Getting Your House
READY TO SELL
$5.95 US $6.95 CANADA 99 WAYS TO STAGE YOUR HOME FOR A PROFITABLE SALE 19 WAYS LANDCAPING MAKES YOU MONEY PRICING YOUR HOME TO SELL
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Al & Dee Real Estate Group— Getting Your House Ready to Sell
STAGING YOUR HOME TO SELL GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR SALE PUBLISHER Albert Allegue MANAGING EDITOR Dee Allegue MARKETING SPECIALIST Anika Schroeder
CEO AND CO-FOUNDER Albert Allegue Published by THE AL & DEE REAL ESTATE GROUP 10311 Boney Avenue, Suite B d’Iberville, Mississippi 39540 +1 228 374 0002 www.alndee.com
Dear Reader, People are as passionate about their homes as they are about their art collections. The Al & Dee Real Estate Group’s name has inspire confidence, trust and expertise in fine art for almost 30 years. If you are planning to put your house on the market, it goes without saying that you are hoping to sell your home as quickly as possible and get your asking price. Staging your home so it will look its best is a delicate science and critical when buyers are comparing your home against other homes and, more specifically, new construction homes that are professionally staged. When selling your home there are a few ways to improve the overall look and feel of your home, which in effect may increase your income in the end. Many of these ideas are no-cost or low-cost and can be as simple as adjusting your furniture in a room to look its best. These early investments will surely pay in the selling process. Home staging is a seller’s secret weapon for a successful home sale, especially in a buyer’s real estate market. Staging the home allows you to highlight your home’s strengths, downplay its weaknesses and appeal to the widest possible pool of buyers. Whether you’re a first-time seller or a seasoned seller, follow these inexpensive staging tips to solve simple selling problems and showcase your home. Set the stage for success with these proven tips for styling and upgrading your home, and see results -- fast!
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99 Ways to Sell Your Home Faster 1. Create a positive mood. Turn on all the lights in either the day or evening. 2. Remove the clutter. Get rid of any clutter from each room to visually enlarge them. 3. Higher wattage. Install higher wattage light bulbs to show your home in a brighter atmosphere. Try the “white” curly light bulbs. 4. Move your furniture. around to create the illusion of spaciousness. 5. Cobwebs. Dust your home and clean out any cobwebs in the corners or attic. 6. Vacuum and dust. This should be a daily task specially high traffic areas. 7. Have a family “Game Plan”. Sometimes you will get a short notice of a showing. Have a plan to straighten up your home at short notice. 8. Smelling good. Air out your home a half hour before showing if possible. 9. Use freshener. Lightly spray your rooms with an air freshener to diffuse any odors. But not too much or the potential buyer will think you are trying to hide something.
10. Sanctuary. Create a “Master Suite” effect in your room to show off the main bedroom of the home. 11. Beds. Make certain that the beds are made and the sheets are clean 12. Let in the sunshine Open your windows and let the sun shine through. Sunshine not only lights your home but also improves the mood. If its too hot or too cold, then open your blinds and curtains and let the sun shine in! 13. Cluttered closets. This one is a biggie. Organize your closet by removing unnecessary items and put them in storage. You can box clothes and slide them under the bed. Better yet, get rid of them and buy new clothes after you sell the home. 14. Smelly bathrooms. Nothing turns off a prospective buyer than a smelly bathroom. Everyday empty the garbage, change often-used towels, flush the toilet, and please, please, please… remove the plunger from sight. A plunger by the toilet gives the impression the pipes are bad. 15. Do the laundry. Be sure to take care of your bathroom laundry after each use. Don’t leave towels lying on the bathroom floors. 16. Re-caulk. If any caulking is moldy, cracked, or missing, replace it. 17. Fresh towels. Put out fresh towels and decorative soaps for showings. Get bright colored towels that will make the bathroom look good. Fold them in thirds and drape them over the towel bar.
