Jan 16

You’re getting close to being ready to put your house on the market and start showing it to potential buyers. So far you have prepared you house for sale, staged your property for showings, and priced your home accurately and competitively. Now you have to let the world know that your house is for sale!


This is where marketing and advertising your home comes into the process. You want to let every prospective buyer that is considering buying a home in your neighborhood know that your house is for sale, and and give him/her every reason why your house is the house they should buy. You’re trying to get as many eyeballs to take a look at the property as you can because the more eyeballs that you capture the more showings you’ll get, and the more offers you can expect.

Take Great Pictures

One of the first things that you want to do is take a bunch of digital pictures of the property. Do this on a bright sunny day. Take lots of pictures of the beautufully staged interior, and be sure to get plenty of the kitchen and baths. Also take lots of pictures of the exterior that include the freshly mowed and trimmed lawn and flowerbeds. You’re going to use these pictures for your property brochures as well as uploading them onto “sale by owner” websites. If you have a digital video camera you might want to do a video virtual tour, and post the video on YouTube.

Creat Compelling Property Flyers

In the article about selling your home using the internet I listed ChoiceA.com. If you sign up with them to list your property on their website they have a tool that you can use to create property flyers. You can also upload your property photos to their site. Microsoft Office Online also has a For Sale By Owner flyer template that you can use to create a compelling listing flyer. It’s a downloadable file. Once you download it you just insert your property photos and properety description.

Include as many pictures of the property as you can on the flyer, even if you have to print some on the back. People love looking at pictures and the more the better.

If you put together a video virtual tour of your home and uploaded it to YouTube don’t forget to include the URL somewhere on the flyer so they can take a look at the video.

Put a Sign in the Yard

This is probably the most obvious and fundamental marketing strategy to sell your own home. Putting a sign in your front yard tells all the neighbors that you’re selling, and maybe one of your neighbors knows someone who’s buying. A sign in the yard also tells the folks that are driving neighborhoods looking for homes that your home is on the market. You can get a For Sale By Owner sign at your local Home Depot, or you can go online and order one. Get a sign that is at least 3′ x 2′ in size, and fairly sturdy. Make sure you put your telephone number on the sign, and if appropriate, indicate that showings are by appointment only.


If you created and printed property flyers then you’ll also want to get a brochure box, or a tube, to place flyers in and hang it on the yard sign. Be sure to keep a close eye on the box and keep it filled with flyers. Drive-bys love to stop and pick up a flyer, and this is usually your first opportunity to present your home to a prospective buyer.

Sell My House Using the Internet

There is a complete article devoted to using the internet to help you sell your own home. Advertising your home for sale by owner in the local newspaper isn’t going to cut it these days. You have to take advantage of today’s technology, specifically the internet, to successfully reach the target market of people buying homes, because that’s where they’re looking for their next home.

Use Social Media to Get the Word Out

If you use Facebook or My Space or Twitter, use your sites as a vehicle to spread the word that your house is for sale. You can include pictures, upload your video, or provide a link to one of the online sites that you’ve listed your property on.

Use the local MLS and Realtor.com

Without question your local MLS (Multiple Listing Service) is the most powerful tool available to sell homes. This is because thousands of local agents use this tool as their source of what homes are on the market. They use this tool everyday to find homes for their buyer-clients. The local MLS also distributes all their local listings to thousands of brokers and agent websites, and to Realtor.com (the most visited real estate website on the internet).

In the article I wrote about using the internet to help you sell your own home, it was mentioned that 80% of home buyers search for their new home by looking online at real estate websites. 99% of these websites are fed their listings via the local MLS. If you want to get your home listed in the local MLS, and thereby listed on 99% of real estate websites including Realtor.com, then be sure to read Sell Your Own Home Using ForSaleByOwner.com.

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Jan 16

Are You Ready?

OK, now that you’ve done all of the prep work to make your house sparkle and shine, and have placed your online ads in all the very best spots. The brochure box is stuffed with your full color flyers, and you are starting to get showings. You’re ready to “Sell My House”. Someone has looked at the house and decided that they want to buy it. You are now about to receive your first offer on your home! Are you ready?

Negotiations

There will probably be some negotiating on certain elements of the offer. It is beyond the scope of this article to attempt to teach you how to negotiate effectively. However, I think its important to just mention that you never want to appear vulnerable or desperate. For example, never offer up that you don’t have another offer pending, or that you have to sell within 60 days. Statement along this line will give the buyer the upper hand in the negotiations.

