Valley Real Estate

A well-manicured lawn, neatly trimmed shrubs and a clutter-free porch welcome prospects. So does a freshly painted – or at least freshly scrubbed – front door. If it’s autumn, rake the leaves. If it’s winter, shovel the walkways. The fewer obstacles between prospects and the true appeal of your home, the better.

Clean up the living room, the bathroom, the kitchen. If your woodwork is scuffed or the paint is fading, consider some minor redecoration. Remove wallpaper that may date your home and add a fresh coat of paint instead. Buyers would rather see a finished product than 'possibilities'.

Dripping water, discolored sinks suggests your plumbing has seen better days. Lights that don't light and switches that won't switch turn buyers off. These may be minor problems, but detract big time from everything that's right with your home.

Cabinets door that stick or closet doors that squeak and won't open smoothly   remain stuck in the buyer's mind. Eliminate all these sticky situations. A little effort on your part can smooth the way toward a closing.

Is your house booby trapped? - roller skates on the stairs, festooned extension cords, slippery throw rugs and low hanging overhead lights. Correct these situations. Make your home as safe as possible.

Potential buyers want to see space. Get some by cleaning out your attic, basement, and closets and throwing out all unnecessary items.

So open up some space by removing at least 50% of the home's furnishings and strategically arranging the remaining pieces to highlight the features of each room (the fireplace, a bay window, a peaceful reading area, etc.). Rent space in a storage facility or even use the garage to store the pieces you don't need. The way you live in a home, is not how you sell a house. In the buyer's eye, a room with a lot of space will easily hold all the furniture they have to move into it.

An organized closet, appears larger. Think in terms of removing at least 80% of everything in your closets. You're moving anyway, so box up  those unwanted clothes and donate them to charity.

Kitchens and Bathrooms sell homes, so let them shine. In the Bath, check and repair damaged or unsightly caulking in the tubs and showers. Display your best towels, mats, and shower curtains. In the Kitchen remove all the pictures and magnets from the fridge. Get rid of everything you can from atop the counters.

Wake up prospects to the cozy comforts of your bedrooms. For a spacious look, get rid of excess furniture. Colorful bedspreads and fresh curtains are a must.