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18. Set the table. Set the scene by setting the table. Highlight the potential of your dining rooms by setting a grand dining table. 19. Clean the kitchen. Clean the kitchen area regularly, especially after use. The dishwasher and the washer dryer are perfect places to hide “stuff” when you have a showing and you have not done the dishes. 20. Counter space. Another big one. Expand your counter space by removing small appliances you do not use daily. Like your toaster; use it and put it away. Look at where you prepare your meals and make certain this area is free of other items. 21. Highlight. Set the dining table or an eat-in area in your kitchen by laying out dinner plates in their best positions. Use your best dishes for show. 22. Shampoo all carpets. You can find carpets cleaning companies offering $99 to clean five rooms. Take advantage of this discount. If you can’t, let us know. We know several companies that can help you. Don’t forget to vacuum daily. 23. Replace the carpets. If all else fails and the stains are too deep, replace the carpet. 24. Improve traffic flow. Move furniture around through every room and create a feeling of spaciousness in each room by removing unnecessary furniture, knick-knacks, hobby items, children’s items, etc. 25. Avoid the “Sterile” feel. Keep your home clean but try to keep a lived in feel to it. 26. Get rid of the grease. Remove all grease from range hoods, ovens, stovetops, walls, etc. 27. Look in your fireplace. Clean rubbish out of the fireplace and keep it clean in the winter. 28. Highlight the fireplace. Decorate your fireplace to be the focal point of your room. 29. Get rid of stuff. Remove all unnecessary items form the attic, basement, garage, tool shed, and especially from the storage area if you have one. 30. Rent a storage unit. If you don’t want to get rid of your stuff, rent a storage unit. 31. Clean your closets. Tidy up your closets by putting loose clothes and items out of sight. If room is lacking then buy some plastic stackable storage units to show off an organized closet. 32. Door bell. Fix the front doorbell if needed. 33. Buy a new front doormat. The front door must have a pleasant welcome feel. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Al & Dee Real Estate Group— Getting Your House Ready to Sell
34. Your doors. Be sure that all of your home’s 45. Neutral colors. Paint all inside walls with offdoors function properly. This is as much for safety as white paint. Use two or more coats to cover bold, it is for show. bright or dark walls. 35. After the door. Create the feeling of a spacious 46. Paint is cheap. All walls should be painted, not entry area by using decorative accents, mirrors, rugs, just washed. This will brighten the home and make it etc. seem more spacious. 36. Clean the home. Regardless of the season, 47. Fix the closet doors. Repair or replace all tackle spring-cleaning. Clean everything in your home doors, closet doors, windows, and screens so they from top to bottom! can open with ease. 37. The windows too. Wash all windows - inside 48. Stairs. Repair or replace banisters and handand out. rails. 38. Fresh curtains. Curtains should be fresh, 49. Tiles. Repair or replace broken tiles on walls, clean, and attractive. Avoid dark colors or mis- floors or in showers/tubs. matched patterns. 50. Wallpaper. Repair or replace loose or dangling 39. Lights bulbs. Clean all light bulbs, light fix- wallpaper. tures, and chandeliers to brighten the home. 51. Sign of water. If the home shows any signs of 40. Odors are bad news. Remove all smoking or water or structural damage it may be necessary to pet odors ahead of time. obtain a structural engineer’s report. 41. Spacious closets. Create the feeling of spa- 52. Commodes. Replace all toilet bowls if you cious closets. If you find something you haven’t used cannot get them spotlessly clean. in a year and it’s not sentimental, throw it out. 53. Shower curtain. Replace shower curtains and 42. Stuff on the wall. Remove posters and adhekeep them clean. sive from walls and doors. Putty any holes resulting 54. Faucets. Replace the washers in faucets and from nails or other mishaps. remove rust stains from basins. 43. Depersonalize. Specially teen-agers’ rooms and 55. Take care of plants. Water and prune all decorate in a neutral temperament. plants. Remove any plants that are brown or in its last 44. Clean or paint. If you can’t clean it, paint it. leg. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Al & Dee Real Estate Group— Getting Your House Ready to Sell
56. Use fresh plants. Use plants in transitional areas of your home between indoors and out. 57. Dying plants. Dispose of dying plants or keep them out of sight of potential buyers. 58. Extension cords. Remove any excess extension cords or exposed wires. 59. Allow the buyer into your home. Open doors to areas you want the potential buyer to see such as walk-in closets and pantries. 60. But close all other doors. Close all other closet doors and cabinets.
