Tag Archives: home selling

Selling your Old House – Clean

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8967370_MThe one thing that makes the most difference when you’re selling a house is having it look and feel squeaky clean.

Dirty carpet, spots on the walls or sinks that aren’t sparkling makes people uncomfortable and a house look unattractive. If you don’t have time to clean your home yourself, hire a maid service to complete a professional cleaning. The cost of the cleaning will be more than made up by a better offer and a quicker sale.

It can be difficult to keep your home spotless if you’re living in it during the sale, but it’s worth the time and trouble. Simple steps such as making the beds, putting clothes away and cleaning up the kitchen will bring you dollars. Before you walk out, wander around your house with spray cleaner and a sponge or paper towels and look for stray spots and fingerprints. If you have kids, assign everyone their own tasks such as keeping their rooms neat and taking out the trash.

Wash the windows and make sure your sidewalks and driveway are swept. Trim the bushes and keep the grass cut if you have a lawn. Put the bikes away and any toys scattered in the yard.

Finally, make the house smell good. Bake chocolate chip cookies – even the pre-packaged ones are fine – to make your house seem more homey. Vanilla and cinnamon are also good smells for a home. Avoid floral scents or the plug-in or spray options. Those can make potential homebuyers worry about what those smells are hiding.

Clean and tidy will make your house inviting and inviting sells more homes. Take the time and you will feel the benefits in your pocketbook.

Selling your Old House – Fixes

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18572838_MWhen you’re ready to sell your current home and buy a new Fulton Homes property, take the time to analyze what fixes are worth doing and what to leave for the next owner.

Your realtor can tell you the best ways to spend money to make your home more inviting to homebuyers. Here are some of the basic steps when deciding on fix-ups.

Make a realistic assessment: After years of living in your house, you simply stop seeing things that need to be fixed. Walk around your home with a notepad and write down any easy fixes. Things such as leaky faucets, damage to the drywall or faded paint tells potential homebuyers that the house might not have been well maintained. If you have the skills, fix these things yourself. If not, hire a handyman and hand him or her the list of repairs. By having them done all at once, you will save money and efficiently have everything working properly.

Update your home’s look: Are your light fixtures dated? Would a new countertop or backsplash spark up your kitchen? Even getting new bedspreads on the beds can make a home feel fresh and inviting. Take a close look at your home. You might want to hire a decorator to come in for a few hours and give you some advice.

Let some things go: You won’t get your money back for some fixes and updates. Don’t get carried away with the renovations. If your home needs quite a bit of work, talk to your realtor about selling it “as is.” You may make less money on the sale, but you will have to invest less in fixing it up.

When you sell a house, you always have to balance investing in it with your potential return. Talk to several realtors to get the best advice on what’s worth fixing and what you shouldn’t worry about.

 

Selling your Old House – Clutter

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9831625_MWhen you’re ready to buy a new Fulton Home, if you’re already a homeowner, part of the process is selling your current home. You may want to check into the Fulton Homes Trade In Program. Many buyers of new Fulton Homes will qualify for the program, which offers three options for handling your current house. Visit our Trade-In Program website for information on your choices.

Even with help from Fulton Homes, you still will benefit from preparing your home properly for sale. The first step is clearing out any clutter. You’ll hear this from realtors all the time, but they may not tell you why this is so important. Here are three key reasons why eliminating clutter will help sell your home for top dollar.

Clutter makes your Home look smaller: Subconsciously, potential buyers who see a cluttered home think that the home doesn’t have enough closet or storage space. Clutter also makes a room feel smaller than it is. Many people want to buy a home to give them more space, and your clutter says they won’t find the space they want in your house.

Clutter makes your home feel too personal: People want to imagine the home as theirs. Your clutter makes it clear that the home is yours, so that they can’t picture themselves in the space. This is also the reason to eliminate any family photos, drawings and notes on the refrigerator, and anything else that makes your home obviously yours. People need that extra space to picture their own furniture and accessories.

Clutter distracts: Too much clutter can keep potential buyers from noticing the special features of your home. A fireplace that’s blocked by toys or magazines isn’t a focal point for a room anymore. Beautiful bow windows can be hidden by a room with too much furniture. Most people can’t visualize your home without all your things in it.

If you just have too much stuff to clear your home easily, rent a storage unit for a few months. And don’t dump it all in the garage – you’ll just make the garage look too small. First clear out all the extras, then eliminate at least some of the furniture – just keep saying “less is more” to yourself, and ask your realtor for advice as to when you’ve cleared enough to make your home totally sellable.