The Raines Group Buyer & Seller Guides Seller Guide March 2014 | Page 15

PRELISTING BOOK \ Condition

TIPS FOR GETTING YOUR
HOME READY TO SELL
Start Outside.

De-clutter your house.

Stand across the street and take a look at
your home from a buyer’s perspective.
- Keep the lawn mowed, raked, fertilized
and watered at all times. Reseed any
spots that need it.
- Remove all refuse, leaves, and clutter
from yards, sidewalks, porches, and
decks.
- Give trim, decks, gates, and the front
door a fresh coat of paint.
- Invest in a new door mat.

Clutter makes your house look
small and unloved.
- Put away ALL kitchen counter items.
- Remove cars from driveway or in front
of the home.
- Pack away framed family photographs,
figurines, vases, and other excessive
decorative items…
- Remove all extra blankets and pillows
from sofas, chairs, and tables.
- Put away all pens, paper, medicine
bottles, mail, and magazines from
countertops and office area.
- Minimize the amount of toys left out
by your children, inside and outside of
the home.
- Relocate high chairs or children’s
plastic/wood chairs to an area such as
the laundry room or garage during
showings.
- Remove dog/cat toys, as well as food
and water dishes.
- Put away all shopping bags, seasonspecific décor, and laundry.
- Organize your closets. Remove
unnecessary items and put them in
storage. Closets highlight the storage
space that your home has to offer.

Clean your house.
A filthy bathroom is the worst, second only
to a dirty kitchen.
- Re-caulk tile in the bathrooms if the
caulk is not sparkling white.
- Remove posters and adhesive from
walls and doors.
- Putty all nail holes and any other holes
in the walls.
- Depersonalize your rooms and
decorate them in a more neutral
manner.
- Clean or paint the basement walls and
floor.

Let the light in.
Wash your windows inside and out,
because dirty windows keep out light.
- Open the shades. Basically, people like
light, so if your rooms have dark colors,
you will want to consider repainting
them.
- Install high-wattage bulbs in areas
where needed.

Take a whiff.
If your house has an odor, that’s a huge
turnoff. Make it smell nice. You might
need an air filter.

Fix it.
Buyers feel that a house is not well cared
for if there are items throughout the home
that need to be repaired.

R A I N E S R E S U LT S . P R O V E N S O L U T I O N S F O R S E L L I N G Y O U R H O M E

- Make sure that all your doors work
properly. Repair or replace them if
necessary.
- Remove extraneous extension cords
and exposed wires.
- Clean, repair and paint all gutters and
down spouts.
- Make sure the garage door opens
easily.
- Fix dripping faucets as they may lead
buyers to question the plumbing
system.

Send your pets
to Grandma’s house.
A barking dog is unwelcoming. Plus,
people might be allergic to your pets.

Most Importantly…
- Do a pre-inspection of your home.
- Do a pre-appraisal of your home.
- Hire a professional stager.
- Don’t be afraid to accept the first offer.
The first offer is most often your best
offer.
- Obtain a floor plan of your home if
possible.
- Assemble house records for the buyer’s
review.
- Consider only written offers from
lender pre-qualified buyers.
- Enlist the services of a Realtor with a
professional marketing program, such
as The Raines Group, to effectively
showcase your home using both
traditional and digital methods.