Oakland Hills 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 Oakland Hills 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.
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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?
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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 Oakland Hills
home has been a great place for you to live. However your Oakland Hills home
will be compared against other existing homes as well as an array of
new homes in and around Oakland Hills, 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 Oakland Hills
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 Oakland Hills 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 Oakland Hills 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
Oakland Hills 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 Oakland Hills 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 Oakland Hills 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
Oakland Hills Real Estate services offered by Oakland Hills's Top Realtor:
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