If the buyer or the buyer’s agent If the buyers are working with a real estate agent then the agent will prepare and present the offer to you on behalf of his/her client. If the buyer is not working with an agent they will be presenting the offer to you directly. The offer should be in writing, and never verbal. Hopefully you took my advice and familiarized yourself with the real estate purchase contract ahead of time so you know what to be looking for.

Accept, Reject, or Counter

You basically have three options as a response to the offer: you can accept the offer as written, you can reject the offer outright, or you can make a counter offer. Remember to never take a low offer personally; in fact you should anticipate it, and that way you can deal with it a littel easier. And unless an offer is downright insulting, you shouldn’t reject it either. Unless the buyers have made a full price offer, or at least one that you’re satisfied with, you should go back to them with a counter offer. Make sure your counter offer is in writing. You don’t want the deal on your for sale by owner transaction to fall through at this point.

Items that need to be reviewed in the contract:

You and the buyer need to agree on the sales price. If the buyer is using a real estate agent, and you have agreed to pay an agent commission, be sure that you factor in the commission that you’ll have to pay out when you are considering an offer price. If there is no agent involved then of course there will be no commissions to be paid.

Earnest Money Deposit

The contract should require a deposit of earnest money in an amount equal to 1%-2% of the agreed upon sales price. The earnest money check should be made payable to a third party trustee, like an attorney or the title company that you have engaged for the transaction. The earnest money deposited by the buyer is forfeit if they terminate the transaction without cause, and the contract should clearly spell this out. If the transaction is completed the earnest money is credited to and applied to the buyer’s closing costs.

Loan Terms

The buyer’s loan terms should be clearly spelled out in the contract, including the amount of the buyer’s down payment and/or loan amount. The contract should clearly indicate that the buyer needs to come up with the funds required for down payment prior to closing, and failing to do so would result in defaulting on the contract and loss of earnest money. A low down payment may indicate a weak/risky buyer, but not always. As a seller you have the right to request a letter or other documentation from the buyer’s lender attesting to their ability to qualify for financing, and you can make your acceptance of their offer contingent upon receiving satisfactory proof.

What Stays and What Goes

The contract should specify what items of personal property are included in the sale. Appliances like stoves, ovens, and dishwashers usually stay because they are built in. But often times refrigerators and washers and dryers are included. These items should be clearly listed in the contract. If there are items that you want to make sure are specifically excluded from the sale be sure to list these as well. This will avoid any possible squabbles at the closing table.

Inspections, Appraisals, and Surveys

The contract should allow the buyer to inspect the property, either personally or by hiring a professional inspector. The contract should specifiy a deadline for the inspection to be completed. If the inspection results in problems the buyer may choose to terminate the contract (and get their earnest money refunded) or they may request that you make repairs prior to closing. It’s your choice. If you agree to make the repairs the contract remains in force, if you choose not to make repairs then the buyer can terminate the contract or he can withdraw the request for repairs and choose to continue with the transaction.

The buyer’s lender is responsible for ordering the appraisal. In the contraxct there should also be a deadline for the completion of the appraisal. The contract should allow the buyer to terminate the contract (and get their earnest money refunded) if the appraised value comes back less than the agreed upon purchase price. This happens occasionally, and if it does you should be prepared to renegotiate on the agreed upon price.

The contracxt should include a deadline for a survey to be completed. The title company will indicate whether or not a survey is required, and if so can provide the buyer with the names of some surveying companies. If the survey is required and indicates illegal encroachments that could closud title (for example) the buyer may terminate the contract (and get their earnest money refunded).

Closing Date

You and the buyer should agree on a closing date and it should be specified in the contract. If the buyer is unable to close the deal on the closing date then he is in default on the contract and his earnest money may be forfeit.

As soon as both you and the buyer have signed the contract your house is “under contract” and you can no longer accept any other offers. Once the buyers have provided you with their earnest money be sure and deliver it to your title company immediately so they may place it in escrow. The money still belongs to the buyer until the sale is completed or they officially back out of the deal.

This contract review summary is not intended to be all encompassing, and you should always have a lawyer review or prepare the real estate contract. Don’t ever attempt to draft a contract by yourself when you sell your own home; there are too many details that need to be dealt with, and a poorly written contract can cost you a lot of money, or embroil you in a lawsuit.

