Show Them You Care!

You might think that the living room or family room is the heart of your home, but in the eyes of potential buyers, there are at least three other rooms that will demand your attention as you prepare to sell your home for top dollar. Avoiding improvements in the following areas may cost you a lot more than the small investment it takes to impress buyers.

For buyers, the kitchen is often the most important area, and while you may not need to replace your cabinets, refacing or just sanding and painting will go a long way towards improving their appearance. If the floor is in poor condition, consider replacing it.

In the bathroom, fresh paint and new flooring are also fine improvements, but your greatest payoff might come from simply investing a couple hundred dollars in a new mirror and vanity.

The laundry room is often overlooked when it comes to improvements, but buyers will respond positively if you install built-in shelving and storage. If your laundry area isn't flooded with light, consider upgrading the light fixtures. While you're at it, that fresh paint and new flooring wouldn't hurt here, either.

Trust me that if these three rooms are bright, neat and clean, it conveys to the buyers that you are a responsible seller with pride of ownership, worthy of a full price offer.

It's More than a "Sale"

Our culture is fascinated with the concept of Do-It-Yourself, and it's no surprise that homeowners sometimes consider a DIY approach to selling. It's even the subject of popular television shows. Court TV is popular, too, but most people wouldn't act as their own legal counsel after watching a few episodes!

The label "For Sale By Owner" is a bit misleading. That's because in fact, ALL homes are for sale by owner, since the homeowner holds the title. In most cases, real estate professionals are employed to facilitate the sale, but do much more than just "sell" the home. They represent the seller and market the property.

Once you go beyond selling, it becomes apparent that For Sale By Owner really translates to Unrepresented Seller. It sounds fun to sell something, but it's not fun to be unrepresented in a competitive industry. Think about it: most buyers seek the services of an agent to save time and money. The seller is at a definite disadvantage if not armed with the same representation.

Unrepresented sellers report that the three most difficult aspects of going it alone are:

1. Pricing correctly
2. Preparing the home effectively
3. Understanding and completing paperwork.

Unrepresented sellers face more liability issues and lower sales prices than their represented counterparts. There's a lot more involved in For Sale By Owner than just the "Sale."