{"id":1901,"date":"2014-08-01T17:04:22","date_gmt":"2014-08-01T17:04:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/exclusive-realestate.net\/?p=1901"},"modified":"2019-07-20T23:52:18","modified_gmt":"2019-07-20T23:52:18","slug":"preparing-your-home-for-sale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exclusive-realestate.net\/?p=1901","title":{"rendered":"Preparing Your Home For Sale"},"content":{"rendered":"<!-- Place this tag where you want the +1 button to render. -->\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"g-plusone\" data-size=\"standard\" data-annotation=\"inline\" data-width=\"120\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- Place this tag after the last +1 button tag. -->\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\twindow.___gcfg = {lang: 'en'};\n\t\t\t\t\t  \t(function() {\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tvar po = document.createElement('script'); po.type = 'text\/javascript'; po.async = true;\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpo.src = 'https:\/\/apis.google.com\/js\/platform.js';\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tvar s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s);\n\t\t\t\t\t  \t})();\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/script><br\/><p><strong>Preparing Your House For Sale<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>First impressions matter.<\/p>\n<p>Buyers have many choices when it comes to looking for their new home. \u00a0Buyers are going to be comparing your home with other homes that are on the market. \u00a0There some things that you cannot change about your home, like the location, \u00a0but there are things you can do. \u00a0In some instances,\u00a0expensive upgrades like remodeling a kitchen or bathroom(s) might make sense depending on the age and condition of your house. \u00a0I \u00a0generally recommend, however, that you concentrate your efforts on less expensive improvements that will help create a positive impression without breaking the bank. \u00a0Some of the things you will want to consider include:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Landscape<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; How does your home look when the buyer pulls up in front of your house. \u00a0Is your lawn fertilized and neatly edged? \u00a0Will they see weeds or freshly installed mulch in your beds and planters? Are your trees trimmed and shrubs pruned? \u00a0 As a licensed landscape contractor, I can help you evaluate things you will want to consider that won&#8217;t cost a lot of money but that will make your home stand our from the crowd.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Exterior Entry<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 &#8211; \u00a0The second thing a prospective buyer sees is your entry, courtyard or front patio area. \u00a0Few things create a negative first impression like walking into a courtyard or entry that is \u00a0full of clutter and debris. \u00a0Flower pots with dead plants and\/or flowers, tired and worn out entry furniture, old newspapers and flyers, an old garden hose, kids bikes and toys&#8230;you get the picture. \u00a0It is not a pretty one. \u00a0I will help guide you and offer suggestions how how to create a positive impression. \u00a0Some of the things you will want to consider include planting pots with new annual color plantings or succulents \u00a0and shrubs that &#8220;dress up&#8221; your entry and make it inviting.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Front Door<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; When they walk up to your front door what are they going to see, a tired old door that needed to be stained, painted and\/or varnished years ago or a freshly refurbished door (or even a new door) that invites them in to see the rest of your house.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Fresh Paint<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; How long has it been since you put a fresh coat of paint on your interior walls. \u00a0Paint is relatively inexpensive and with a little effort on your part, a fresh coat of paint pays big dividends in the impression it can leave in the buyers minds.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Is your home clean?<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Few things turn off a prospective buyer as does a dirty home. \u00a0We recommend that you evaluate every room in your house and do a thorough cleaning. \u00a0If you are too busy to tackle this on your own and maintain it, a professional cleaning service while you are marketing your home is a very good investment.