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Jan 15

Home Staging Can Help You Sell the House

The yard is neatly mowed and trimmed, the front door has been hosed down and the door knob polished, the carpets have been shampooed, and the clutter has been stored away. You might think your house is ready to sell.

Not so fast! Remember that home buyers want to be knocked off their feet when they walk across the threshold and thru your house. You may only have a single opportunity to get their attention so your house has to look like a builder’s model home.

Home builders know that their model homes have to be “staged” to create a very desired atmosphere, and they spend a lot of time and money to create that setting. Don’t confuse “preparing” your house for sale with “staging” your house. Staging a home is a process of arranging furniture, pictures and art for the walls; the use of broadly appealing colors and textures, and the best use of lighting and accessories.

Maybe you have a knack for this type of thing yourself. Or maybe your decorating skills are such that your house has always looked perfectly decorated and arranged. If not, there is plenty of professional help out there. Professional home stagers can use your existing home furnishings, and all they may need to do is do a little rearranging here and there. Or they can bring in their own furniture, art, and accessoriesfrom their warehouse, and completely re-do your interior from scratch. Or maybe something in between.

If you hire a professional home stager it is going to cost you some money, depending on the job it could range from $500 – $5,000. This could be a good investment if you don’t think you have the talent to do it yourself, or don’t feel like you have the right furnishing already.

People will ultimately make buying decisions based on emotions, and a properly staged home can create an emotionally inviting, relaxing, or comforting atmosphere, and staging might be just what is needed to help you sell the house.

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Jan 15

These days over 80% of people looking to buy a new house start on the internet. The days of advertising a home for sale in the newspaper classified ad section of the newspaper is long gone, for both real estate agents and the sell my house myself FSBO sellers.

The internet has been a true game changer for the real estate industry. You can significantly increase your chances of successfully selling your home by putting your home out there where the vast majority of buyers are looking.

Here are several excellent places to consider listing your FSBO property for sale (to go to the website just click on the name):

Zillow


I’ve mentioned Zillow in another article as an online source for property valuations, but Zillow is also one of the best places to list your sale by owner property. And best of all – it’s free! Zillow allows you to upload plenty of photos which you’ll want to do no matter which websites you’re using to advertise your home.

Craig’s List

Craig’s List is an online classified ads website, and it serves virtually every major city in the U.S. Craig’s List users number in the millions, whether as advertisers, or people looking for things – like your house! Craig’s List is also a free service. The best way to postan ad for Craig’s List is to first create it at Postlets or GoGoPin. Both of these are free sites.

ChoiceA


This is another great site for listing your home for sale. They offer a free listing package, but they also have two other options which you have to pay for that offer additional tools. But even the free package will create a website for your home, will allow unlimited photo uploads, will syndicate your listing to their partner site, and will also submit the listing to a number of search engines. Pretty cool!

Oodle


Another very popular classified ad website where you can post your sell my house ad listing for free. Again, you might want to create your ad first at Postlets or GoGoPin.

Bargain Network Homes


This site isn’t free, but it’s cheap. For only $1.49 a month you can create an ad, place photos and add a detailed description of your property. When you use this service your ad will also be placed in the AOL.com’s real estate section.

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Jan 15

When you sell your house as a Sale By Owner you don’t have the benefit of being familiar with the real estate contracts and forms that are used in sales transaction. It may be a good idea to contact an attorney that specializes in real estate to help draft, or at least to review the required paperwork.


The worst time to familiarize yourself with all the contracts and forms that are used in a real estate transaction is at the time a buyer is ready to present an offer. You may be receiving an offer from a real estate agent representing a buyer, or you may be receiving an offer directly from a buyer that isn’t being represented by a real estate agent. In either case it’s best to have a working knowledge of the contracts and forms before an offer is presented.

In my state of Colorado our Real Estate Commission has made all of the real estate contracts used by real estate agents available on their website so consumers can download them and review them. I don’t know if that is available in all states.

If your state’s Real Estate Commission doesn’t provide contracts and forms on their website here is an alternative that might be helpful: USLegalForms.com. This website has contracts and forms for all 50 states. There is a modest cost to download the forms but it is well worth the cost to provide you with an opportunity to read through and gain an understanding of the contracts and forms ahead of time and I would highly recommend it..

