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Health & Fitness

How to Prepare for a Home Sale: The Realtor's Point of View

Should you spend money on preparing your property to sell? The realtor's point of view.

As a realtor, I can't tell you how many times I've heard sellers say, "Should I spend money on fixing up my house if I am planning on moving?" or "Shouldn't I save my money to put towards making improvements to my new home?" 

Here's the answer, short and sweet. In most cases, YES! You spend some money on your property because you want to sell you house and move! Remember that whoever will be contemplating buying your home wants to see that it has been well cared for and maintained. The better your home looks, the cleaner it is and the less clutter there is, the more potential buyers are given the impression that it has been well cared for and maintained. 

The last thing you want a potential buyer to think is, "There's a project...there's another project and one that will cost a lot of money to fix, paint, repair, clean, etc."

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One other thing to keep in mind is that most often these are things that you already know need doing and so will your potential buyers. If you haven't wanted to make these repairs yourself, neither will the buyers.

Now, there are buyers out there looking for "fixer uppers." Any idea why? You guessed it, they are looking for a deal. I know my husband and I were those buyers 17 years ago....and we got a deal! However, if you are trying to get top dollar for your property, as so many of you are these days, you don't want the buyers who are looking for a fixer. This is where it pays to spend a little money to make those repairs first before showing and marketing your home.

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My best advice is to start by making a list of all of those little projects that you always said you would tackle some day. Painting the bedroom, replacing that God-awful vanity in the main bathroom, replacing the vinyl flooring in the kitchen with tile or wood, cleaning out the garage, cleaning the basement (you see where I'm going with this). Price out these items one by one. Figure out a realistic budget for yourself, and then talk to a professional realtor with some experience in this area who can help guide you where you may get the most bang for your buck.  Then get busy!

Bottom line, make it sparkle and shine! Make it better than the competition, price it right and you will sell (even in today's market). 

Tune in next time for Part II--some inexpensive tips for prepping your property to sell.

That's the way I see it anyway.'Til next time, Diane G.- the realtor's point of view. 

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