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An overpriced home:

• Minimizes offers
• Lowers showings
• Limits qualified buyers
• Lowers prospects
• Wastes advertising dollars
• Nets less for the seller

Clean Fact
MOST PEOPLE ARE TURNED OFF BY EVEN THE SMALLEST AMOUNT OF UNCLEANLINESS OR ODOR WHEN BUYING A HOME. SELLERS LOSE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT ADEQUATELY CLEAN.

If your house is squeaky clean, you will sell your home faster and net hundreds, if not thousands of dollars more. If you are planning on moving, why not get rid of that junk now so that your home will appear larger? Odors must be eliminated, especially if you have a pet, young children in diapers or if you are a smoker. You may not notice the smell, but buyers do!

Access Fact
TOP SELLING AGENTS WILL NOT SHOW YOUR HOME IF BOTH THE KEY AND ACCESS ARE NOT READILY AVAILABLE. THEY DO NOT HAVE TIME TO RUN AROUND TOWN PICKING UP AND DROPPING OFF KEYS. THEY WANT TO SELL HOMES!

The best way to have the most showings is to have a lockbox. If you have a security system, consider turning if off while your home is on the market. If this is not possible, we will make special arrangements within our office to make sure a key is available, but please be aware that this will cut down on your number of showings. When your house is being shown, please do the following:

• Turn all lights on
• Keep all drapes and shutters open
• Take a short walk with your children and pets. Leave the premises.
• Let the buyer be at ease and let the agents do their job!

Paint and Carpet Fact
PAINT IS YOUR BEST INVESTMENT FOR GETTING A GREATER RETURN ON YOUR MONEY.

Painting makes the whole house smell clean and neat. If your house has chips, exposed wood or looks faded, it is time to paint. If your carpet is worn, dirty, outdated or an unusual color, you may need to seriously consider replacing it. Don't think that buyers have more money than you to replace it. They don't. They simply buy elsewhere.

Yard Fact
THE CONDITION OF YOUR FRONT YARD IMMEDIATELY REFLECTS THE INSIDE OF YOUR HOME TO THE BUYER.

Set the stage for success by being sure your yard is at its best. People move to the suburbs to enjoy their yards. Make sure the grass is mowed, walkways are swept, toys are put away and cars are parked out of sight. This all adds to curb appeal. If a buyer does not like the outside, that person simply drives on.

Staging Your Home for the Market
First impressions are the most lasting! Remember that when that prospect comes to look at your home, the first thing he will see is the front door. Be sure that it is fresh, clean and the paint is in good condition. Also be sure that your lawn and landscaping is well manicured and trim. Be sure your yard is free of refuse and leaves. If it has snowed, check to be certain that you have removed the ice and snow from walk and steps.

Faded walls and worn woodwork will reduce the appeal of your home. Why try to tell a prospect how your home COULD look when a small amount of redecorating will present your home optimally? An investment in a limited amount of painting or a few green plants will pay dividends for you.

Open the drapes and curtains all the way; clean the windows so the prospect can see for himself how bright and cheerful your home can be. Turn on all the lights in all rooms before the prospect arrives. Remember, dark and dreary is out.. light and bright is in.

Make the small repairs. Fix the leaky faucet before dripping water discolors the sink and suggests faulty or worn out plumbing. Check to be sure that your doors and windows don't stick or have loose knobs on them. Get the minor flaws fixed since they raise questions in a prospect's mind about the underlying condition of the house.

Keep stairways clear and clean, since this can be a hazard.

Display the full value of your attic, basement and other utility space by removing all unnecessary articles and junk. After all, you are about to move,so you can get an early start here.

Make your closets look larger by having them neat and well organized to show that your home has ample closet space.

Make sure the bathrooms sparkle. Check and repair any damaged or discolored caulking around the bathtubs and be sure the towels are straight and complement the room.

Be sure the bedrooms are bright and cheerful. Remove any excess furniture and use attractive and colorful bedspreads and freshly laundered curtains.

Work to eliminate clutter. Put your treasured collections away, pack up your books and reduce the number of small tables and extra chairs. A slightly bare look allows prospects to plan their own decorating.

How to Add Value to Your Home
Not all home improvements are the same. All of them increase the pleasure you take in your home, but some of them increase the resale value of your home more than others. According to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), adding a fireplace to your home can increase your resale value by 160%: for example, a $5,000. fireplace will add $8,000. to your selling price.

Contrary to popular belief, a swimming pool does not hold water as a capital investment; an average pool costing $19,000. will add only $6,500. to the value of your home. Furthermore, many buyers consider pools as safety problems and maintenance burdens, according to NARI.

A new full bath does make sense, because you get the luxury of an additional bathroom while your home appreciates 125% of the installation cost. Also, a greenhouse added to your home will retain its value at 100% of costs. Skylights and kitchen renovations increase your resale value 95% of their costs.

Home Owners Magazine reports that a new roof not only eliminates leaks, water damage and other headaches, but it also adds 120% of its cost to the value of your home. A new deck or patio will also return 100% in added value. Most other common improvements return from 60-90% of their costs, for example, new bedrooms, landscaping, or central air conditioning.

Energy upgrading, including installations of weather stripping, window replacement or additional insulation adds 30 - 50% of costs, but it pays for itself in time through reduced fuel bills.

All these figures are based upon installation costs charged by professional licensed contractors. The do-it-yourself home owner can realize even higher percentages of increased value; however, they risk creating numerous safety hazards, to say nothing of having costly code violations when a potential buyer orders the standard home inspection; correcting work always costs more than doing it right the first time. Professional contractors guarantee their work and services for safety and code conformity.

Regardless of the amount, additions increase resale value. They all should be undertaken for their own merits, not just for investment purposes. Ask yourself: "Will this addition increase the quality of daily life in my home?"