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Preparing your home to sell can certainly be a daunting task, and most sellers don’t know where to start. I suggest you start where your buyers will start, with a first impression. It’s difficult to be objective about your own home, but there are some tricks you can try.

Jump in your car, and drive to an entrance to your neighborhood. Try to imagine that you are buyers considering purchasing a home there. Drive through the neighborhood, and take note of the conditions of all the homes, not just the ones that are for sale. What are the features of the homes you find most attractive? What makes some of the homes less appealing?

After you have figured out the components of good curb appeal, drive by your own home, and continue down the street. Then, drive by it from the other direction. How does your home compare? Are there changes that could be made to improve that “first impression?” Perhaps there is too much overgrown landscaping, or the yard is too bare? Is the exterior color attractive, and does the home look well-maintained?

I had a staging client who was instructed to change the mint green exterior of their home. They weren’t sure what color to paint it, and it’s so difficult to choose from a small color swatch. I suggested they tour areas of similarly priced homes, and decide what colors they found to be the most popular and the most attractive. The result, when they painted their home, was dramatic!

To be as objective as possible, try to see your home and neighborhood through the eyes of the buyers. You don’t have to have the most attractive home in your neighborhood to get it sold. But, wouldn’t it be nice if buyers pulled up in front of your home, and were excited to see inside?

Are you confused by all the advice you read about how to prepare your home for the market? I have come up with a very simple concept that most everyone can follow. Prepare your home as if you were throwing a party. Think about the steps you take when you entertain, and consider the buyers coming through your home as your party guests. Not into entertaining? Then, think back to a party where you were the guest and your host or hostess made you feel special.

So, how do you want to present your home to your “guests?” It should be clean, of course. Fresh towels should be put out in the bathrooms, and personal items placed out of sight. The everyday clutter like the stack of mail on the entry table, the collection of remote controls on the sofa, the pile of shoes that grows bigger every day, needs to be cleared away. Have you ever arrived at a party and the hostess hung your coat in a closet, and you wonder how she had room for them? She anticipated you arriving with a coat and cleared out a space. That same kind of planning will make your buyers feel comfortable in your home.

What about music? You can’t possibly know what everyone likes, so try to play music that is soft and soothing, and will appeal to the greatest number of tastes. Soft lighting created by table and floor lamps, or indirect lighting are good choices for enhancing the look of your home, and is preferable to the more harsh overhead lighting. There are flameless candles on the market now, which are perfect for creating a welcoming ambience. The enticing smell of something baking always keeps your guests interested, and buyers are no different. Fresh cut flowers are a nice addition, adding a wonderful scent and a touch of elegance.

A successful party is one in which your guests enjoyed your home and hospitality so much they didn’t want to leave. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if buyers felt the same way?

This is Part 6 in a series of things to do that will increase your chances of a quick home sale, for the highest possible price.

Home Staging

I have written on other occasions the importance of Home Staging.  A showhome sells for more money and in less time than the competition!  It’s a fact, and it is worth the cost in almost every instance.  If you want to give it a go on your own, here are some tips.  Go Here to see other articles regarding Home Staging.

• Study magazine ads or furniture showrooms to see how

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This is Part 5 in a series of things to do that will increase your chances of a quick home sale, for the highest possible price.

Atmoshphere

1.  A clean smelling house creates a positive image in the buyer’s mind. Be aware of any odors from cooking, cigarettes, pets, etc., that may have adverse effects on potential buyers. Remember that some people are much more sensitive to odors than others. Smokers rarely notice the odor of tobacco that fills their homes, and pet owners may be oblivious to objectionable doggy odor.

2.  You can use products like carpet deodorizers, air fresheners, and room deodorizers; but the best strategy is to remove the source of the smell rather than cover it up.

3.  Unfortunately, often the only way to remove the smell of pet urine from flooring is to rip up the carpeting and padding and replace them. If this is preventing the sale of your home, don’t hesitate to make this investment.

4.  If smoking and cooking odors have permeated your home, have your carpets and furniture cleaned, and air out or dry-clean your drapes.

5.  Mildew odors are another no-no. Don’t allow wet towels to accumulate in hampers or dirty laundry to pile up in closets.

6.  Once offensive odors are removed, consider adding delightful ones. Recent studies have shown that humans have strong, positive responses to certain smells. Cinnamon, fresh flowers, breads baking in the oven are all excellent ways to enhance your property for sale.

Click here to get a comprehensive list of items to get you ready to sell your Denver Home! 

This is Part 4 in a series of things to do that will increase your chances of a quick home sale, for the highest possible price.

Manage Your Space!

What we mean by this is to make your home feel as big, bright and open as possible.  Here are some time tested suggestions.

• Arrange furniture to give the rooms as spacious a felling as possible.  Consider removing furniture from rooms that are crowded.  If necessary, store large items.
• Pack up collectibles…both to protect them, and to give the room a more spacious feel.  Just leave enough accessories to give the home a personal touch.  Dispose of un-needed items!
• Remove all clutter and make it a habit to pick up clothing, shoes, and personal possessions each day for possible showings.
• Empty closets of off-season clothing and pack for the move.  Organize the closet to demonstrate the most efficient use of the space.  Leave as few items as possible on the floor.
• Use light to create a sense of space.  All drapes and blinds should be open.  Turn on all lights throughout the home before each showing, and be sure to replace any burned out light bulbs.

Contact the Get Home Denver Team for all your Denver Real Estate questions and expertise. 

It just so happens I ran across this great video today regarding staging a home to sell!  It is also a great follow up for my post yesterday on Neutralizing your home to sell, Tips to Sell Your Home Faster-Neutralizing (Part 3 of 6)

Check out the video interview of a professional stager and hear her opinions, it could fatten your wallet!

