My home is now on the market. It has taken my husband and me weeks to get it ready. My family has been working every extra hour we have, to repair things a potential buyer and their home inspector might frown upon.
Home inspectors are a useful tool when buying and selling a home. They are the individuals who find hidden problem with a home. I would never purchase a home without a home inspection, in fact our inspection on our new home is today at 10:00 am. A good stager should be able to tell you some if not all of the issues that a home inspector might find. Then these issues can be repaired before an inspector finds them.
I am very fortunate to have a family member and a close friend that are inspector. I have called upon them with numerous questions for my clients. They seem to find issues and question situation that might arise for the new home owner. During an inspection if any issues are found, you as a buyer can request repairs be made before closing, in some cases this is your chance to back out of the purchase.
This is what brings me to another person I value my Agent. When you made your offer your agent should have put this type of request into your offer. Brokers and Agents are required by law to pass a State test and required to complete a certain number of CE (continue education) credits each year to maintain their license. A lot of brokers hold mandatory meetings during the months for their agent; since brokers are in general reliable for their agents it is beneficial to keep them up to date on any changes in the laws that might affect clients.
One of the first things I tell clients is start interviewing agents and brokers. Find an agent! Agents are a great resource for getting your house sold. I am a true believer in using an agent. Look at a few things when interviewing an agent. During the interview process ask the agent for his broker’s information. Call the broker and ask him or her questions about the agent and the brokerage. You will be amazed what information a broker will give you. Ask question such as what is the brokerage and agent going to do for you.
Agent should be utilizing every benefit the brokerage has to offer. Find out what benefits the brokerage offers? Compare it to other brokerages. Every brokerage offers different benefits, some offer staging or buyer/seller incentives (money back at closing). By asking the broker question you can find out what benefits the brokerage offers and them what the agent offers in addition. Shop around it’s FREE!! Interview 3-4 different agents and brokerages. Get a feel for both.
Selling and buying a new home can be stressful. A good agent will help remove some of the stress for you, but it is still up to you to prepare your home for sale. Currently it is a buyer’s market, but that does not mean you can’t sale you home, it’s just going to take some work from you to get your house ready. Good Luck on selling and buying and remember your agent is a great resource so use them. That is what he or she is getting paid for.
Showing posts with label home sellers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home sellers. Show all posts
Friday, March 27, 2009
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Staging Tips for Home Sellers
Over my many years I have staged houses ranging from low end to high end. The majority of my homes are middle range. In this tough market it is important that your house stand out from your competition. So I am here to help you, the brave person who will become the seller.
It is hard for a seller to view their home as a potential buyer; the best way I have found is by having the seller look at the home thru a picture. So grab the camera and take “before” pictures. The first thing I look at when I pull up to a house is “curb appeal.” Start at your curb, then walk through the front door, take a close up of that also. Then proceed into the main living spaces, kitchen and master suite. Take lots of “before” pictures. Make a pros and cons list as you walk thru your home. Send the pictures to friends and family and ask them to make a pros and cons list also. After your walk through sit down and make a “Honey do list”.
Your Honey do list should have the major and minor repairs on down to simple stacks of paper, piles of laundry, shoes and every day clutter. Rank it in order of who is responsible for repairs down to cleaning up piles.
My best advice is to buy 5 laundry baskets and start collecting boxes, tape and several large black magic markers. Market each basket or box in the following order:
1. Important papers
2. Dirty Laundry (if your home is more than two levels get a basket for each level)
3. Donations
4. Upstairs
5. Downstairs
We all have a stack of important papers sitting on a counter or desk. By giving them a box you have given them a temporary home. Start by cleaning up any stacks of paper, pile of laundry, shoes and every day clutter by placing items in one of the baskets. Items that go to bedrooms get put in a basket to go up or down stairs to be put away by the items owner. I am a big one on the belief that kids at any age can help pick up after themselves, but since a lot of us know that teenagers are the worst offenders on leaving their clutter everywhere, it is recommended that he or she gets a basket all their own.
Laundry does not hide very well and a potential buyer will find it. I think the smell gives it away, so get your laundry caught up. I believe this is the hardest thing for a seller to do, but it is well worth it. Every night have someone take a basket and distribute the items in the basket to the proper room then put the basket back.
Everyday take a few minutes to go thru a cupboard or draw and clean it out. Keep only what you need then pack up or put it in the donate box.
Preparing to move is a joint venture on every person whom lives in the home make it a team effort and be prepared to start packing, cleaning, fixing and all the work that comes from preparing to put your house on the market.
Assignment two will follow in a few days and I hope you all have started getting ready to sell.
Thanks
Tamie Ogden
Owner of Paisley Home Staging
It is hard for a seller to view their home as a potential buyer; the best way I have found is by having the seller look at the home thru a picture. So grab the camera and take “before” pictures. The first thing I look at when I pull up to a house is “curb appeal.” Start at your curb, then walk through the front door, take a close up of that also. Then proceed into the main living spaces, kitchen and master suite. Take lots of “before” pictures. Make a pros and cons list as you walk thru your home. Send the pictures to friends and family and ask them to make a pros and cons list also. After your walk through sit down and make a “Honey do list”.
Your Honey do list should have the major and minor repairs on down to simple stacks of paper, piles of laundry, shoes and every day clutter. Rank it in order of who is responsible for repairs down to cleaning up piles.
My best advice is to buy 5 laundry baskets and start collecting boxes, tape and several large black magic markers. Market each basket or box in the following order:
1. Important papers
2. Dirty Laundry (if your home is more than two levels get a basket for each level)
3. Donations
4. Upstairs
5. Downstairs
We all have a stack of important papers sitting on a counter or desk. By giving them a box you have given them a temporary home. Start by cleaning up any stacks of paper, pile of laundry, shoes and every day clutter by placing items in one of the baskets. Items that go to bedrooms get put in a basket to go up or down stairs to be put away by the items owner. I am a big one on the belief that kids at any age can help pick up after themselves, but since a lot of us know that teenagers are the worst offenders on leaving their clutter everywhere, it is recommended that he or she gets a basket all their own.
Laundry does not hide very well and a potential buyer will find it. I think the smell gives it away, so get your laundry caught up. I believe this is the hardest thing for a seller to do, but it is well worth it. Every night have someone take a basket and distribute the items in the basket to the proper room then put the basket back.
Everyday take a few minutes to go thru a cupboard or draw and clean it out. Keep only what you need then pack up or put it in the donate box.
Preparing to move is a joint venture on every person whom lives in the home make it a team effort and be prepared to start packing, cleaning, fixing and all the work that comes from preparing to put your house on the market.
Assignment two will follow in a few days and I hope you all have started getting ready to sell.
Thanks
Tamie Ogden
Owner of Paisley Home Staging
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