08 Nov 07 
Quick Tips to Impress Home Shoppers and Sell Your Home
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You could have dozens of home shoppers visit your house weekend after weekend; but if your home isn’t staged correctly, especially in today’s market, you might not sell your home.
The first thing a potential buyer notices when they arrive at your home is its curb appeal. Does your home have curb appeal? If not, start with mowing the lawn, raking the leaves and gravel, trimming hedges, bushes and trees. Remember, you don’t want your house hiding behind overgrowth.
Once you’ve revealed your home’s facade, ensure that the paint isn’t chipped, gutters are clean, walkways are clear and swept, and that the front door and all windows are cleaned.
The first step to staging your home involves removing any and all clutter. This applies to every single room that open house guests will view.
Start this process by removing personal effects—pictures, paintings, toys and games, books from overcrowded bookshelves, movies, CDs, and even throw-rugs; include any other objects which relate to you and your family on a personal level. Kitchen and bathroom counter tops should be cleared of all decorative items and toiletries.
The next step is to rearrange your furniture to reveal as much visible living space as possible. You may have to remove various pieces of furniture. The garage is a good storage space, but renting a storage unit is ideal.
If your home has been on the market for some time, and you have wallpaper on one or more walls, you’ve found out why.
Remove all wallpaper, patch all holes, replace electrical outlets, repair and if necessary replace floorboards and baseboards. Nobody likes to paint, but everyone loves a fresh coat of paint. Help to add character to your walls and to reduce potential odors by choosing neutral colors of semi-gloss paint.
Clean. Clean every room from top to bottom. Clean dust from air conditioning covers, radiators, ceiling fans and lights. Clean kitchen and bathroom fixtures. Clean carpets, floors, and tile grout.
If you have the means, hire a professional cleaning services. Once all main features and fixtures have been initially cleaned, maintaining their cleanness is a much easier fret.
When preparing your home for weekend visitors, be sure to air-out the house beforehand. Open curtains and blinds to let as much natural light into the house as possible and turn on all inside lights. Hide plug-in air-fresheners and add fresh flowers to the living rooms and dining areas. Turn off all televisions and select a mellow, smooth sounding, CD to be played quietly in the background.
Finally, ensure that your backyard is clutter-free. This includes many of the steps taken to present the front-yard. If you have a pool, make sure it is maintained and that lawn furniture is neatly arranged. It is also a good idea, if possible, to keep pets out of sight.
Keep in mind; if you haven’t already initiated many of the above provisions, you are likely losing out on a potential buyer every time an open house guest visits your home.
Tags: home for sale, home selling tips, home shoppers, homebuyer, potential buyer, sell your home
24 Sep 07 It’s Just Part of the Cycle
Not so long ago, at least it seems that way, I moved out to Chandler, AZ and thought I was approaching the ends of the world. I remember not having a gas station on the corner and having to drive a few miles to the nearest grocery store. I remember complaining because my friends lived about 10 minutes away and I couldn’t imagine ever seeing them again. I remember dirt roads and thinking that every one of my neighbors was as crazy as my parents were.
I couldn’t have been more wrong. Needless to say, things have changed, and the home in my old Chandler neighborhood is about as close to everything as you can get. I live a little further out now and have slowly seen the same things I saw over 11 years ago. Gas stations are popping up on almost every corner, a Target Super Center is just down the street, restaurants are starting to open everywhere, there are tons of shopping centers and Wal-Mart moved in…3 times (I think they’ve adopted the old Circle-K strategy!). This is the first time I’ve seen the growth of Arizona first hand, but I’ve been privileged enough to talk with some long time Arizona residents that have seen it occur over and over again. Arizona new home communities will most likely never stop developing; our state’s beauty and great weather has made our growth inevitable.
If you bought a new Arizona home recently, I wouldn’t worry. The housing industry goes through cycles and your new home’s value will increase in time. If you’re thinking about purchasing a new home and are worried, think about the good ole’ days when buying a home wasn’t about how much money you could make in a couple of years, remember back to when it was about more space, a nice living environment, and your family’s needs. I can remember those days…it’s unfortunate that I just recently started to again.
Tags: Arizona Real Estate, chandler real estate, homebuyer, new homes, new homes for sale, wal-mart
