REAL ESTATE AGENT
You may be ready to move on , but to make that happen it is important to get your house ready to sell . The time you invest in getting your house ready to sell can have significant impact on how long it takes to find a buyer and what that buyer is willing to pay .
It ’ s time to think differently about your house . Potential buyers are not touring your house to see how you live in it ; they are looking at how they would live in the house and whether it accommodates their needs . Here are five tips to help you take charge of what a potential buyer experiences as they evaluate your house to purchase .
CURB APPEAL
It takes about one minute for potential buyers to have a first impression of your home , and this impression stays with them even after they have walked through the entire house .
To understand how your house appears to strangers , drive up to your house and park on the street . Walk slowly to the front door . People look at the yard and landscaping , notice how well kept the walkways are , if the main entrance is welcoming and the impression they have as they first enter the house . Ask yourself what kind of impression this first minute would make and take the time to maximize this initial exposure .
APPLY THE RULE “ LESS IS BEST ”
Get rid of clutter both inside and out . Inside , de-cluttering includes taking out unnecessary furniture and simplifying your décor . The results may not be the way you want to live in your house , but it is the best way to show your house to others . Your objective is to make every room look bigger and more spacious .
REAL ESTATE AGENT
ARE YOU READY TO SELL YOUR HOUSE ?
Make Sure Your House Is Ready , Too
Buyers want to look at the house , not the way it is decorated . The less you have in a room , the better people are able to see how their furniture and lifestyle will fit . Consider using off-site storage if necessary . In the kitchen , put away your everyday items so the counters are clear . Add flowers or just a few decorative pieces . If you have hardwood floors , remove large area rugs that cover up the flooring . This helps rooms look more spacious and shows off hardwood flooring that is so popular today .
LIGHTING
Make rooms as bright as possible . Light up dark places and change light bulbs to a higher wattage . One of the first comments from buyers when they like a house is “ it has great light ” and “ the house gets a lot of sunlight .” Turn on all of the lights and , if it ’ s sunny , open the curtains before showing a house to potential buyers . On sunny days open the curtains . You should also clean the windows ; you want to bring in sunlight , not show the dirt .
ORGANIZE CLOSETS
Organizing closets can be a daunting task for those who pile clothes and other items into closets with the “ out of sight , out of mind ” approach . However , closets and storage space are important to buyers , and they will look in your closets . Make sure they get the right impression ! Disorganized and cluttered space suggests that there isn ’ t enough storage space in the house . Organized closets and storage areas show that you have plenty of closets and storage .
ADDRESS ISSUES OF MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP
Do an inventory of all maintenance and upkeep jobs that need to be addressed . Some of the most noticeable issues to homebuyers are cracked and deteriorating masonry , broken glass , missing roof tiles , rotted boards and loose railings . It is well worth the time and money to do these repairs or have them done . If these types of items are not addressed when you to show the house , they will be brought up during the home inspection and in price negotiations .
In some markets sellers have a pre-listing inspection . This can cost several hundred dollars but will prepare the sellers for what might need to be taken care of and what is likely to come up during a buyer ’ s home inspection . It is better not to have surprises .
Preparing your house to show well can make a significant difference in how long it takes to sell and the price buyers are willing to pay . A wellstaged home allows the potential buyer to see how they would use the space and how well it accommodates their needs . Proper lighting , lack of clutter and obvious care and maintenance are important factors when buyers are comparing homes they are considering to purchase .
Research — How Our Winners Are Chosen
• The 2017 Five Star Real Estate Agents , do not pay a fee to be included in the research or the final list .
• Each professional is screened against state governing bodies to verify that licenses are current and no disciplinary actions are pending .
• The inclusion of a real estate agent on the final lists should not be construed as an endorsement by Five Star Professional or Texas Monthly .
• The research process incorporates a statistically valid sample in order to identify the professionals in the local market who score highest in overall satisfaction . These professionals are not included on the list unless their score is statistically valid .
• Five Star Professional surveyed residents in the Houston region © 2017 Five Star Professional
who purchased a home priced at more than $ 150,000 within a six-month period ( July 2016 to December 2016 ) to identify real estate professionals . Evaluations were collected by phone and online at www . fivestarprofessional . com / homesurvey . The final list of 2017 Houston Five Star award winners is a select group , representing less than 1 percent of real estate agents in the area . To see the full list of winners visit www . fivestarprofessional . com .
Determination of Award Winners
Professionals who satisfied each of the following objective criteria were named 2017 winners :
Evaluation Criteria :
1 . Qualifying rating Eligibility Criteria :
2 . Holds an active license and employed in their field for a minimum of three years
3 . Favorable regulatory and complaint history review 4 . Satisfies minimum production on a one year and three year basis 5 . Successful completion of a Blue Ribbon Panel review
Real estate agents are pooled only with other candidates from their profession .
For a detailed look at each of our research methodologies , go to fivestarprofessional . com / public / research .
© 2017 Five Star Professional