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0Is your home cluttered? &#8211;\u00a0<\/strong>A prospective buyer is thinking of buying your home, not your &#8220;stuff&#8221;. \u00a0While your home is listed for sale, I strongly recommend that you eliminate as much clutter as possible. \u00a0If you are honest with yourself this is probably long overdue anyway. \u00a0Store away or recycle all of those old magazines. \u00a0Box-up memorabilia and photos in anticipation of your move, pictures of your entire family tree are obviously meaningful to you but, let&#8217;s be honest, \u00a0in the eyes of a buyer, they are nothing more than clutter. \u00a0Think about those model homes you have previewed over the years. \u00a0Keep just enough &#8220;decor&#8221; to make a favorable impression. You might even consider &#8220;staging&#8221; your home by adding a few decorator items that are more up-to-date with today&#8217;s tastes and trends.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Is your kitchen clean and organized?\u00a0<\/strong>&#8211; One of the biggest &#8220;turn-offs&#8221; to a prospective buyer is to walk into a dirty kitchen. \u00a0Enough said. \u00a0The kitchen is, particularly in the eyes of a female buyer, is one of the biggest selling features of a home. \u00a0If your kitchen is in need of a major remodel, this may or may not make financial sense but at the very least your kitchen needs to be as appealing as possible. \u00a0This is an area where &#8220;staging&#8221; might help detract from the negative aspects and give them a sense that it is &#8220;workable&#8221;, at the very least. \u00a0You may want to consider replacing your kitchen cabinet knobs to give them a more up-to-date look.<\/p>\n<p><strong>And those Bathrooms?\u00a0<\/strong>&#8211; Another really big one, especially to the ladies. \u00a0A deep cleaning, a fresh coat of paint, new hand and bath towels neatly arranged. \u00a0If you have a shower curtain, replace it with something new and complementary to the design theme. \u00a0If your fixtures are old and worn, you should consider upgrading to new faucets, towel and toilet paper holders. \u00a0You might even consider replacing the knobs on your cabinets.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Windows and Window Screens\u00a0<\/strong>&#8211; If cleaning windows is not one of your favorite jobs, hire a professional window cleaner to clean all of your windows, inside and out. \u00a0Unless you recently replaced all of your window screens, I highly recommend having the screens replaced. \u00a0This is a subtle detail that won&#8217;t go unnoticed by the buyer even if it is subliminal. \u00a0One thing for sure is that they will notice the tired, old, dirty screens with holes and tears!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Backyard<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; The same thing holds for the backyard as with the front yard and entry. \u00a0Evaluate your landscape, your patio furniture, etc. \u00a0If your patio furniture is old and worn out, you may want to evaluate whether it can be rehabbed or whether an investment in something new would make more sense. \u00a0Keep in mind that if you do consider upgrading, this will be something that you can take with you as an amenity to your new home! \u00a0What about that old umbrella(s)? Is your umbrella old, faded or worn-out? \u00a0A new umbrella makes a great impression and is not terribly expensive. \u00a0The same holds true for that old bar-b-que. \u00a0If your outdoor grill\u00a0looks like is is a carry-over from your college days, you may want to invest is a new one. \u00a0Home Depot, Lowes, and even Costco sell a variety of reasonably priced grill that would be a great investment and upgrade to your new home, the stainless steel models have become surprisingly affordable and have a great look.<\/p>\n<p>These are just a few ideas and suggestions on how you can prepare your house for sale. \u00a0As part of my service as your real estate broker, I will work closely with you in identifying and prioritizing this effort. \u00a0I promise to be honest with you, after all, your goal is to sell your house as soon as possible for the best price and my job is to help you accomplish that.<\/p>\n<p>Not only am I a licensed real estate Broker, I am also a licensed landscape contractor (CSLB C-27 Landscape Contractor License No 896009). This makes me uniquely qualified to help guide you in preparing your landscape so that it enhances your ability to Attract Buyers and to Achieve the Highest Possible Sale Price for your home!<\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s start the process of selling your home! Call me \u00a0and I will get back to you with a Comparative Market Analysis and detailed proposal for marketing your home!<\/p>\n<p>I can also help you find your new home. The home that best suits your needs and lifestyle. Help me understand what you are looking for in your new home and I will begin the search!<\/p>\n<p>DRE Broker License No. 00877135<\/p>\n<br\/><!-- Place this tag where you want the +1 button to render. -->\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"g-plusone\" data-size=\"standard\" data-annotation=\"inline\" data-width=\"120\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- Place this tag after the last +1 button tag. -->\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\twindow.