be in

"Selling Shape". Whether you decide to hire a professional home stager or do it yourself, you and your family will have to cope with some inconveniences and make the transition to thinking about your house as a property and not a home. This can be frustrating if you're still living in your house, but the effort is well worth it.

According to the Real Estate Staging Association, a properly staged home can:

• Increase a property's perceived value
• Help a listing's competitiveness in a down real estate market
• Drastically reduce the Days on Market (DOM) of a property

In fact, their 2013 study on both vacant and occupied homes showed that staged properties spent 72% less time on the market than non-staged properties. So how can we work together to get your property into selling shape? Let's just follow some simple rules.

First. Fix it.
Anything that is in your house that is in disrepair and can be easily fixed should be addressed before the home goes up for sale. We'll want to pay particular attention to the front exterior and the most important rooms in the house: The master bedroom, the kitchen, and the living room.
Having a property that looks well maintained is a huge advantage with motivated buyers.

Next. Clean it.
Clean, clean and more clean. From the inside out, a clean listing is a happy listing. This principle is about generally cleanliness but it also requires you to de-clutter your house as much as possible.

If it's smaller than a grapefruit, it needs to be put away. Get rid of or pack away anything that isn't
essential. Everything else that is small but cannot be packed should be put away in a drawer or cabinet during showing appointments. This also applies to things that are accumulated on a regular basis like the mail, or your dirty clothes.

And remember, it's not good enough to just put things away. Potential buyers will and do open closets and drawers throughout the house when they're looking at your listing. Be sure to keep personal items that you do not want on display in drawers that are clearly your personal furniture. The more organized you can be, the better.

Last. Stage it.

Making your house appear as attractive as possible is largely about allowing potential buyers the opportunity to imagine their lives in your property.

Home staging is essentially the process of using design principles and tricks that emphasize space. Creating the appearance of openness and space is key to getting your property sold. Remember, you're not selling your stuff!

Furniture
Great staging, either DIY or by a professional, includes choosing furniture that shows the room in its best light. Minimize the amount of furniture you have in each room. If it's staying in the house, it needs to in good shape and be visually appealing.

Décor

It's time to remove anything that could be considered distracting decoration from your home. Importantly, this includes any personal items like family photos or mementos. Any décor that does stay up and visible in your home should be as neutral as possible.

If you have hanging mirrors in the house, these can be positioned to emphasize and reflect key areas in the home like a nice sunny window.

Beware of Odors

It's not just the stinky stuff you need to pay attention to. There are obvious problem points in a home that can produce bad smells like the garbage cans and the disposal, but you should consider any strong smell a bad one.

Don't rely on potpourri or air fresheners to mask unpleasant odors. These can be just as offensive to some buyers. Instead, be sure to open your windows when possible to keep fresh air circulating in the house. The only exception to the strong smells rule is chocolate. Baking sweet chocolate treats before showing appointments or open houses can help potential buyers feel at home when viewing your house.

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COPING WITH SELLER STRESS

Moving is an emotional process. It can represent growth and new beginnings, but the strain of making a life changing decision is often fraught with mixed emotions. This is especially true if you're moving as a family with younger children, or moving a long distance.

Here are a few ideas on how you and your family can help mitigate the stress of your move:

Understand that the jitters are normal.

You've just made a major commitment. Ask questions throughout the process. Part of my job is to provide you with information and keep you informed so that you are confident about your decisions.

Get better acquainted with the new place.

Let me help you ease the transition to your new environment. I can provide you with information on your new neighborhood, school districts, and more.

If you're moving with children, it's always a great idea to familiarize your kids with the new neighborhood a few times before moving day. Be sure to emphasize the positive aspects of the move and explain your reasons for relocating. You can also contact the school your child will be attending and arrange a time to visit.

Don't get blindsided by expenses.

The more you plan for your move, the less likely it is that you'll encounter unexpected and unbudgeted expenses. That being said, it's always a good idea to be ready for the unexpected. Keep an emergency fund for unexpected costs that may crop up during the move or as you set up your new household.

Don't wait until the last minute to pack.

Whether you're hiring a moving company or planning to do it all on your own, you should start to plan and pack for your move now.

You should look to book a moving company six to eight weeks before your move if at all possible. You'll also want to interview a few moving companies and ask lots of questions to make sure you understand all the potential costs.

As you're working on packing up your stuff, remember that one of the best ways to save your time and your money is to bring less. Remember that moving is a great opportunity to clear through the clutter, and anything that you don't need or don't want should be donated or disposed of now.

Make a moving plan for kids and/or pets.

Plan to have a friend or family member take care of younger children and/or pets on moving day. It will make the day much easier!

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For any further questions, or information on selling your home please contact me today at 917-414-7807 or email [email protected].

Kristina "Kris" Mager ABR
Realtor Associate
0450320
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Magerhomes.com