| How your home shows is nearly as important as where it is located when it comes to |
| selling it. You want to take every step possible to maximize what you can get out of |
| selling your home. |
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Create the best first impression possible with prospective buyers |
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Make people comfortable as they view your home and excited about the |
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prospect of buying your home |
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| There are many steps you can take to achieve these goals. Before you show your |
| home |
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Clean up the exterior. This will attract people to your home as they approach |
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it for a viewing or if they are simply driving by and see a for sale sign |
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Keep lawn cut and in good condition |
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Keep hedges and shrubs trimmed |
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Clear driveway and clean up oil spills |
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Touch up paint |
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Make minor repairs |
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Create space. This allows the spaciousness of your home to show through, so |
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that prospective buyers can more easily imagine how their possessions would |
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look in your home |
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Clear hallways and closets |
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Clear closets of unnecessary clothing |
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Remove any empty boxes and containers |
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Clear counter tops |
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Store excess furniture |
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Clean up the interior. This conveys your pride of ownership and allows people |
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to focus on the amenities of your home |
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Clean all rooms thoroughly (bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchen, living |
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room, dining room) |
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Clean all appliances (refrigerator, stove, washer and dryer, furnace |
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vents and filters) |
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Clean carpets |
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Clean windows, including drapes and blinds |
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Perform maintenance. This also conveys your pride of ownership and allows |
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people to focus on the amenities of your home |
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Touch up paint |
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Replace light bulbs |
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Repair seals around tubs, sinks and counter tops |
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Repair cracked plaster |
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Repair leaking faucets and toilets |
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Tighten door knobs and latches |
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Consider performing inspections to include in your seller’s disclosure package |
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to prospective buyers. In a fast moving market, having inspections |
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performed prior to offer acceptance can expedite the sale process |
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Pest inspection |
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General contractor inspection |
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Underground storage tank inspection |
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Other inspections |
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| When your home is shown, you want prospective buyers to be excited about making |
| an offer to purchase your home. While buying a home is a major financial decision |
| that involves a lot of thought, it is usually an emotional decision to actually write an |
| offer on a specific property. To create the proper mood when your home is shown |
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Turn on lights |
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Open drapes or blinds |
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Light the fireplace |
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Open windows or turn on the heater |
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Place flowers and plants throughout your home |
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Make sure every room is clean, neat and orderly |