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Jan 14

Knowledge is the small difference between you and a real estate professional, or between you and that other “For Sale By Owner” in your neighborhood who might be competing with you for the same buyer.

You need every advantage you can get to out-market your competition. Here is a list of books from Amazon.com that you may find to be helpful and enlightening. Click on the links below the images to be directed to Amazon.com

The For Sale by Owner Handbook

For Sale by Owner (For Sale By Owner Kit)

For Sale by Owner: A Complete Guide: Everything You Need to Sell Your Home at the Highest Price Without Paying a Broker!

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Jan 13

For Sale By Owner – How to Price Your House

You’ve probably been giving a lot of thought to the question of “How much can I sell my house for?” That’s a great question, particularly if you’re serious about selling your house quickly. One of the most common mistakes made by For Sale By Owner home sellers is asking too high of a price for their house. Of course its human nature to want to be able to sell your home for the most amount of money, but if the price you are asking is unjustifiably high, and out of line with existing market conditions, then you are very likely to damage your chances of making a fast sale, and it can actually have a negative impact on the eventual selling price. Houses that remain unsold after a longer-than-typical marketing time are often assumed to have hidden problems, and often time buyers won’t even consider looking at a house that’s been for sale for a long time, and if they do then they’re coming in with a low-ball offer. Price your house accurately right from the beginning to avoid having your house unfairly stigmatized as a “problem house”.


How a Realtor Would Establish a Price – You Can Do the Same

The method that real estate professionals use in establishing a realistic market price for a home is the “comparison approach”. What this means is that the value of your house is probably very close to the value of similar, or “comparable” houses that are currently for sale, or have recently sold in your neighborhood. So this is the first place that you’re going to look, and you will focus on houses that are similar to yours. If your house is a 2-story house with 4 beds and 3 baths, then you want to look at what other 2-story houses with 4 beds and 3 baths that are similar to yours are selling for or have recently sold for.

Properties Currently for Sale in Your Neighborhood

An easy way to find out what the prices of homes for sale in your neighborhood are is to go to www.Realtor.com. At this site you can find every property listed for sale if it’s listed by a real estate company (no For Sale By Owner on this site). Drive around your neighborhood and jot down all of the addresses of all the homes for sale. Then go to www.Realtor.com and look them up by typing in the property address. Make note of the property features, try to gauge what, if any, upgrades the seller have made, and keep record of the price.

Properties REcently Sold in Your Neighborhood

The price of recently sold properties is really the most accurate measure of what home prices in your neighborhood are, because these prices reflect what other people have actually been willing to pay for the property after negotiating with the seller and having reached a price that was mutually agreeable. This data is a little more difficult to find but here are two sources. The first is Trulia.com. Look for the “recently sold” tab and then be sure to fill in the property details to match your home’s description. You can also look up property records on your county’s website under the clerk and recorder’s office. Again, make sure that you are looking at properties similar to yours and make note of the “sold” prices.

3 Online Sources for Home Valuations

You now have a little bit of data to begin working with, but the more data you have, the better. Here are four more sources that will give you estimated values for your home based on sales data of comparable homes. The first one is at www.Zillow.com. This is very simple to use. On the home page, in the box labeled “Find Homes”, type in your property address. Zillow will allow you to claim this property as yours, and then it will allow you to update your home facts and list any improvements. You will then create a Zestimate, Zillow’s estimate of the value of your house.

Another site where you can also obtain a free property valuation estimate is at www.RealQuest.com. Click on the Learn More button under RealQuest Express and then type in your property address on the next page. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that Zillow offers but it will give you another valuation to factor into your pricing decision.

One last source is ElectronicAppraiser. Unlike the other two sources that I’ve recommended which are free, ElectronicAppraiser charges a modest fee for their report. Their report is very comprehensive, however, and will provide you with an estimate of the current market value, highest and lowest reasonable price range, neighborhood property value average, comparable sales data, map showing comparable sales, tax assessor data, lot size, square footage, and a legal description and sales history.

Calculating Your Sales Price

You now have plenty of data to work with. You have a list of houses that are currently for sale, so calculate the average sales price of these homes. You also have a list of homes that have recently sold in your neighborhood, so calculate the average sold price of these homes. You still have two more prices to factor in: Zillow’s and RealQuest’s. You should now be able to calculate the “price range” of your home which is in between the highest price and the lowest price. The most realistic price that you can expect is probably somewhere near the middle of this range.