61. Clean your attic. Make the most of your attics potential. For instance, show the capabilities of using it for storage. 62. Air your attic. Make the attic as pleasant as possible by airing it out, and decorating if possible. 63. Stairway. Add visual appeal to stairways - especially in unfinished stairways to the basement. 64.Your yard. Keep the yard mowed, raked, fertilized, and watered at all times. Lawn care is of the utmost importance. 65. Remove all toys. Bicycles, tools, unsightly patio furniture, trash, etc., must be removed from the yard. 66. Prune the trees. Trees and shrubs should be pruned and trimmed. 67. Growing weeds. Lawns and gardens should be weeded at all times. 68. Use flowers. Use flowering plants to dress up the yard, walkways, and patio. 69. Garden equipment. All hoses and garden equipment should be neatly out of sight. 70. Clean your garden furniture. Outdoor furniture should be kept clean and/or repainted if necessary. 71. Firewood. If you have a stack of firewood it should be neatly stacked out of sight. Check for termites.
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72. Mailbox. Mailboxes should be evaluated with a critical eye. 73. Paint or replace. Paint or repair the mailbox or replace it if necessary. 74. Check our the exterior. Make all those minor repairs to the exterior. Repair small holes or peeling paint chips. 75) The front. Porches, steps, verandahs, balconies, patios, and other extensions of the house should be kept uncluttered, swept and in good condition. 76. Your front door must say welcome. Paint all entrance doors.
77. Awnings. Shades and awnings should be in good condition. Replace if the color has faded. Remove windsocks. 78. Create an outside living/dining area with furniture and plants. Make it look inviting. 79. Garbage cans. Keep trashcans deodorized, covered and out of sight. 80. Your pool. Highlight your pool area, water garden, etc. with lighting, benches, planters, flowering plants, etc. 81. Twilight photos. Take evening photos of a decorative yard lighting system. 82. Pretty pictures. Take pictures of your flowering and mature landscape now if you plan to sell your home later in the season. 83. Show your photos. Display these photos in your home in the wintertime. 84. Clean doorknobs. Clean and shine all accessories (door knobs, knockers, lamps, mailboxes, address numbers, etc.) 85. Look at the gutters. Clean, repair and paint all gutters and downspouts.
86. Check your roof. Replace and secure all roof shingles or loose tiles. That extra dollar spent now may add on hundreds later.
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87. No noise garage doors. Be sure the garage 94. The history of the home. Assemble house recdoor opens easily. Fix and paint the garage door if ords for buyer perusal. you find it necessary. 95. Areas of interest. Provide a map of the area 88. Check the chimney. Paint the chimney and re- and highlight special interest areas. place all broken bricks or stones. 96. Pre-qualified written offers. Only consider 89. Paint is cheap. An investment in painting your written offers by lender pre-qualified buyers. home can make the difference between “turning on” 97. Check out the buyer. Before accepting an ofthe buyer and sending up a red flag about the condifer, learn as much as you can about the prospective tion of the home. buyers, you don’t want to be disappointed several months later. Some final things to do before you 98. Closing costs. Have a ready list of all closing expenses required to make the sale. You’ll be able to sell your home. 90. Allow your agent to negotiate. Arrive at an eq- better negotiate a contract knowing what you expenses will be. uitable asking price using an appraisal. 91. The first offer is usually the best offer. Don’t 99. Call The Al & Dee Team. Enlist the service of a professional marketing agent such as “The Al & Dee be afraid to accept the first offer. 92. Loose lips sink ships. Never volunteer harmful Group” to market your home in trade magazines, newspapers, and with sign brochures. information. 93. Floor plan. Obtain a floor plan of your home if possible. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Al & Dee Real Estate Group— Getting Your House Ready to Sell
Termite inspection. The same applies for a pest inspection. An inspection should be done before listing to identify any issues that most be addressed immediately. Look at your home from across the street. Walk across the street and take a objective look at the front of your home. Look at your home from a buyer’s point of view. Do you need to change something? Home brochures. There is nothing more annoying than for a buyer to drive by a for sale home and see the flyer box empty. If this happens, you will loose a potential buyer. Make certain you keep the Home Brochure box full at all times. Watch our for strangers. Don’t ever allow anyone in the home without first contacting one of us. If a stranger knocks and your door and wants to see the inside, refer them to us first so we can check the out. If a Realtor also nocks on your door and wishes to show the home to a buyer, deny entry and have them call The Al & dee Real Estate Group first. We will then call you.
