Is your Home “Fit to Sell” in 2019?
Is your Home “Fit to Sell” in 2019?
It’s a new year! For most, this is a time of hope and new opportunities, new year’s resolutions and life changes. For homeowners looking to sell their home, there’s no better time than now to get it “fit to sell.”
One of the most asked questions I hear is, “What time of year is it a good time to sell?” My answer depends on the situation, and more importantly how prepared the seller and the home are. In our current low inventory market, eager buyers are always looking, but with a caveat. My best advice to anyone thinking of selling, even months away, is to think “Spring Cleaning 2.0” and act now.
You can’t cut corners around these items, which will pay huge dividends when marketing your home for sale. The first thing I advise my clients is to walk through from corner to corner and inside to out. Create a calendar plan of action, weeks or months before going on the market.
Many proactive tasks can and should be completed prior to going on the market. Here are my top five that will improve the appearance and always attract a better price, yielding the seller more money and much sooner in the process.
- DE-CLUTTER: If your home is occupied, chances are you have extra stuff in closets and cabinets, and in the garage. A cluttered home is a major turnoff for buyers. Consider having a yard sale or donate items.
- MAJOR ITEMS: If you have any issue with your roof, A/C system is not running properly, hot water heater is rusty or leaky, consider having these items replaced or repaired. These are costly and many buyers will be turned off if they are in poor condition.
- FLOORING: If carpet is badly worn, replace it. If it’s ok, have it professionally cleaned. Replace cracked tiles and clean the tile and grout. Replace damaged wood floors.
- PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE: This gets overlooked until it’s time to sell and you have a buyer under contract. If buyers perceive the house was not well maintained, they may want you to fix all items or ask for a huge discount, most of the time far more of a discount than it would cost to fix.
Have all these items checked to ensure they function properly and are in good working condition. Repair as needed:
- Paint. If worn or scuffed, you need to paint. Seal stucco cracks first.
- Doors and windows.
- Electrical
- Plumbing fixtures and connections
- Irrigation system
- Pool system
Spruce up landscaping and eliminate pests. - DEEP CLEANING: A clean home is a happy home. You only get one first impression. Clean everything from top down, inside and out, windows, window tracks, AC duct vents/returns. Cleaning and paint are the least costly improvements that yield the most for sellers.
A championship team has a strategic/proactive plan with proven results. You will be glad you allowed yourself plenty of time to ensure your home is “fit to sell!”
Steve Vitani, a Realtor with RE/MAX Elite and certified luxury home marketing specialist, has been a multi-million-dollar producer each year since 2009. He was inducted into the RE/MAX Hall of Fame in 2016 and recognized for being in the top 100 out of 5,500 RE/MAX agents in Florida. He and his wife, Kim, reside in Viera.
You can reach Steve at 321-749-9394
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