If you are satisfied with this mid-range price, then you want to establish the asking price at not more that 5%-7% above the expectant price. This is because you can anticipate that any potential buyers will make an offer at less than your asking price. If homes are priced well then the final sales price is typically 93%-95% of the original asking price. If you initially price the home at 10% or more above the realistic market price then you can expect a significant decline in the number of interested parties, as well as the number of offers. It could result in your house staying on the market for a long time and developing the stigma that “there must be something wrong with the house”.

Use Common Sense

The methods described above are intended to be guidelines for establishing a fair market price for your home, and generally follows the methods used by real estate professionals. There can be, of course, many variables that factor into the price of your home, so be sure to take these into consideration. For example, your house backs up to a very busy street and there is lots of traffic noise when you sit on your deck, and the view out of the master bedroom is of busy intersection. However, all of the comps that you looked at were located in the middle of the neighborhood, on quiet streets, and with quiet yards. Common sense would tell you that your home will not likely sell for the same price as the comps. Follow these guidelines and you should be successful in selling your home as a For Sale By Owner.

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Jan 12

Preparing Your Home For Sale

If you want to sell your own home successfully you have to put yourself into the head of the home buyer and ask yourself “What would blow me away and make me want this house?”

Home buyers want to be knocked off their feet when they visit your home. Have you ever visited a builder’s model homes? Did you notice any unmade beds, or dirty dishes in the kitchen sink? Of course not. Builders know how to market their “product”, how to create an inviting, comfortable atmosphere. You need to market your home like a builder; home buyers want the yard filled with flowers, the lawn mowed, the carpet clean, the front door washed, the clutter removed, all the lights on, and anything else that would make a “normal” home look like a “model” home.

When you set about getting ready to sell your own home your job is to do whatever you possibly can to give the prospective buyer what they are looking for in terms of condition and ammenities. You may only have one chance to do this when they visit your home for a showing. And remember, you’re competing with every other house for sale in your neighborhood for the same buyers. The condition and presentation of your home may lead to literally thousands more dollars in the price you are able to get for your home. If you make the effort to make your home show like a model home you can be assured that it will reflect positively on the price you’re able to ask – and ultimately on your bottom-line net profit when you finally get to the closing table.

Don’t get lazy after you’ve spruced your place up and put it on the market – keeping it in good condition while its on the market for sale is one of the most important and crucial aspects of successfully selling the home yourself. Above all else be neat and clean everywhere. This is the most important of not only the basic preparations, but also part of the daily marketing regimen. Rooms, closets and cupboards need to straightened up and uncluttered in appearance, and kept that way for showings. This helps make your home look as large as possible. Rooms that are cluttered with too much furniture can actually make large homes seem small, and lots of clutter is one of the biggest mistakes many do-it-yourself sellers make.

Alright then – Roll up your sleeves and let’s look at some house-keeping projects that will help you sell your own home successfully.

It All Starts with Creating Curb Appeal

The first impression that people have of your house is what it looks like from the outside. It better look sharp because some buyers make a decision to keep on driving just by looking at the outside of the house.

Here are some tips to make them want to come inside:

  • Make the lawn looks it’s very best by cutting, trimming, weeding and fertilizing if necessary. A great looking lawn makes a great first impression.
  • Trim the hedges and be sure to trim anything blocking windows or getting in the way of walking to and from the house.
  • Consider adding flowerbeds and some colorful annuals in places that could use some brightening, or add a nice potted plant at the entry way.
  • Fresh ground cover around the base of trees and flowerbeds give a fresh and maintained look for very little money.
  • Clean up the yard by removing all leaves, debris, branches, and other “yard clutter” to give a neat and tidy appearance.
  • Pick up all garden equipment and coil hoses neatly.
  • If you have a pool be sure to clean it and keep it sparkling and free of pool toys and pool equipment.
  • Straighten up all play areas and consider putting some fresh sand in the sandbox, repair any rusted or dirty swings, slides or other play equipment, or get rid of it altogether.
  • Give serious consideration to painting if the house needs it. A fresh coat of paint on the outside can make the house look completely updated.
  • How does the front door look? A fresh coat of paint and kick-plate can inexpensively transform a front door.
  • Clean or replace any dirty or dated porch lights. Clear away cobwebs.
  • Make the windows sparkle. Clean windows and repair any caulking or paint that needs attention.