Here are nine more things that The Al & Dee Team will do immediately after you list your home. Stager. Al & Dee have a Home Staging Specialist they will bring to your home and give you a few ideas of what you can do to make your home look its best. Take a few minutes and listen to their advise.
QR Codes and Texting. All of our advertisement will have QR codes that will direct prospective buyers to your property’s unique web site using their smart phone. This is how we capture the millenniums.
Text. You’ve seen it. I have too. We are sitting at a restaurant table and everyone at the table is texting… mom, dad and the kids. It’s unfortunately, but it’s the wave of the future, and we at the Al & Dee Team have also embraced that technology to your advantage.
HD Photographs. The majority of home buyers now search the internet for homes. A virtual tour and as many photos as possible is critical to having your Professional Virtual Tours. According to the Nahome found. Buyer love to see pictures. The Al & Dee tional Association of Realtors, 87% of home buyers Real Estate has a photographer that will take over search the internet for their home. And not only do 100 HD quality photos. they want to see lots of photos, they are willing to provide their name and email address to see a virtual Home inspections. We recommend to have your tour of the property and a drone fly-by of the property home inspected before you place the home on the as it relates to the area. Our photographer will create market. A pre-inspection may uncover item that need a Virtual Tour and a drone fly-by specially designed repairing or replaced. It’s better for you to discover for your home. them, than a buyer during HIS/HER inspection. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Al & Dee Real Estate Group— Getting Your House Ready to Sell
13 Ways Landscaping Can Make You
Money
Now is a great time to take stock of your landscaping and its impact on your finances and the sale of your home. Did you sink cash into expensive purchases that didn’t thrive? Did it seem like you were always watering? Do you feel like you spent too much time on your yard with little to show for it? Thoughtful evaluation can yield valuable insights that will help you both beautify your garden and stretch your household budget as you approach the fall planting season. If so, try some of these landscaping modifications that can beef up your bottom line.
1. COOL YOUR HOME WITH TREES Placing trees in the right spots around your home can significantly reduce your energy costs. The Arbor Day Foundation suggests planting deciduous trees on the east, west, and northwest sides of your home to create shade and reduce the need for air conditioning. Evergreens work well planted on the north side of your house, providing a buffer against cold winter gusts. Trees around the home adds to the value of your home and compliments the home structure. 2. DIVE INTO COMPOSTING That bin of broken-down food scraps, paper goods, and yard trimmings is gold for your garden. Composting waste reduces the need for purchased fertilizer and makes vegetable gardens more productive. Plus, as many towns now charge per bag for garbage pickup, cutting down on your household trash could make sense for your savings. 3. RETHINK YOUR LAWN Choose the type of turf that has the best chance of success in your climate, and don’t over fertilize, over mow, or overwater it. If you’ve got a patch that consistently requires special attention and lots of watering, tear it out and replace it with a bed of hardy flowers or a low-maintenance shrub.
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4. OPT FOR NATIVES Put aside those gorgeous nursery catalogs and ignore the trucked-in potted plants that fill garden centers and big-box stores. Instead, take a look in your local parks. Identify plants that naturally thrive in your neck of the woods, and make those the backbone of your landscaping plans. You’ll end up saving tons of time, money, and frustration. 5. GROW FREE FOOD A vegetable garden can be a mega money-saver if you choose plants that grow well in your location. Even just a few tomato or basil plants can reduce your grocery bill and make for healthier mealtimes. This adds to the salability of the home. 6. MULCH MUCH Mulching flower and veggie beds cuts down on the need for watering and weeding and that’s good for your wallet and your back. Sure, you can buy mulch by the bag, but why pay when you can often find it for free? Contact your city to see if they give away the mulched remains of fallen trees, as many do.
to climb over the lattice. They’ll reduce energy costs by providing lovely dappled shade all summer, then wither away in winter to let the sun warm your home. 8. HARNESS THE SUN Walkways or driveways that require illumination at night can add to your electricity bill. Pick up some inexpensive solar-powered landscape lighting instead. Because they charge during the day and turn on automatically at night, they're a greener and cheaper option than electric lights. 9. SAVE SEEDS Tired of shelling out every spring for flowering plants to jazz up your homes look? Learn the simple art of harvesting late -summer seeds for planting next year. Cosmos and poppies are two good picks for beginners. Simply shake the seeds from the dead, dried-out blooms, pop them in an envelope, and plant them the following spring.
