Outgrowing your place? Downsizing? Relocating? Whatever the reason, it may be the right time to sell real estate. Consider the following simple tips to give yourself a head start and present your home in the best possible light. First impressions count and you must appeal to potential buyers’ sense of sight, “taste” and even smell.
1. Clean, declutter and take photos. Clean and decluttered space is welcoming and inviting. Do not ignore the importance of good, thorough cleaning. Deep cleaning of the kitchen and the bathrooms is a must. Homebuyers pay a great deal of attention to these areas. Any visible stains on the carpet or on your couch should be taken care of and your list of projects should include: getting rid of cobwebs, cleaning windows and floors, dusting and clearing of all the surfaces such as countertops. Box all the items that are unnecessary and remove piles of
books, clothes hanging on the chair and make beds. Before the professional photographer arrives, it is a good idea to take some photos yourself. Seeing your home in photos might draw your attention to different details and objects. This may even give you an idea to move some furniture around to make your home more presentable “in person” and in photos.
2. Let there be light. Make sure every room has functioning and sufficient lighting.
A room might look great in a photo because the photographer may compensate for the lack of lighting with a flash, but when the visitors tour your home, they want to see everything your home has to offer with the proper lighting.
3. Repairs, fixes and coat of fresh paint. Fix all the little things to ensure they don’t end up on the buyer’s inspection report. This may be a doorknob, lightswitch, drawers, window screens, cabinet handles, etc. If a certain room needs a coat of fresh paint, pick a neutral, light color. Keep in mind that many new owners might want to style and decorate their new nest according to their own tastes and needs. So, for example, if you are thinking of upgrading the faucets in the bathroom, pick simple, clean style.
4. Great Curb Appeal is inviting. The outside of your home, backyard and overall curb appeal count and may earn you extra points with the potential buyers. Again, de-clutter and clean as much as possible and make sure to improve the landscaping. Broken fence? Fix it if you can!
5. Sense of smell. Let’s not underestimate the less obvious feature of your home: its smell. The main point is to get rid of the source of bad odor and not to mask it with the air freshener. And nothing is better than a breath of fresh air: so remember to open the windows before the showings to welcome the visitors.
More to get you ready…
Gather all the necessary paperwork and documents including deed, title
paperwork, loan documents, homeowner’s insurance, appliance warranties, service contracts, etc. And make sure that there are no open permits with the town if you did some house upgrades/projects.
If you own a property in West Milford, you are probably aware that many homes in the area come with unique features such as septic systems. If you are not sure what is the condition of the septic system, you might want to consider inspecting it before you put the house on the market in order to avoid surprises and delays during the sale process. Also, some homeowners will do the oil tank sweep if they are unsure if there
are any abandoned oil tanks underground on the property.
I work in Passaic, Bergen, Morris and Sussex Counties. I am a Sales Associate at Coldwell Banker Realty located at 1450 Rt. 23 in Butler NJ. My aim is to bring every transaction to a successful, timely conclusion and deliver more than my clients expect.
Please contact me if you think you or your friends and family would benefit from my services.
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