Sell Quickly

Make More Money When You Sell Fast

It may seem odd to think that the faster you sell, the closer to the asking price you will get. The fact is that when you sell fast, people will pay more. However, a property that has been on the market for 6 months or longer can expect to bring less when it finally does sell.

Here are some tips to ensure you can maximize the sale price of your UK property:

Start by airing out the home. You are the last person to notice any peculiar odor in your home that may be blatantly obvious to visitors. Go on a search to find the offender. It may be a kitty litter box or a dog bed. It might even be a mildewed shower.

Next, wash all the windows in the house, inside and out. While you are at it, clean the window sills and the bottom of the window jambs, and wash the blinds.

The money spent on professional carpet shampooing will be returned two for one. Bare floors should also be waxed or polished.

Put brightest light bulbs allowed by the fixture manufacture in every socket. Buyers like bright and cheery looking rooms the best. You will also want to keep the drapes and shades open during the day because it will make the property look bigger, brighter and better than your competition.

The next item on the required list is to clean the garage, the basement and all of the closets and cabinets. Get rid of things. Pack up everything that you haven´t used in the last year. My motto is “When in Doubt, Throw it Out!” Do it without conscience or remorse. The main reason is that it will make every room look larger.

Closets should look as if they have enough room to hold additional items. You might need to box up off-season clothes to make it look that way. Get everything off the floor and don´t have the shelves piled to the ceiling.

Another basic requirement for home preparation is to be sure there is not too much furniture in a room. Even though it may be inconvenient, you will be far better off by selecting the pieces that look best and putting the others in the garage, basement, or better yet… storage. You can rent a storage unit for a few dollars a month.

You will want to go over the kitchen like a health inspector. Clean the oven and keep it that way, even if it means eating out more often. After cleaning the range, put new drip pans under the burners, or at least, cover the old ones with foil. Clean around the seal of the door to the dishwasher. Remove everything off of the counter except for those items that are absolutely necessary to daily living.

Bath tubs, showers and sinks should be freshly caulked. All the grout should be clean and in good condition. There should be no leaks in the faucets or traps. Put fresh or new towels out in the bathrooms and replace the shower curtain, if needed.

Keep children´s toys out of the front yard and off the sidewalks and front porch. Help your children to understand the importance of keeping the house in “selling condition” while it is on the market. Take down any posters from walls until the house is sold also.

Recognize the difference between decorator touches and clutter.

Less is definitely better.

It is always best to keep the radio and television turned off while the home is being shown. If a buyer has a different taste in music than you do, your selections can be distractive or even annoying to the buyer. They may have a difficult time seeing your home.

Go over the woodwork with a polish or cleaner. It brightens the wood and covers scratches. A product called Watco is great for scratches in stained woodwork. It comes in various stain colors.

If you don´t have time for a garage sale, consider donating items to charity. Make a list of all the items and their estimated value. The donation is tax deductible and may be worth more to you than the time and effort you would put into a garage sale.

A FINAL NOTE . . .

Having your home on the market can be a very stressful and trying time. Please keep in mind the importance of preparing your home for sale, and keeping it in “SHOW HOME ” condition. Think of it as “MONEY IN YOUR POCKET” because that is what it literally is.

The better you have your home “staged” for showings, the more money it will command from a prospective buyer and in a shorter period of time. The better prepared everything is the quicker it will sell.

YOUR EFFORTS WILL PAY OFF IN DOLLARS RETURNED TO YOU.

It´s very important that your home shows well. We´re also aware that it can´t always be perfect. After all, you and your family must live there, too. Develop a routine that will allow you to be prepared to show in a reasonable period of time.

This means that certain things must be done in advance. For example, beds should be made up first thing in the morning and dirty dishes placed in the dishwasher after each use so that you needing´t rush around tending to these matters at the last minute. This way you can prepare for each showing in an organized, hassle-free routine.