Gurnee Home Sale Guide for Homeowners Selling
No matter what your reasons to sell are, remember
that now is the time to start. The process of preparing a home
for sale can take a month or more. So, here's how to start:
1.
Buyers should be Buyers
Your Gurnee home may
look good from your point of view, but a buyers perspective will be
completely different. So step back and take a fresh look at your home.
Here's a quick guide to getting the most objective look at your property.
-
Take drive
around the block, and try to visualize your home and your neighborhood
as if seeing it for the first time. Consider your home's curb
appeal; does it need a now coat of paint? Is the driveway stained?
Could it use a bit of landscaping?
-
Pull
into the driveway and take look at your property. Do the flower
beds need weeding?
-
Take a fresh new
look inside. Take a "Walk Through" and Imagine how a real estate
agent would describe each room. Look inside every cabinet, open
doors, try the bathroom fixtures, turn on light switches. Is everything
in good working order? Are there any visible signs of deterioration?
-
Make a list of any
potential red flags. These are issues that buyers would see. Make
another list of the areas that are attractive about the house. Detach
from your personal feelings and be as critical as a buyer would be.
Keep in mind that your
Gurnee home has been a great place for you to live. However your Gurnee
home will be compared against other existing homes as well as an array
of new homes in and around Gurnee, currently on the market. If your
home is in good condition, you'll be in the running to sell your home
at or above market value in today's dynamic real estate market.
2. Clean Out the Clutter Before You Start
to Sell
Before putting your
Gurnee home on the market, get rid of clutter in every area --
closets, attic storage, kitchen cabinets, drawers, bath vanities, shelves
-- everywhere. Remember, this is no time to be sentimental: if you don't
use it, lose it. Potential buyers are seriously put off by clutter,
and most of us drag a lot more things through life than we really need.
Also, don't forget
the furniture and fixtures when getting rid of clutter -- most of
us put too much in too little space, which makes a prospective real
estate buyer think your home is too small.
Then, have a great
moving sale with all the stuff you've collected and use the proceeds
for paint or whatever other materials you need for repair projects.
If you just can't bear to part with some possessions, store them in
the attic or some other place that's out of sight to a potential buyer.
3. To Sell, Sell, Sell -- Clean, Clean,
Clean
After you've cleared
out the clutter, it's time to really clean. Have the carpets professionally
cleaned, strip and polish the floors, scour the bathrooms, go over the
laundry room, polish the furniture, scour out the cabinets, wash the
windows and window coverings, and spiff up the ceiling fans and kitchen
appliances. In short, clean everything.
Don't forget the exterior;
paint or pressure wash everything that needs the work. Remember, this
is a ceiling-to-floor, roof-to-foundation clean-up project.
4. Get More for Your Gurnee Home: Repairs
Pay Off
After you've cleaned
the place to within an inch of its life, the next project is making
all the repairs necessary to attract a buyer.
So, patch up the roof,
touch up all the paint, repair the screens, spruce up the porch framing,
and make your entry area really shine. Don't forget to water the lawn
and landscape beds, and take the time to trim, mow, edge and get rid
of sick or dying plants. Inside, fix the grout in the bathrooms and
on tile floors, adjust any doors that need it, fix any scratches on
the walls, cover any stains, and be sure to fix any plumbing problems.
Remember, do what your home needs before the first buyer appears
at your door.
Also, it's a good idea
to get all this done before getting the real estate broker to list your
home -- a good agent will advise you on what needs to be done. Also,
if you have friends willing to be brutally honest about what your home
needs to sell, invite them to assess the fix-up needs.
There is, however, an
alternative to the sweat equity you get from a total fix-up --but it
carries a price. An "as-is" sale keeps you from doing all this work,
but a buyer will deduct the amount for repairs from your asking price
before making an offer.
5. Putting Your Gurnee Home on the Market:
Show It to Sell It
After you've cleaned,
shined, mowed, and generally whipped your property into shape, it's
time to attract a buyer.
Regardless of who markets
your Gurnee home, you or a broker, there are other, small things you
must do to attract buyers. For example, even if it's bright daylight,
open the blinds and turn on the lights. Also, open all the interior
doors to make the Gurnee home appear roomier. Be sure to remove all
your kids and pets -- they're cute, but a prospect wants to see your
home, not your pride and joy. In addition, make sure you pet's litter
pan is clean so the home smells clean and fresh, not like air freshener.
Remember, you need to make sure your home is available to be seen
by a prospective buyer, anytime, with as little advanced notice to you
as possible. That means less than an hour, or even five minutes,
if possible.
6. Get a Sense of the Gurnee Real Estate
Market
Before you put your
home on the market, take a weekend day to check out the competition:
homes with similar prices and in similar neighborhoods. Remember, you
don't have to go out and buy new furniture just to look like that beautiful
new model in the new development -- what you want is the feel of that
new model -- clean, uncluttered, and fresh.
Remember, after location, the most important
item a buyer wants is a well-maintained home. Many flaws can be overlooked
if the buyer knows he can move in without a lot of trouble and expense.
Information provided by The American Homeowners
Association, Copyright© 2004
Gurnee Real Estate services offered by Gurnee's Top Realtors:
|
