For Owners

Getting the highest price for your home

Curb appeal is key and could make a difference whether people stop and take a flyer, or drive right by. Here are a few tips to increase the curb appeal of your home. I have compiled some ideas to present your home in the most effective manner.

1. Make sure your home is easy to show…and shows well

A home that shows well easily is a home that is readily accessible to buyers and real estate professionals. Be ready to open your home to prospective buyers on short notice. If cooperating Realtors know your home can be seen without making an appointment, they are more likely to show it to “hot” prospects.

Before the “For Sale” sign goes up, go over a checklist of must-do’s that include:

Cleaning: Windows, kitchens, bathrooms and garages should be cleaned and kept clean and neat in anticipation of buyer’s visits. Pay particular attention to the first things they’ll see such as your entry hall or front porch. Add some potted plants in these areas to make your home look more attractive. Don’t forget to remove oil stains on the garage floor or on driveways.

Clutter: Clean out closets, pantries and cabinets. Dust and remove clutter from open shelves. Keep magazines, mail, newspapers and books off table tops and counters. Clean out the garage and storage shed. Remove stored or out-of-season items from the patio or deck.

“Curb Appeal”: What impression does your home’s appearance make when buyers first drive up? Remember that first impressions are crucial! Remove and/or replace any dead foliage. Find another location to store boats, RV or “project” vehicles. Add a fresh coat of paint in any room where it is needed and see that walkways are in good repair. If your mailbox is old, replace it.

Repairs: Repair such things as minor wall or ceiling cracks. Oil squeaky hinges and gates. Replace cracked window panes, floor tiles and missing fence parts. If you are leaving your appliances, make any necessary repairs.

Lighting: Make sure the rooms in your home appear spacious. One way to achieve a feeling of openness is to make use of natural light. Keep window coverings open to outside light. Use bright bulbs and turn on interior lights during daytime showings as well as in the evening.

Do not: Burn incense or use a floral spray as some potential buyers may have allergic reactions to the fragrance. Best to open windows when possible for that fresh, outdoorsy smell.

If you will be at home when brokers arrive, do not offer any information to the visitors. Let your agent respond to all questions buyers may ask. Smile – and try to stay out of the way as sometimes the presence of a seller may inhibit potential buyers from asking questions or taking a second look around the house.

If your home will be vacant for showings, use a lockbox with keys to give Realtors The object is to help Realtors show your home to more shoppers. If an agent knows they can go directly to your home and show it to well qualified and motivated buyers, they will show it more often than those listings which require several phone calls just to make an appointment. Homes that are shown more often have a higher probability of selling faster at the highest possible price than homes that are not easily accessible to other Realtors.

2. Hire the Right Real Estate Professional

At closing, sellers pay a weak agent the same commission amount as they pay an active Professional who works hard to provide good service to the seller. A wise seller chooses the Pro who is experienced and knows the local market intimately (like me!).

A Pro will sell a home as quickly as possible for the highest price obtainable from the best buyer available in the market. A Pro will always tell you what you need to know rather than what they think you want to hear. If your goal is to sell quickly at the highest price, tell them so and then take their advice. Remember, it is also in their best interests to meet your goals..

A real estate Pro uses many other marketing tools in addition to the usual Open House and classified ads. The Pro will put together a marketing plan based on what they know from experience will work best for your type of home in your market area.

3. Quick Sale/ Favorable price. You can have both if you take advantage of the “newness factor”

“Newness” to the market (when a home is first listed for sale) is appealing to buyers who have already seen other homes for sale in the area. The day your home hits the market, those buyers and their Realtors will make an instant judgment about its price. If your home compares favorably with others they have seen, potential buyers will want to see it before others have a chance to make an offer.

Take advantage of your home’s “newness” appeal by pricing it realistically . As your real estate professional, I will act as your partner to show you all the factors that go into determining a listing price that will meet your needs to sell quickly and net the highest return. At the right price, your home will be seen and considered by many more buyers - which leads to a quicker sale with the highest net proceeds for you.

© 2008 San Francisco and Peninsula Estates by Anna Gandamana.