The Get Home Denver Team specializes in Customer Loyalty and Satisfaction, contact us today if you or anyone you know is looking to buy or sell Denver Real Estate!

This is Part 3 in a series of things to do that will increase your chances of a quick home sale, for the highest possible price.

Make it Neutral Baby!

Go through your home, and take a realistic look at how personalized your home has become.  It may be great for you, but is it going to appeal to a wider audience?  That is the critical question!   

Scrutinize room colors, carpet colors, art collections, and family photos.

Your objective is to make your home appeal to the largest possible buying segment.  Ask yourself, “How many of the available buyer’s would be able to move in my home, with their furniture, and not have to replace the carpet, or re-paint the walls?”  Position your home to be as “liveable” to as many people as possible!  You simply must allow a buyer to mentally picture the home as theirs! 

Forget about your personal taste.  Sorry, it may be harsh, but get over it.  This is your money we’re talking about!  The market is always demand driven.  Trends do matter, whether you like them or not.  The average buyer will have a difficult time overlooking the cool blue carpeting and bold wallpaper you love so much.  Consider changing unusual or bold colors with neutral tones.  A couple of coats of a nice neutral paint, and white baseboards may be the best investment you’ve ever made!

Lastly, lose the family “Wall of Fame”.  All the pictures tend to be distracting to a potential buyer, and once again, hinders a buyer’s ability to picture themself owning your property.

If you are unsure of what should and shouldn’t be done, contact your local real estate professional, or an interior designer.  They will be able to point you in the right direction.

For more Home Seller information and tips, subscribe to our blog, or check out our other postings.

http://bloghomedenver.com

This is Part 2 in a series of things to do that will increase your chances of a quick home sale, for the highest possible price.

Cleaning

Go through your home, from Top to Bottom (and everywhere in between) and CLEAN!   

This isn’t your typical teenager’s room cleaning, this is your Mother’s or Grandmother’s coming over and it had better pass their test, type cleaning!

Clean the cobwebs in ceiling corners, wipe down the walls and baseboards!  Carpeting needs to be cleaned!  Wood floors, tile or linoleum needs to shine!  Clean the oven and all the nastiness under the burners!  Kitchens and Baths need to sparkle!  Wipe off every light fixture, remove and clean the globe!  Polish everything you can, leave no stone unturned!   

This is the absolute cheapest way to increase your sales price and decrease the time on market.  I am shocked when showing homes (and my team shows 40-50 per week) at the number of homes that are simply dirty.  A clean home tells the prospective buyer the current owner cares!  A dirty home leaves them wondering what else is in need of fine tuning! 

If you don’t have the time, or energy, for less than $500, you can have a team come in and clean for you!  Money well spent.

For more Home Seller information and tips, subscribe to our blog, or check out our other postings.

http://bloghomedenver.com

This is Part 1 in a series of things to do that will increase your chances of a quick home sale, for the highest possible price.

Repairs

Go through your home and make a ‘to do’ list of all the little things that may need some attention. 

Start on the inside and pay particular attention to things like peeling or tired paint, loose wall paper, flooring issues (especially carpet that needs cleaning or replacement), leaking faucets, etc.

Then move to the exterior and make sure your street appeal is top notch!  Look for peeling paint, soffit and fascia that may need replacement, etc..  Pay close attention to the front door!  This is often one of the first negatives a potential buyer may see.

Consider hiring a professional, home inspector to do a pre-listing inspection.  This will give you some insight as to what a potential buyer will find when they do their inspections.  Things like furnace cleaning, issues in the attic or roof, and potential electrical problems will likely be found BEFORE a potential buyer has the chance to get scared off!

Lastly, get these items fixed!  Remove any potential buyer objections, before they have a chance to freak out a buyer.  This is a proven method for maximizing your sales price, while minimizing your time on the market.

For more Home Seller information and tips, subscribe to our blog, or check out our other postings.

http://bloghomedenver.com

Increase your chances. The more people who see your home, the more likely you are to sell it quickly. Yes, it’s inconvenient to show your home at dinner time, but if the people buy your home, isn’t it worth it? 

There shouldn’t be any major housecleaning at this point. The tasks you ought to be concerned with now are simple ones; making the beds, stuffing last night’s dirty pans in the dishwasher, picking up loose newspapers, etc. Even young children can participate by “cleaning” their rooms. 

If the season is appropriate, open the windows in each room and let in some fresh air. Stale air isn’t appealing, particularly in a home with smokers or pets. 

Keep your thermostat at a comfortable setting. Turn on all the lights for every showing before prospective buyers arrive. This also gives you an opportunity to select the lighting effects you want for each room. No area of your home should be dark. 

Turn off the television and turn on light background music. 

Arrange for pets and children to be at a neighbors. Perhaps it’s unfair to lump children with pets, but young children can distract buyers from their purpose. Keep pets away from buyers. 

Don’t try to “sell” the house with words! By this time you have prepared the house for sale; let it sell itself. Buyers buy on emotion—theirs, not yours! Keep your emotions under control. 

“Depersonalize” the house as much as possible. Take down any extra family pictures that are hanging on the walls or displayed on the shelves. They will often distract the buyers attention from what is most important … the house! 

Most importantly, please leave the home during all showings. It is uncomfortable and difficult for buyers to view the home when owners are present. Oftentimes, they will rush through the home and not give it the proper attention your home deserves. It is also hard for the buyers to “picture themselves” living in the home when the sellers are present.  It’s usually best to let your Agent or the Buyer’s Agent do their job.