1. Finish the "honey do" list. Just about every homeowner has a string of little repairs that never quite get done. Now's the time - Fix the screens, oil that squeak, patch the cracks, paint the trim. Stuff that you've stopped noticing could be shouting "Deferred maintenance!" to every potential buyer.
The cost: A few bucks if you're handy, a couple of hundred or so if you hire someone who is.
2. Get inspected. A pre-sale inspection can help identify problems that could thwart a sale in time to fix them. If there are no major problems, an inspection can publicize that fact to buyers.
Having an inspection report on the counter during the open house shows the buyers you have nothing to hide!
The cost: Around $400.
The cost: Around $400.
3. Pack up the clutter. Too much stuff makes rooms look smaller and focuses buyers' attention on your possessions rather than the home you're trying to sell. Professional stagers recommend removing as much as a third of your things to better show off rooms and closets. Everything will have to move eventually, why not get a head start?! Clutter eats equity! Remember, buyers can't imagine themselves living there if they can't see the space.
The cost: $150 to $300 a month for three months' storage.
4. Depersonalize and neutralize. The first items that should go in those packing boxes are family photos, collections and just about anything else that screams "you." Streamline your artwork and consider toning down bold decorating statements. That means neutral shades if you need to repaint walls or replace carpets.
By neutralizing your decor, you can help give them the blank canvas they need to imagine your house as theirs. The point is, they need to visualize your space as theirs!
The cost: $10 and up for paint; $500 and up for new carpet.
5. Clean like a fiend. "I mean Q-Tip clean," taking a cotton swab to faucets and fixtures, scouring fingerprints from all the switch plates, shining windows until they're spotless and vacuuming up every last dog hair from the baseboards. You'll need to banish suspect smells as well. If your pets have had one too many accidents, you may need to replace the affected carpet and padding and have the underlying floor sealed. If you're not sure how your place smells, get your least tactful friend to take a few whiffs and tell you the honest truth.
The cost: $10 or so in home cleaning products, if you do it yourself; $75 and up if you hire help.
6. Stage the rooms. Stand in the doorway to find each room's focal point, and use furniture placement to highlight that. The back of your sofa shouldn't block the view of the fireplace, for example, and the dining room table shouldn't be sharing space with the stair climber. You should remove any extraneous pieces of furniture so space appears larger, but you may be able to "repurpose" them in another room. Be creative and have fun with it! The cost: Nothing, if you do it yourself; $1,500 and up if you hire a professional stager.
7. Tend to the floors. Keeping them spotless won't help if they're dated, worn or impossibly stained. You shouldn't spend a fortune installing hardwood or tile, though, since you're unlikely to recoup the cost. Look for compromises that can improve the home's appearance without busting your wallet.
Carpets should be steam-cleaned to see if they're salvageable. If not, you may be able to reduce the costs of replacement by offering to do some of the work, such as removing the old carpet and moving furniture.
The cost: Anywhere from a few bucks to a few hundred bucks.
8. Kick up the curb appeal. You may not realize how many sales you're losing before potential buyers even get to the front door. Most people will start their search for a home on the Internet. If your house's Internet photo doesn't 'wow' them, they might never call for a showing. Make sure your front landscaping is in good condition and appears inviting, clean, and manicured.
9. Pick the right publicist. If you're working with an agent, you'll want one who can really sell - somebody who knows your neighborhood intimately and who's enthusiastic about your home....someone other agents want to work with that will help your cause. If you're going to try to sell your home yourself, make sure you're up for the job. Hawking a home can be hard work....its best to leave it to the professionals!
The cost: 3% to 6% of the sale price of your home.
10. Set the right price. A seller may think she's just testing the market with a high price tag, assuming buyers will at least make an offer, but buyers may assume she's unreasonable and move on.
Your goal should be a fair price -- something that's reasonable given the price of other homes in your area.
Buyers who are actively searching for a fairly-priced home, will pounce on what they perceive is fair value.
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