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Home Seller Tips
10 Ways to Make Your House More Salable
1. Get rid of clutter. Throw out or file stacks of newspapers
and magazines. Pack away most of your small decorative items.
Store out-of-season clothing to make closets seem roomier.
Clean out the garage.
2. Wash your windows and screens to let more light into
the interior.
3. Keep everything extra clean. Wash fingerprints from
light switch plates. Mop and wax floors. Clean the stove
and refrigerator. A clean house makes a better first impression
and convinces buyers that the home has been well cared for.
4. Get rid of smells. Clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate
cooking odors, smoke, and pet smells. Open the windows.
5. Put higher wattage bulbs in light sockets to make rooms
seem brighter, especially basements and other dark rooms.
Replace any burnt-out bulbs.
6. Make minor repairs that can create a bad impression.
Small problems such as sticky doors, torn screens, cracked
caulking, or a dripping faucet may seem trivial, but they’ll
give buyers the impression that the house isn’t well
maintained.
7. Tidy your yard. Cut the grass, rake the leaves, trim
the bushes, and edge the walks. Put a pot or two of bright
flowers near the entryway.
8. Patch holes in your driveway and reapply sealant, if
applicable.
9. Clean your gutters.
10. Polish your front doorknob and door numbers.
5 Ways to Speed Up Your Sale
1. Price it right. Set a price at the lower
end of your property’s realistic price range.
2. Get your house market ready for at least
two weeks before you begin showing it.
3. Be flexible about showings. It’s often
disruptive to have a house ready to show on the spur
of the moment, but the more often someone can
see your home, the sooner you’ll find a seller.
4. Be ready for the offers. Decide in advance
what price and terms you’ll find acceptable.
5. Don’t refuse to drop the price. If
your home has been on the market for more than 30
days without an offer, be prepared to lower
your asking price.
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7 Terms to Watch for in a Purchase Contract
1. The closing date. See if the date the buyer wants to
take title is reasonable for you.
2. Date of possession. See if the date the buyer wants
to move in is reasonable for you.
3. The earnest money. Look for the largest earnest money
deposit possible; since it is forfeited if the buyer backs
out, a large deposit is usually a good indication of a sincere
buyer.
4. Fixtures and personal property. Check the list of items
that the buyer expects to remain with the property and be
sure it’s acceptable.
5. Repairs. Determine what the requested repairs will cost
and whether you’re willing to do the work or would
rather lower the price by that amount.
6. Contingencies. See what other factors the buyer wants
met before the contract is final—inspections, selling
a home, obtaining a mortgage, review of the contract by
an attorney. Set time limits on contingencies so that they
won’t drag on and keep your sale from becoming final.
7. The contract expiration date. See how long you have
to make a decision on the offer.
This information brought to you by Realtor®.org.
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