10. SHOP FALL SALES If you’re inspired to enhance your garden and save some green at the same time, your moment is close at hand. In the fall, many garden centers put plants and seeds on 7. LET THE VINES CLIMB clearance. Choose carefully, and opt for local or droughtBuild a trellis over your sunniest windows, then train flower- resistant varieties—and get them in the ground well before ing vines, such as morning glory or sweet autumn clematis, the first frost arrives! 11. MOW AND EDGE YOUR GRASS OFTEN Curb appeal is the most important part of selling your home. It is the first view a buyer will see, and as you know, first impression is critical. Your lawn must be pristine everyday. If you don’t have the time to mow it, then pay a gardener to do it for you. But it’s critical your lawn always looks its best. 12. GET RID OF THE WEEDS Imagine a potential buyer walking to your front door and having to look at your flower bed with overgrown weeds. That tell the buyer you don’t take care of your home and are not interested in making the home look good. So… if you don’t have the time to pull the weeds, then what else don’t you have the time to do inside of the home? 13. PRESSURE WASH THE EXTERIOR If you can’t afford to buy a pressure washer, then rent one and get the exterior of the home cleaned. Specially on the side of the home that doesn’t get much sunshine and around the gutter areas. If you don’t have gutters on your home, pay special attention on areas where the water runs off your roof.
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PRICING YOUR HOME TO SELL AND NOT JUST BEING ON THE MARKET
Imagine you want to buy a gallon of milk. You eye the dairy case, shelves stocked with dozens of choices, but they are really all the same. Milk is milk, and which one you select is really insignificant because they are all identical, and they are all priced the same.
real estate market, the buyers have a lot of choices. In many areas, the shelves are simply overstocked. And since no two homes are the same, making that distinction between your home and the dozens of others is key.
Study past sales. This is the starting point for any But what if each identical offering was priced differently? thoughtful and successful pricing strategy; think of it as Odds are you have set aside ample time for your shopping the "science" part. Take the time to study past sale statistrip, and you will carefully check the price labels and go for tics for homes in your area and areas similar to yours. the best deal. Or maybe you are drawn to the more attrac- None will be identical, of course, but having a clear undertive packaging. standing of true market value is the first step in establishing your list price. When selling your home, attractive pricing and packaging are arguably the two most basic essentials. In our current ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Al & Dee Real Estate Group— Getting Your House Ready to Sell
Do not confuse active listings with past sales. Active listings have not sold. They are just your competition. It is important to be aware of your competition's pricing, but this is often just an indication of what your home won't sell for.
You have one chance to grab attention. Make sure your pricing helps you stand out on the shelf -- in a positive way.
Do not overprice because you have "time." If the market is appreciating, this strategy may work, but if prices in your area are declining, you may quickly find yourself chasing a market and costing yourself money. And if the market is stable? Your home will just sit. Buyers pay in today's dollars, and time is rarely on your side. Leave some room for negotiation, but don't overreach. No seller wants to feel he left money on the table, and no buyer wants to overpay. Your price should give both parties room to maneuver, but if it is too high, you risk being perceived as unrealistic, and buyers will pass over your home. Think like a buyer. What are the things that you value in a home? Is it a large yard, an updated kitchen or a view? These are likely the same things that your buyer values as well. Talk to your agent about current buyer trends. Yesterday's avocado green shag carpeting is today's granite countertop. The property facing the interstate is going to be a tougher sell than the one with a mountain view. Your price should reflect how your home compares to the others offered for sale. Buyers will find objections to any home, as none is perfect, but it is curious how quickly objections disappear when the price is compelling. React swiftly and decisively. If your home is on the market and is not being shown or if you receive feedback that you are priced too aggressively, don't hesitate to adjust your price. Bad news, like spoiled milk, doesn't get better with time. First impressions are everything when selling your home. Studies have shown that the first two weeks on the market are the most crucial to your success. During these initial days, your home will be exposed to all active buyers. If your price is perceived as too high, you will quickly lose this initial audience and find yourself relying only on the trickle of new buyers entering the market each day. Markets are dynamic, and your price has an expiration date. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Al & Dee Real Estate Group— Getting Your House Ready to Sell