Preparing your property for sale

Preparing your property for sale

Are you thinking of selling your property? Before Algarve Property World begins showing your home, you will want to make sure its in tip-top condition. An attractive, well-kept home generally has a better chance of selling a little faster.

Minor exterior and interior improvements can add value to your home and need not require a large renovation bill. Think back to what first attracted you to your home; now determine how best to highlight and improve your home's best features.

Here are a few ideas to help you perk-up your homes appearance. Consult with Algarve Property World to see what types of improvements make the most sense.

Start with the outside: an inviting exterior ensures that potential buyers will inspect the interior.

1.) Keep lawns and gardens well maintained.

2.) Replace any damaged roof shingles, eaves troughs or cracked windows.

3.) Ensure garage and porch areas are free of clutter and refuse.

4.) Wash windows, gutters, mailbox and doors.

5.) Secure loose shutters or awnings.

The inside story:

You can do a lot to improve the inside of your home without spending a great deal of money. Two primary areas to keep in mind are the kitchen and bathroom

1.) Ensure kitchen and bathrooms are sparkling clean.

2.) Steam clean or replace a carpet if necessary.

3.) Thoroughly clean every room in the house, remove all clutter.

4.) Repaint dingy walls or kitchen cabinets with a neutral colour.

5.) Replace worn or outdated countertops and cracked light-switch plates.

6.) Remove any items (like chandeliers) that won't be included in the sale of the house.

Remember, the more effort put into the initial clean up, the easier it will be to keep your home looking its best for visits from your Realtor with prospective buyers. As well, keep in mind that rooms that are too cluttered will give the impression that they're much smaller than their true size. Try to create a feeling of spaciousness when conducting your spruce-up

Pre-show checklist:

1.) As a courtesy to buyers, leave the house while the Estate Agent is conducting a showing.

2.) If you have pets, get them out of the way, preferably out of the house. Not everyone may share your love of animals. Some may even be allergic to them.

3.) Ensure that every room is tidy, well aired and adequately lit.

4.) Open drapes to maximize natural light.

5.) Keep all stairways and hallways clear.

6.) Use finishing touches like fresh flowers and candles

Before your house is shown:

1.) Tag or remove items not included in the sale (i.e. plants, drapes, chandeliers etc.)

2.) At night turn on porch light and all outdoor lighting.

3.) Tidy all the rooms, neatness makes the room easier to view.

4.) Clean dirty dishes in the sink and put away any dishes on the counter.

Getting prepared

You know the feeling well. You see a beautiful house, and you just know that you'd like to live there. That's what you want prospective buyers to feel when they see your home. The deciding factor in most home sales is the Curb Appeal and attractiveness of the house.

What makes one property go on the market, have a number of showings in the first week and have a contract in place shortly thereafter, while an apparently similar house sits on the market for months? Of course, luck may have a little to do with it, but there is a good chance that the quick selling house (and its owner) was prepared to sell while the other house and owner was not.

What we are about to tell you may come as a bit of a shock, but it is essential to look at this objectively. Prepare yourself to sell your house. Do your best to see the house, no longer as your home, but as a product to be marketed. This takes some work, especially if you have been in the home for a number of years and have many memories there, but it is necessary if you want to maximize your potential.

Stand back and look at your house as objectively as possible. Would you buy this home?

Do what is necessary to make your house stand out from the competition.

Remove most of the imprint you have made on the house

Having a few family pictures around is fine, but if your house is a "shrine" to your family --walls full of personal pictures-- you should take some steps to depersonalise it. Buyers must be able to envision themselves in the house. Reduce distractions, and help "would-be" buyers visualize making it their home. A home that appears indelibly stamped with your personality and style can be harder to sell. Your goal is to make your home look like a suite in a fine hotel.

An important point to remember is to never have to apologize for the appearance of your home. Keep it ready to show all the time!

Setting The Stage

It is estimated that more than half of all properties are sold before the buyers even get out of their cars. So stand across the street from your house and review its curb appeal.

A buyer knows in the first minute whether they are interested enough to stay and look at a house," says Susan Bowman, a realtor in England. "Staging can be a big help because most buyers can't see through the clutter. I have a person who comes in and rearranges the furniture and creates focal points. Most sellers are overwhelmed and don't know where to begin. If the seller invests a little in having someone come in and help them, they can probably add 10% - 25% to the closing price."

Prepare Your Home For Listing

Sanitize your house. Give your property the spring-cleaning to end. All spring cleaning Buyers will believe rightly or wrongly that a clean home indicates a well-maintained home, and will feel more comfortable about moving in. If you have neither the time nor the muscles to do a thorough cleaning job, hire a service to do the job for you. Every Euro you spend having the home cleaned will be repaid with two Euros added to your bottom line.

Make Your Home Look Spacious

Get rid of everything extraneous, and keep things shipshape. Admit as much daylight as possible: Open drapes and curtains, remove hanging plants from windows, which block the fight. Decide what you will sell, give away or throw away when you move, then do so before you begin showing your home. Clutter turns buyers off and makes spaces look smaller. Empty out crammed closets, pack away extra books and rarely used china, and sort out attic and basement storage spaces to avoid the flea market look. You'll have to do this before you pack up to move anyway. Put things in commercial storage if that's what it takes.

No, dont wait till packing-day!!

Real Estate for sale at Algarve Property World Estate Agency