FSBO - Getting Ready To Sell

Now the you have made the decision to sell your home yourself, there are many things you can and should do before listing your home on the MLS. Here are a few recommendations:

Detach your Emotions

When talking with real estate agents, you will often find they refer to your purchase as a "home." Yet if you are selling, they will often refer to it as a "house." There is a reason for this. Buying real estate is often an emotional decision, but when selling real estate it is best to remove emotion from the equation.

It will help if you think of your house as a marketable commodity. Your goal is to get others to see it as their potential home, not yours. If you do not consciously make this decision, you may accidentally create a situation where it takes longer to sell your property. There are many things you can do to "de-personalize" your house, such as: putting away family photos, sports trophies, collectible items, knick-knacks and souvenirs, cleaning the house and putting away shoes, clothes, and other personal items.

The Exterior of your Home:

"Curb appeal" is the first impression your house makes. Keeping the grass cut and the outside area tidy will help make a great first impression. Your lawn should be cut, edged, well watered, and free of brown spots. Rolling up garden hoses and putting away gardening tools will help to give it a great first impression.

Check your landscaping. It should be at least average for the neighborhood. If it is not, you may want to buy a few bushes and plant them. If you have a flower area, bright and colorful flowers will help to bring out the beauty of your house.

The back yard should be tidy. If you have a pool or spa, keep it freshly maintained and cleaned. Pet areas should also be kept clear of "debris."

You may want to paint or wash the exterior of the house (including window casings, shutters, and doors). The newer things look, the better!

Make sure to wash the windows inside and out and check for cracks and ease of opening.

Also check the gutters and chimney and clean them as necessary.

The Interior of your Home:

Over the years, many For Sale By Owners (FSBO's) have told us that the number one thing a home seller should do to sell their home, is to remove any clutter. After years of living in the same home, clutter may collect in ways that may not be evident to the owner. We recommend taking a step back and looking at your home as a potential buyer would. Clutter collects on shelves, counter tops, drawers, closets, garages, attics, and basements. The goal is to have as much open, clear space as possible. It may be best to rent a storage unit for a few months rather than stacking boxes in space you may not have.

Painting interior rooms may be your best investment when selling your house. A fresh coat of paint can make a room look clean and bright. Remember that when choosing paint colors, you want to pick colors that will appeal to the widest number of buyers. An off-white color is usually a good choice because white will help a room appear brighter and more spacious.

Where paint is not appropriate you may want to wash with a little soap and water (i.e. wall paper, paneling).

Wash all floors and bathroom tiles. You may want to repair or replace any broken tiles, but be sure not to spend a lot of money doing it. Remember, you are not fixing up the house for yourself.

Leaking or worn-out faucets should also be replaced. By simply replacing them you can give a whole new look to the room.

Make sure to clean under the sinks and fix any leaks. Any damage that may have occurred can be cleaned up quickly by using contact paper or paint.

Unless the carpet appears old and worn, or is an outdated style or color, you probably should do nothing more than hire a good carpet cleaner or shampoo the carpets yourself to save money.

Frequently replacing air filters will also help to keep the dust down around the home while it is on the market.

Odor Control

Pay attention to pet and/or cigarette odors.

Apologies to pet owners, but pets come with odors. You may have become used to them, but they may be quite noticeable to potential buyers. For those with cats, be sure to empty litter boxes daily and use plenty of baking soda. For dog owners, it may be best to keep the dog outdoors as much as possible. You might also try sprinkling "pet odor" carpet freshener on the carpet before a showing.

Another idea is to place scented potpourri around the house.

And for a great "home" smell, pop a batch of frozen cinnamon rolls or home-made bread into the oven before a showing.

Above are some of the major things to consider when getting ready to sell your house. Other useful tips can be found on our "helpful links" page. Even though it may take you a little time and effort to get your house ready to sell, it should definitely pay off in the end. 

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