___gcfg = {lang: 'en'};\n\t\t\t\t\t  \t(function() {\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tvar po = document.createElement('script'); po.type = 'text\/javascript'; po.async = true;\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpo.src = 'https:\/\/apis.google.com\/js\/platform.js';\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tvar s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s);\n\t\t\t\t\t  \t})();\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/script>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<strong>Preparing Your House For Sale<\/strong>\n\nFirst impressions matter.\n\nBuyers have many choices when it comes to looking for their new home. \u00a0Buyers are going to be comparing your home with other homes that are on the market. \u00a0There some things that you cannot change about your home, like the location, \u00a0but there are things you can do. \u00a0In some instances,\u00a0expensive upgrades like remodeling a kitchen or bathroom(s) might make sense depending on the age and condition of your house. \u00a0I \u00a0generally recommend, however, that you concentrate your efforts on less expensive improvements that will help create a positive impression without breaking the bank. \u00a0Some of the things you will want to consider include:\n\n<strong>Landscape<\/strong>\u00a0- How does your home look when the buyer pulls up in front of your house. \u00a0Is your lawn fertilized and neatly edged? \u00a0Will they see weeds or freshly installed mulch in your beds and planters? Are your trees trimmed and shrubs pruned? \u00a0 As a licensed landscape contractor, I can help you evaluate things you will want to consider that won't cost a lot of money but that will make your home stand our from the crowd.\n\n<strong>Exterior Entry<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 - \u00a0The second thing a prospective buyer sees is your entry, courtyard or front patio area. \u00a0Few things create a negative first impression like walking into a courtyard or entry that is \u00a0full of clutter and debris. \u00a0Flower pots with dead plants and\/or flowers, tired and worn out entry furniture, old newspapers and flyers, an old garden hose, kids bikes and toys...you get the picture. \u00a0It is not a pretty one. \u00a0I will help guide you and offer suggestions how how to create a positive impression. \u00a0Some of the things you will want to consider include planting pots with new annual color plantings or succulents \u00a0and shrubs that \"dress up\" your entry and make it inviting.\n\n<strong>Front Door<\/strong>\u00a0- When they walk up to your front door what are they going to see, a tired old door that needed to be stained, painted and\/or varnished years ago or a freshly refurbished door (or even a new door) that invites them in to see the rest of your house.\n\n<strong>Fresh Paint<\/strong>\u00a0- How long has it been since you put a fresh coat of paint on your interior walls. \u00a0Paint is relatively inexpensive and with a little effort on your part, a fresh coat of paint pays big dividends in the impression it can leave in the buyers minds.\n\n<strong>Is your home clean?<\/strong>\u00a0- Few things turn off a prospective buyer as does a dirty home. \u00a0We recommend that you evaluate every room in your house and do a thorough cleaning. \u00a0If you are too busy to tackle this on your own and maintain it, a professional cleaning service while you are marketing your home is a very good investment.\n\n<strong>\u00a0Is your home cluttered? -\u00a0<\/strong>A prospective buyer is thinking of buying your home, not your \"stuff\". \u00a0While your home is listed for sale, I strongly recommend that you eliminate as much clutter as possible. \u00a0If you are honest with yourself this is probably long overdue anyway. \u00a0Store away or recycle all of those old magazines. \u00a0Box-up memorabilia and photos in anticipation of your move, pictures of your entire family tree are obviously meaningful to you but, let's be honest, \u00a0in the eyes of a buyer, they are nothing more than clutter. \u00a0Think about those model homes you have previewed over the years. \u00a0Keep just enough \"decor\" to make a favorable impression. You might even consider \"staging\" your home by adding a few decorator items that are more up-to-date with today's tastes and trends.\n\n<strong>Is your kitchen clean and organized?\u00a0<\/strong>- One of the biggest \"turn-offs\" to a prospective buyer is to walk into a dirty kitchen. \u00a0Enough said. \u00a0The kitchen is, particularly in the eyes of a female buyer, is one of the biggest selling features of a home. \u00a0If your kitchen is in need of a major remodel, this may or may not make financial sense but at the very least your kitchen needs to be as appealing as possible. \u00a0This is an area where \"staging\" might help detract from the negative aspects and give them a sense that it is \"workable\", at the very least. \u00a0You may want to consider replacing your kitchen cabinet knobs to give them a more up-to-date look.