Preparing the Exterior
Preparing the Interior
Clearing Clutter
Design Ideas

Buying a home is an emotional experience. How people feel about your home can be as important as its location, size and features.

In order to maximize the eventual sale price, make an effort to view your house through the eyes of a prospective purchaser.   Virtually every home can benefit from a pre-sale makeover.  Presentation is enormously important. This is one of life’s most important purchases and how the house looks and feels are very important.

Note:  we provide the following services for Sellers:

Home Staging Services - click here to access our Home Staging Pages

Seller's Home Inspections - click here for more information

Many buyers peruse neighborhoods looking at listed properties from the outside before inquiring with the listing agent to show them the inside. A first impression is hard to shake and if the prospective buyer doesn't like the house from the outside, they probably won't inquire at all. To get them past the front door you need to add some curb appeal.

Clutter and Cleanliness

No matter what physical condition the property is in, it should be clean, tidy and uncluttered.

De-Personalize the Property

You want buyers to view your home as their potential home.  Therefore, put away family photos, sports trophies, collectible items, knick-knacks, and souvenirs. Put them in a box or a rented storage area for a few months.  

Have a "Seller's Home Inspection"

There are two reasons why we recommend that sellers get their home inspected prior to putting it on the market for sale. 

• In a competitive market, you want your home to "stand out in the crowd."  By having a home inspection before you put your home on the market, defects can be identified and corrected.  
• A seller's inspection can help in marketing your home to potential buyers. 

If your home is in our service area, please do not hesitate to contact us for information, a quote or to schedule an inspection.  Click here to view our service area and contact phone numbers.

Create an attractive "HOME MANUAL" for potential buyers to look at

This is something that worked for us, personally, in selling a previous home and we often recommend it to sellers that we talk with. 

Purchase an attractive 3-ring binder (at least 2") and a set of clear tabs, to create a "HOME MANUAL".   The following are suggested sections in which you can provide information, manuals, instructions, warranties on appliances, schedules of maintenance, and those professionals who have serviced the property in the past.  You could also include helpful sections regarding schools, libraries, neighborhood information and community items.   Let Real Estate professionals know where your home manual will be left for viewing (not removal from the home).  When your house is sold, this is something you could give to the buyers at closing as a gift from you. 

• Deed and Plot Plan
• Copy of Current Property Listing
• Tax Bill
• Lawn and Garden  - (include types of flowers, plantings, trees, pruning specialists you have used, names and phone numbers of lawn-care specialists).
• Exterior  -  (include information on location of utility entrance cables, contractors (painting, etc.) that you've used in the past. 
• Well and Pump - list any information regarding location, size, depth and service records, as well as service companies that have knowledge of, and have serviced these components.
• Septic System - If you have a private septic system, it is always helpful to provide the exact location of the tank and leach/drain fields, as well as the exact location of clean out covers, the name of the company that has periodically maintained or cleaned the septic tank.
• Appliances - Instruction Manuals, Warranty information, as well as dates of installation and service contracts or companies that you have used.
• Water Softeners - manuals, warranty and service information.
• Heating, Plumbing and Electrical - manuals, warranty and service information.  Names and phone numbers of reliable professionals that you've used for service and repair. 
• Exterior & Interior Paints and Stains - The colors you have used on the exterior and interior and where purchased, can be helpful for the next owners to perform touch-up painting.
• Insect/Pest contracts or reports - If your home has been inspected for insects, include these reports.  If the home has been treated for termites or carpenter ants, provide this information, as well as any contracts that can be maintained by future owners.
• Utility Information - Names and phone numbers of current utility providers, such as cable, electric, phone, gas or oil companies.
• Neighborhood Information - any "Neighborhood Watch" activities or social things the neighbors do together such as play groups for children.
• Town/City Information - emergency telephone numbers, location of schools, libraries, town offices, registry, hospitals, etc.

For more specific information on how to prepare your home for sale and maximize the sale price, click on the following links:

Preparing the Exterior

Preparing the Interior

Clearing Clutter

Design Ideas

Copyright © 1999-2006 Sandra Maida
Last modified: June 25, 2007