Saving Thousands When Selling a Home

Dec. 30, 2010 - PRLog -- When it comes time to sell your home, remember you never get a second chance to make a great first impression. How would a buyer perceive your home when pulling in the driveway, knocking on the door and then stepping into the foyer?  Wither it’s a home in Covington or Mandeville Louisiana the preparation is the same. Start with the curb appeal.  Cut the grass, trim shrubs, and manicure mulch beds and seal driveways.  I suggest pine straw needles for the mulch beds.  It’s less mess, faster to put down and it does not have an odor.  Walk to the front door.  Often times when people have homes with garages they tend to seldom visit the front door.  I advise walking to the front door as a guest to your home.  Is everything neat and clean, door bells working, kick plate shinning, glass is clean, fresh coat of paint around the trim and door.  Even take it a step further and replace the door knob.  They tend to get faded and stiff after several years of age.  Everything should shine.

After helping thousands of people realize their dreams of home ownership and closing almost 1000 real estate transactions, it’s the inevitable, if a home has an immaculate front door and entry the rest of the home is always spotless.  This is the home that buyers gravitate towards.  Neat, clean, light, bright and smelling good.  

Start with de-cluttering, and then ask yourself, do the carpets need cleaning or replacing?  Take a picture of the rooms in your house and pull them up on your computer.  This will allow for you the see the small items that the buyers will notice when seeing your home.  Remove the small things. Do walls need touching up?  Is there a smoke or pet odor? Take it one room at a time.  Is amazing what a little paint, cleaning and calking will do to make a great first impression.  Use this check list for sprucing up before selling your home.

- Repaint walls with light neutral earth tones

- Add a little water to latex paint when touching up, this allow for the paint to match the walls

- If you have pet or smoke odor place ½ vinegar and ½ water in a large bowl.  Place in the center of    the room.  Replace with fresh water and vinegar daily.  The vinegar is a neutralizer and will not smell like vinegar.  This works great!

- Change you air returns filters.  Place a couple of bounty sheets over the filter.  

- Straighten closets so you can see the floors.

- Photographs speak and thousand words are we take lots of them.  

- Replace light bulbs as needed. . . Brighter the better

- Minimize your counter tops.  Put away, cook books, hair dryers, tooth brushes, etc.

- Pools should be cleaned and crystal clear

- Kitchens and Bathrooms that sparkle sell homes

- Do you carpets need cleaning or replacing?  Ask Wayne!

- Tighten loose door knobs

- Check all faucets for leaks

- Let the sun shine in, open all blinds before showings

- Turn on all the lights.  

- Turn on pleasant music at a low tone

- Light candles if you have time. . . Never leave them burning unattended

- Take a walk with pets and family, it’s best to leave the home while it’s being shown

- When you list your home with my team, we give you buyer feedback from ever showing

The emotions you’re trying to stimulate are triggered by sensory experiences.  Clean fresh smelling homes will sell faster.  The neatest and cleanest home is always the quickest to sell.  We as consumers often see things how they are and not how they are going to be.  In today’s busy society, most people want to purchase a neat place to call home without spending thousands of dollars.  Often times you can spend a nickel to save a dollar.

For more valuable money saving tips on selling and buying your home go to www.CallWayneTurner.com

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We are the leader for homes sale in Mandeville and Covington Louisiana. Please call with any questions . . .985-626-1313