\n\n<strong>And those Bathrooms?\u00a0<\/strong>- Another really big one, especially to the ladies. \u00a0A deep cleaning, a fresh coat of paint, new hand and bath towels neatly arranged. \u00a0If you have a shower curtain, replace it with something new and complementary to the design theme. \u00a0If your fixtures are old and worn, you should consider upgrading to new faucets, towel and toilet paper holders. \u00a0You might even consider replacing the knobs on your cabinets.\n\n<strong>Windows and Window Screens\u00a0<\/strong>- If cleaning windows is not one of your favorite jobs, hire a professional window cleaner to clean all of your windows, inside and out. \u00a0Unless you recently replaced all of your window screens, I highly recommend having the screens replaced. \u00a0This is a subtle detail that won't go unnoticed by the buyer even if it is subliminal. \u00a0One thing for sure is that they will notice the tired, old, dirty screens with holes and tears!\n\n<strong>Backyard<\/strong>\u00a0- The same thing holds for the backyard as with the front yard and entry. \u00a0Evaluate your landscape, your patio furniture, etc. \u00a0If your patio furniture is old and worn out, you may want to evaluate whether it can be rehabbed or whether an investment in something new would make more sense. \u00a0Keep in mind that if you do consider upgrading, this will be something that you can take with you as an amenity to your new home! \u00a0What about that old umbrella(s)? Is your umbrella old, faded or worn-out? \u00a0A new umbrella makes a great impression and is not terribly expensive. \u00a0The same holds true for that old bar-b-que. \u00a0If your outdoor grill\u00a0looks like is is a carry-over from your college days, you may want to invest is a new one. \u00a0Home Depot, Lowes, and even Costco sell a variety of reasonably priced grill that would be a great investment and upgrade to your new home, the stainless steel models have become surprisingly affordable and have a great look.\n\nThese are just a few ideas and suggestions on how you can prepare your house for sale. \u00a0As part of my service as your real estate broker, I will work closely with you in identifying and prioritizing this effort. \u00a0I promise to be honest with you, after all, your goal is to sell your house as soon as possible for the best price and my job is to help you accomplish that.\n\nNot only am I a licensed real estate Broker, I am also a licensed landscape contractor (CSLB C-27 Landscape Contractor License No 896009). This makes me uniquely qualified to help guide you in preparing your landscape so that it enhances your ability to Attract Buyers and to Achieve the Highest Possible Sale Price for your home!\n\nLet's start the process of selling your home! Call me \u00a0and I will get back to you with a Comparative Market Analysis and detailed proposal for marketing your home!\n\nI can also help you find your new home. The home that best suits your needs and lifestyle. Help me understand what you are looking for in your new home and I will begin the search!\n\nDRE Broker License No. 00877135","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2168,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1901","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-preparing-your-home-for-sale"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/exclusive-realestate.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/sign-e1403980690502.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/exclusive-realestate.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1901","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/exclusive-realestate.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/exclusive-realestate.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exclusive-realestate.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exclusive-realestate.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1901"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/exclusive-realestate.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1901\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2979,"href":"https:\/\/exclusive-realestate.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1901\/revisions\/2979"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exclusive-realestate.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2168"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/exclusive-realestate.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1901"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exclusive-realestate.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1901"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exclusive-realestate.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1901"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}