Once you have decided to sell your home, it is never too early to start planning and preparing your home for the market. Once a home is on the market, you never have a second chance to make that first impression with a potential buyer. Therefore, upfront preparations are the key to getting a home in top selling condition!
It is time to think of your house as a marketable commodity and the goal is to get others to see it as their potential home, not yours.
An important part of the listing agent’s job is to tour your home and suggest repairs and updates that will help the property sell faster and for more money. Realtors are also experienced at recognizing certain items that will be a red flag for inspectors and appraisers, who are key players since those are the 2 main contingencies on which buyers can walk away from a transaction. Additionally, your agent has likely been touring homes with buyers for many years and has a good feel for how buyers will react to certain features of a home.
Find out what's happening in Old Town Alexandriafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
A Realtor’s “punch list” will include recommended upgrades that will affect the list price and increase the price that a potential buyer would be willing to pay. This list can also include items that help to “de-personalize” the home – to create a wider appeal. Finally, the list will include repair items that will inevitably show up in the inspection phase or that affect the disclosures about property condition.
Often, sellers seeking their realtor’s advice about prepping the home are overwhelmed with the response. Sometimes the “punch list” can make a seller feel depressed about their home’s condition or offended about their personal décor or color choices. Realtors are sensitive to this and must tread lightly on a homeowner’s ego! At the end of the day, we are all on the same team and we have the same goal – to get your home sold as quickly as possible for the highest possible price.
Find out what's happening in Old Town Alexandriafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Below you will find a sample PUNCH LIST. The seller asked me to make recommendations for optimal selling condition without major expense (i.e. no kitchen overhaul or expensive alterations) I have divided the items into EXTERIOR and INTERIOR. The seller in this scenario agreed to all of my suggested items and the work is underway. When the work is complete, I will upload some BEFORE/AFTER photos too!
INTERIOR:
1. Furniture and Belongings to Storage
2 . Kitchen Floor replaced (I will price out some affordable flooring)
3. Dishwasher (possible to install it to right of sink and take out cabinets?)
4. Front Door Painted (Red?)
5. Replace toilet seats (upstairs it is broken and downstairs has mold)
9. Replace air register (vent) in bathroom
10. Install door on upstairs bathroom (perhaps accordian style - something cheap)
EXTERIOR
1. Gutters cleaned out and wiped clean (with Clorox or similar spray)
2. Lawn Mowed, Bushes Pruned, front bed mulched
3. Cat door in Window Replaced with Solid Pane of Glass
4. Rear Windows (Exterior) scraped and painted (this is a huge red flag for appraisers)
5. Shed touched up with white paint on the trim
6. Power wash patio (has moss covering it)
Catherine Jouet has a diverse understanding of home sellers, buyers and investors in the North Virginia and Washington, D.C. markets. Licensed in VA, MD, and DC, Catherine is a resource for all of your real estate needs.
