After deciding it was time to buy a home that would better meet our needs, we set our focus on selling the one we were living in first. Here are things that we did that allowed us to sell our townhome in record time. These pointers may help you if you are at that stage too.
Paint – We painted the whole inside a basic neutral color. This color would serve as a blank canvas to go with anything. Trying to paint with various colors was not an option for us. The future homeowner could repaint it upon purchase.
Carpet – We removed and replaced the worn carpet throughout the house. Dirty and paint-stained carpet would not be a good selling point. Even though we kept it as clean as possible it needed to be replaced after more than 10 years of use.
Fixtures and appliances – We cleaned all the fixtures and appliances until they were gleaming and bright. A little polish and elbow grease goes a long way.
Door – We replaced the outside door with a new one and trimmed outdoor shrubs and added new plants to create an appealing curb appeal.
Garage – We moved all items out of the garage and cleaned and swept it out thoroughly.
Alarm system – We had an alarm system installed to add a greater measure of security even though we never had any break-ins.
Thorough cleaning – We cleaned the inside thoroughly removing, dirt, dust and grime on woodwork and windows and polished the floors that were not carpeted. A nice fragrant aroma permeated the house with the addition of pleasant smelling fresheners.
Termites – After noticing termite activity we had the home treated and repaired the minimal damage that was caused by them. We turned the contract over to the new owner for them to keep the service up on a regular basis.
Move in ready – We made sure that the home was move-in ready. The less that the new owner would have to do, the better it would be for us to sell.
Real estate agent – We hired a very experienced real estate agent who had earned several awards in the profession. He represented us so well that we hired him to work out the best deal on our new home. Although we could have sold it on our own we lacked the time and confidence to take on such a huge responsibility.
Negotiate – We were willing to negotiate. However, the new owner gave us our asking price with no negotiating necessary.
SOURCE:
Personal experience