The Entry Way Sets the Stage

The entry is where you set the stage for what’s going going to be going on inside the head of the buyer. The feeling the buyer gets when he first crosses the threshold will remain with him/her during the whole tour of the house.

Here are some tips to make the front entry experience a great one:

  • Hanging plants or potted flowering plants can add color and define an entry way.
  • Does the front porch light work? Make sure the light is on if buyers are going to be coming at dusk or after dark.
  • Make sure the doorbell works!
  • Is the front door is in good working order? Make sure there is no squeaking, jamming, or sticking locks. Make sure the buyers won’t experience any problems getting into the house.
  • Inside the house make sure the immediate entry way is well lit and is free of clutter, shoes, coats, and anything that takes up space.
  • Clean out the front closet of all unnecessary coats, hats, gloves and all the other stuff that typically gets thrown in the closet. Make the closet look spacious.

Making Your Kitchen and Dining Room as Inviting as Possible

The kitchen is the heart of the home, it’s where people hang out at parties and family gatherings, and it’s the most highly valued room by buyers, so you want to make it show it’s best.

Here are some tips to create a captivating kitchen:

  • Clean as much as possible off the countertops, including the coffeemaker, toasters, can openers, salt and pepper shakers, recipe boxes and dish draining rack. This will help your kitchen look more spacious.
  • Thoroughly clean all your appliances and cupboards, including the inside of your refrigerator, oven and microwave.
  • Make sure that the kitchen sink and your countertops are spotless and shiny.Also shine your faucets and knobs and use spot removing cleaner to keep them from getting water spots.
  • Many buyers will look inside cupboards and cabinets so make sure the inside is organized and clean. Make the cabinet look more spacious by storing non-essential items elsewhere.
  • Buyers like to see an eat-in kitchen but often don’t have the vision to see it as such without the furniture – make sure you have a table and chairs in your space.
  • Set the dining room table with your best dishes to stimulate your buyers’ imagination of the family dinners and dinner parties they’ll host.
  • Consider painting old or worn cabinet doors and carcasses. An inexpensive idea to update the look of your cabinet doors is to replace your current knobs with new ones.
  • Remove notes, pictures and coupons that are hanging off the front of the refrigerator door.
  • Remove screens from the kitchen windows because they take away from allowing natural light inside.
  • Take all trash out before your home is being shown. Garbage and recycling bins must be out of sight.

Make Sure the Buyers Can See Themselves Living in the Living Room

The living and family rooms are where your new buyers will do most of their “living” so you want to make sure and make the space as comfortable and inviting as possible.

Here are some tips to make the living room and family room appear their best:

  • Open all of the drapes and blinds. Walking into a home where shades, curtains and drapes are closed is depressing and a little creepy.
  • Get rid of big furniture – it can weigh down a space and make the space feel much smaller. Get rid of it and rearrange the remaining furniture if possible.
  • If your furniture is well worn and doesn’t look good consider buying, borrowing or renting what you need.
  • Patch and paint the walls if necessary. Paint is relatively inexpensive and provides a great return on investment. Stick with warm neutral colors.
  • Vacuum your carpets each morning. Think about getting your carpets cleaned before potential buyers view your house.
  • Clean your fireplace of smelly ashes.
  • During “showings” turn on all lights and lamps.

Make the Bathrooms Sparkle

After the kitchen, the bathroom is the room that gets paid the most attention and some inexpensive tricks can make your bathroom look like a million bucks.

Here are some tips especially for the bathroom:

  • Remove everything from the counter top, except  decorative soap sets, candles or fresh flowers.
  • Rinse out the sink, shine your faucets and knobs, and get rid of any water spots on them.
  • Personal items like hairdryers, makeup kits and hairbrushes should always be neatly placed in drawers or cabinets.
  • A fresh new shower curtain is an inexpensive investment with a big impact.
  • Keep your shower and tub area spotless. Buyers will look behind the curtai so make sure the area looks as good as it can.
  • Make sure that the towels match and that they are clean and smell fresh.
  • Scrub tiles and bleach the grout so it all sparkles.
  • Repair, or buy new faucets if they are leaky or worn out.
  • If the caulking is stained or cracking bright new caulking can make a huge difference in your shower and tub areas.
  • Always empty bathroom trash cans before showings and put the trash can under the vanity if you can – they take up floor space and you want the bathroom to appear as big as possible.
  • Put away things like toilet cleaners, plungers, and hampers which just add add clutter.

