One service I believe is extremely important in our region is helping my listing clients (sellers) to objectively evaluate their home for marketability and aim for the highest sale price by preparing properly. Some agents do a once-over just to note the basic information they can then plug into their listing forms, have photos taken before the home is truly ready and move on to their next customer. I, however, have repeatedly seen buyers walk through homes with a critical eye and find excuses to make a lower offer, when the issues they find could have been quickly corrected by a handyman with a punch-list in a day or two, keeping the value of the home at full price or higher. My attention to detail has proven over and over again to benefit my clients and they are truly grateful when they see the results.

 

I will want to postpone some photos until we’ve worked with you to do a thorough inspection of your home with a whole lot of details in mind. Every buyer who sees your home will be comparing it to the competition in your area and price range. How your home compares is critical to how soon you sell it and at what price. I'm going to work with you in several areas of concern:

 

• Interior features & characteristics – While the number of bedrooms and baths are not something you’ll be changing to compete better with other homes, you do need to objectively compare them in order to end up with a listing price that will get your property sold. Some things I can consider for improvements, others I just need to know how your home compares to other homes buyers will be seeing. Other features/characteristics:

• Floor plan

• Built date and obsolescence

• Floors & walls condition, paint, etc.

• Kitchen features

• Room sizes

• Lighting, skylights, windows

• Exterior – That “curb appeal” thing really does mean something. When a prospective buyer first drives up in front of your home, they’re going to get a first impression that is very important. I help you to look at things like landscaping, exterior paint and condition. Here is an area in which small expenditures can yield big results. It’s a fact that some buyers will ask to leave without ever stepping across the threshold if they get a bad first curb appeal impression.

• Condition – Minor repairs can also make a major difference. Many buyers assume that a need for minor repairs indicates a general lack of fundamental maintenance over time. They’ll discount their offer, if they make one, thinking they’ll have a lot of work to do to bring the home to a good condition. So, I'm honest with you about things that I see and buyers will see and consider in their evaluation. From cracked window panes to scarred walls or doors, we’ll let you know what we believe is important and make suggestions.

I'm here to make sure that your home enters the market in the very best competitive position possible. A thorough and objective evaluation is an important step.