Please browse our articles on how to price, stage, market, show, negotiate and sell your Southern New Hampshire real estate, as well as tips on choosing the right agent to help you move with confidence. You’re also welcome to read the Selling Tips archives of our blog for timely topics and advice.
Simple Things Mean a Lot in Home Sales
In this housing market, homeowners that do not put some effort into making their home stand out are finding it hard to sell their properties. Team Heeter can help by marketing your property, but the following tips will allow you to get better offers.
* Lighten up. Open up all the curtains and blinds. Add floor lamps and upturned lights. Add mirrors and lots of glassware to make a house reflect light.
* Do the floors. Nearly everybody likes shiny hardwoods. If the floors aren’t wood and the carpeting is old, replace it.
* Beautify the bath. Caulk the tub and the sink and replace broken floor tiles. If the fixtures are outdated, replace them with stylish, lower-priced fixtures.
* Paint the walls. White is cold, but bright colors don’t sell either. Roll on a soft taupe or a light green.
* Clean up the kitchen. Replace old appliances. Stash countertop clutter.
Source: Boston Globe, Emily Lapkin
Tips for Holding a Yard Sale
Hold a yard sale to reduce the clutter in your home and get rid of items you don’t want to move.
1. Check with your city government to see if you need a permit or license.
2. See if neighbors want to participate and have a block sale to attract more visitors.
3. Advertise. Put an ad in free classified papers, and put up signs and balloons at major intersections and in stores near your home.
4. Price items ahead and attach prices with removable stickers. Remember, yard sales are supposed to be bargains, so don’t try to sell anything of significant value this way.
5. Check items before the sale to be sure you haven’t including something you want by mistake.
6. Keep pets away from the sale.
7. Display everything neatly and individually so customers don’t have to dig through boxes.
8. Have an electrical outlet so buyers can test appliances.
9. Have plenty of bags and newspaper for wrapping fragile items.
10. Get enough change, and keep a close eye on your cash.
20 Low-Cost Ways to Spruce Up Your Home
Make your home more appealing for potential buyers with these quick and easy tips.
- Trim bushes so they don’t block windows and cut down on light.
- Buy a new doormat.
- Put a pot of bright flowers (or a small evergreen in winter) on your porch.
- Put new doorknobs on your doors.
- Put a fresh coating on your driveway.
- Edge the grass around walks and trees.
- Keep your garden tools out of site.
- Be sure kids put away their toys.
- Buy a new mailbox.
- Upgrade the outside lighting.
- Use warm, incandescent light bulbs for a homey feel.
- Polish or replace your house numbers.
- Clean your gutters.
- Put out potpourri or burn scented candles.
- Buy new pillows for the sofa.
- Buy a flowering plant and put it in a window you pass by frequently.
- Make a centerpiece for your table with fruit or artificial flowers.
- Replace heavy curtains with sheer ones that let in more light.
- Buy new towels.
- Put a seasonal wreath on your door.
7 Terms to Watch for in a Purchase Contract
- The closing date. See if the date the buyer wants to take title is reasonable for you.
- Date of possession. See if the date the buyer wants to move in is reasonable for you.
- 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.
- Fixtures and personal property. Check the list of items that the buyer expects to remain with the property and be sure it’s acceptable.
- 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.
- 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.
- The contract expiration date. See how long you have to make a decision on the offer.
7 Steps to Preparing for an Open House
- Hire a cleaning service. A spotlessly clean home is essential; dirt will turn off a prospect faster than anything.
- Mow your lawn, and be sure toys and yard equipment are put away.
- Serve cookies, coffee, and soft drinks. It creates a welcoming touch. But be sure the kitchen has been cleaned up; use disposable cups so the sink doesn’t fill up.
- Lock up your valuables, jewelry, and money. Although the real estate salesperson will be on site during the open house, it’s impossible to watch everyone all the time.
- Turn on all the lights. Even in the daytime, incandescent lights add sparkle.
- Send your pets to a neighbor or take them outside. If that’s not possible, crate them or confine them to one room (a basement or bath), and let the salesperson know where to find them.
- Leave. It’s awkward for prospective buyers to look in your closets and express their opinions of your home with you there.
10 Ways to Make Your Home Irresistable at an Open House
- Put fresh or silk flowers in principal rooms for a touch of color.
- Add a new shower curtain, fresh towels, and new guest soaps to every bath.
- Set out potpourri or fresh baked goods for a homey smell.
- Set the table with pretty dishes and candles.
- Buy a fresh doormat with a clever saying.
- Take one or two major pieces of furniture out of every room to create a sense of spaciousness.
- Put away kitchen appliances and personal bathroom items to give the illusion of more counter space.
- Lay a fire in the fireplace. Or put a basket of flowers there if it’s not in use.
- Depersonalize the rooms by putting away family photos, mementos, and distinctive artwork.
- Turn on the sprinklers for 30 minutes to make the lawn sparkle.
Moving Tips for Sellers
- Give your forwarding address to the post office, usually two to four weeks ahead of the move.
- Notify your credit card companies, magazine subscriptions, and bank of the change of address.
- Develop a list of friends, relatives, and business colleagues who need to be notified of the move.
- Arrange to have utilities disconnected at your old home and connected at your new one.
- Cancel the newspaper.
- Check insurance coverage for moved items. Usually movers only cover what they pack.
- Clean out appliances and prepare them for moving, if applicable.
- Note the weight of the goods you’ll have moved, since long-distance moves are usually billed according to weight. Watch for movers that use excessive padding to add weight.
- Check with your condo or co-op about restrictions on using the elevator or particular exits.
- Have an ‘open first’ box with the things you’ll need most: toilet paper, soap, trash bags, scissors, hammer, screwdriver, pencils and paper, cups and plates, water, snacks, and toothpaste.
Plus, if you’re moving out of town:
- Get copies of medical and dental records and prescriptions for your family and your pets.
- Get copies of children’s school records for transfer.
- Ask friends for introductions to anyone they know in your new neighborhood.
- Consider special car needs for pets when traveling.
- Let a friend or relative know your route.
- Carry traveler’s checks or an ATM card for ready cash until you can open a bank account.
- Empty your safety deposit box.
- Put plants in boxes with holes for air circulation if you’re moving in cold weather.
6 Items to Have on Hand for the New Owners
- Owner’s manuals for items left in the house.
- Warranties for any items left in the house.
- A list of local service providers: the best dry cleaner, yard service, etc.
- Garage door opener.
- Extra sets of house keys.
- Code to burglar alarm and phone number of monitoring service if not discontinued.