Make Those Bedrooms Look Big!

Bedrooms are a key part of the home buying experience. Bigger is better. Nobody comments favorably about “what lovely tiny bedrooms”. Just like other areas of the house, clutter takes up space and makes rooms look smaller.

Here are some tips to make your bedrooms look bigger and brighter:

  • Use attractive accessories on bedroom furniture like candles or flowers.
  • New bedspreads or quilts can really make a bedroom look inviting.
  • Make your bed look attractive and make sure the bedspread fits the bed properly and hangs down far enough to cover the view under the bed.
  • Just have a single good book on the nightstand.
  • Take down all posters, photos, drawings and awards in the kids rooms. You want the buyers to imagine the rooms as their own.
  • Remember that buyers are most likely going to look in your closets, so make sure the closets are as spacious looking as they can be by removing all the clothes, shoes and stuff that’s not being used right away.
  • In kids bedrooms be sure and put the toys in toy boxes or bins that can be shut closed.

Tips for Every Room in the House

  • Clean it from top to bottom. Clean houses have a competitive edge over dirty houses.
  • Get a fresh breeze going to air out the house and get rid of any “stale” odors.
  • Remember – think model home. Remove “extra” furniture and accessories. Make it appear spacious, not cluttered.
  • Clean and deodorize carpets, paying special attention to high traffic areas and stains that can be removed.
  • Check all the light fixtures and lamps, replacing burned out or low wattage bulbs with bright white bulbs. Make sure light switches are functional.
  • If the couch, chairs or love seat need some updating, try a neutral slip cover and add accent color with some throw pillows.
  • Check for squeaky doors, and add a little lubricant to get rid of the squeaks.
  • If necessary paint interior walls. Paint is cheap, and a great return on investment. It doesn’t have to be white, but stay away from bold garish colors. Neutrals colors are always the best.
  • Make sure the blinds work and that they’re clean. Keep them open to let in as much light as possible.
  • Make sure the house smells it’s best at all times. Get rid of all pet odors. Keep cat boxes clean at all times.
  • Store excess family photos and anything that is too much a reflection of your life.
  • Overcrowded bookshelves make rooms appear smaller. Clear off the shelves leaving only the larger books and lots of room on the shelves.

It’s a lot of work preparing your house to sell! But remember this – your investment in time (and maybe a little money) will pay off handsomely and will help you sell your house fast and for top dollar. If you’ve used this checklist to spruce up your house and get it ready to put on the market then your house is going to outshine 80% of the other homes on the market, and you’ve given yourself a significant advantage in your effort to sell your own home. Congratulations – you’ve overcome many of the biggest obstacles that any home seller faces when trying to sell by owner.

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Jan 11

The #1 reason that every year thousands of Americans make the decision to “sell my house myself” is that they can save themselves thousands and thousand of dollars by by not paying a real estate agent. Consider that a typical real estate commission these days is around 6.0%; the commission you would pay a real estate agent if your home sold for $350,000 is a whopping $21,000! Ouch!

Selling your house by yourself may seem intimidating at first. The Sell My House blog has been written for the purpose of giving you the tools and knowledge that you need to be successful in today’s lukewarm real estate market, and to hopefully give you the competitive edge you need in order to “out-market” not only the other FSBO sellers in your neighborhood, but also the real estate agents who are competing to sell their listings in your neighborhood.

Even if you follow this guide carefully no one can guarantee that selling your home on your own will be easy. The truth is that selling a home, even when you enlist the help of a real estate professional, can be nerve-wracking and stressful. But the fact remains that many people have successfully sold their home on their own and you can do the same.

You might not realize it but the only difference between you and a real estate agent, or another FSBO seller, is knowledge If you gather the right knowledge (and you will after you have read through the articles on this website) you’ll attract all the buyers you’ll ever need to sell your home for top dollar in a short period of time!

Real estate professionals will never admit this but this is the truth: your home will almost sell itself based on it’s own merits of price and condition. If you get both correct, and you are able to let enough people know that your house is for sale, your home will sell. However, if the price or condition is not in line, or nobody even knows that your house is for sale, then your home has no chance of selling (and that applies even if you have a real estate agent involved).

Please enjoy reading through the other articles on the site, and best of luck to you in selling your home now that you’ve made the decision to “sell my house myself!”

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