Fsbo

Spring is the optimum time to sell a home. Here are 10 things you can do to improve the odds that your home will stand out among the sea of new listings flooding the spring-time real estate market:

1) Wash windows inside and out / polish all mirrors

Sparkle is free, and sparkle sells homes. A potential buyer may not realize why your home seems so inviting but will feel drawn to it if the windows are spotless and your mirrors reflect sunlight.

2) Rake the yard / trim back bushes

Clean out dead leaves and debris in your lawn. Don’t let overgrown vegetation block the windows or path to the entrance. Cutting bushes and tree limbs will let the sun inside and showcase the exterior of your home.

3) Mow diagonally and edge lawn along driveway / sidewalks

Artfully manicured lawns are edged and tell buyers you pay attention to small details. Diagonally mowed lawns make your yard appear larger.

4) Transplant tulips and daffodils or buy flowers in containers

Yellow flowers stimulate buying urges. After a long winter, everybody is anxious to see the first signs of spring. Yellow tulips and daffodils induce feelings of happiness and contentment. Arrange containers in groups of three or five near the entrance.

5) Clean drapes, curtains & blinds and open every window

Send your window coverings to the dry cleaners or wash, dry and press. Toss blinds into a soapy bathtub for a quick wash. Get rid of all accumulated dust and spider webs. Crisp linens and a spring-time breeze through the windows invites the season inside.

6) Set out fresh-smelling flowers such as just-clipped lilacs branches or peonies

Why not flatter your neighbors and ask if you can borrow flowers from their yards? Natural scents are more appealing than artificial and trigger fewer allergies among those susceptible. Peony vases are designed to hold peonies upright, but wash the flowers first to avoid carrying ants inside.

7) Polish floors to a high gloss

Your hardwood floors should be refinished, if necessary. Make your ceramic and linoleum floors twinkle and shine. Bleach dull grout. Thoroughly clean all area rugs.

Utilize towels, throws, pillows in light colors – yellows, pinks, pale blues, lavenders

Even if it means replacing items, towels, linens, throws and sofa pillows are inexpensive accents you can buy. In soft spring colors, they will light up a room. Layer towels on bathroom towel racks and place rolled wash cloths on the counters in a fashionable pyramid.

9) Offer an outside mat for cleaning shoes & put umbrella stand at entrance

No matter where you live, spring weather is often unpredictable. In some states, it can be 72 degrees one day and snowing the next. If it’s raining, give buyers a place to stash umbrellas and wipe their feet before entering your home. Some sellers lay down plastic runners across floors for protection, but that tends to ruin the effect of a glittering polish job.

10) Buy brightly colored helium balloons

Stationery and party-supply stores sell helium balloons for about a dollar each. So, there’s no reason not to pick up a couple dozen balloons to tie to your open house signs. Balloons build excitement and will get your home noticed by home shoppers.

Source: From E. Weintraub’s Home Selling Guide

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 27th, 2008 at 6:33 am and is filed under FSBO. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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