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5 KEYS TO STAGING YOUR HOME
Buying and selling a home is one of the largest transactions
a person makes in a lifetime. Typically, it is not a transaction
that occurs very often and, therefore, frequently results
in mistakes that could have been avoided by more careful
research or buy hiring a professional real estate agent.
Edge Real Estate can provide you with some great tips on
selling your home for top dollar
A HOME HAS 60 SECONDS TO MAKE A
LASTING IMPRESSION, SO MAKE IT A GOOD ONE!
Remember the “60% rule” when
it comes to the home buyers decision-making process:
It has been determined that 40% of
The actual buying decision
is based on “curb appeal”- the first look
at a homes exterior from the street-as well as the property’s
location and neighborhood. Another
20% of buyer decision is determined upon entering the home. In other words,
sixty percent of the decision to buy a home is made
when the buyer enters the front door!
What is highest on the buyers “wish list” in
today’s marketplace? Most buyers are looking for
uncluttered home with free-flowing floor plan and
a bright, clean interior that offers privacy, peacefulness,
and security for the family. Many buyers also want a guest
room, office space, and an entertainment area for a big
screen TV, and a comfortable area in which to enjoy the
family and a good cup of coffee!
Here are some great ideas to get your home ready for sale:
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Put your home in tip top condition. Pay
special attention to the landscaping and front
exterior. Trim back trees and shrubs that block
windows, plant colorful flowers in the front, and
paint the exterior and trim if needed. Pay special
attention to front door, front windows and garage
door. Be sure that front yard is cut and trim.
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Get rid of clutter.
Builders
set up a model home with just enough furniture
to make the rooms appealing. Objectively evaluate
your own home. Remove large-scale furniture when
possible they make rooms appear smaller. Open up
tight traffic flow areas and highlight key areas
with lighting to accentuate the charm of your home.
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Make your home look spacious and bright. Change
the light bulbs to maximum wattage allowed by your
fixtures; open all shades, shutters and drapes;
and organize your closets. Have extra hangers in
the entry closet – room for coats. When replacing
worn or dated carpets, re-carpet everything the
same throughout the house. If painting the interior
use white or very light shades of color. This creates
and “empty canvas” for the buyers to
work with.
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Appeal to all senses. Make
sure home is free of offensive odors, and use
room fresheners to create pleasant aromas. Nothing
turns off buyers more than odors. Good aromas
include fresh baked breads, cookies, hot apple
cider and the sent of cinnamon. Potpourri’s can also work nicely. A
trick that works well is to place a few drops of
vanilla on aluminum foil and place it in a low
temperature oven.
- Hire
a top professional agent who is ASP certified -
An ASP agent (Accredited Staging Professional) that can help you stage your home so you can get your home sold for more money in the shortest amount of time. One
that understands the importance of making your home appeal to the largest audience. Someone who will develop a marketing plan and a plan of
action for selling your home. An agent that understands how to work with internet buyers and marketing to an internet savvy audience. Make sure your agent
is a strong negotiator and will close your transaction
without compromising the position in order to obtain
a commission.
Close disclosures information
Disclose! Disclose! Disclose!
We are in a new world regarding real estate disclosure!
Until recently, it has always been caveat emptor – “let
the buyer beware”. Today that it is more often
than not “Let the seller beware!” When you
sell your home, you don’t want open-ended liabilities
that can possibly come back to haunt you after the sale
is completed. Here are some simple guides you should follow
in completing you disclosure forms.
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Be as complete and as accurate as possible with your
answers to each question.
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Make accurate disclosures regarding dampness and moisture.
Disclose all known roof leaks or foundation leaks.
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Disclose details of any major corrections or repairs
you have made, or others who have made at your direction,
even when you believe the problem has been fixed. Provide
dates and scope of work done.
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If you believe that certain work needs to be upgraded
and you have obtained written estimates for the work,
provide those estimates to the buyer with and explanation
of why the estimates were obtained and the work not done.
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Disclose all recurring problems such as sewage backups,
other pluming problems, roof leaks, electrical shorts
or failures, basement leaks, cracks in walls, mildew
and so on.
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Be sure to disclose all know environmental issues,
such as the presence of asbestos, radon, soil contamination,
expansive soil conditions, etc.
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Disclose all known agreements between neighbors including
encroachments, easements or variances. Often property
lines and boundary issues come up regarding gates, fences,
patios and decks not within the required set-back lines
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Disclose known skylight leaks and windows that permit
moisture encroachment.
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Disclose known fireplace and chimney cracks or other
fireplace problems.
- Disclose any potential health and safety issues, such
as poisonous plants.
The basic premise for the disclose is to disclose anything
that might have a negative influence on a purchaser desire
to own your property or be a negative influence on the
price that a purchaser might be willing to pay for your
property. Show all repairs that have been done, whether
or not permits were obtained and note any work that is
not guaranteed by seller.
Your objective is to finalize the sale and not have a
judge be persuaded later on that had a purchaser known
of the issues in question, they would not have chosen to
pay as much for the property. It could end up costing you.
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