Quick Fixes for Sellers

It is amazing how just a little attention to the details will add that special appeal that the buyer is looking for!

• Clean up the outside.
  Curb appeal is the first impression of your house. Keeping the grass cut and the area tidy will help make a great first impression.
  Paint or wash the exterior of the house (including window casings, shutters, and doors).
  Wash the windows inside and out.
  Check the gutters and chimney.Remove sunscreens from home (especially front elevation) to allow more natural light in and curb appeal.Purchase color potted flowers for entrance or plant some potting plants to add a little color!
• Touch up the interior.
  Put a fresh coat of paint in the most used areas of the home. This will clean as well as brighten up the rooms.
  Wash the walls where paint is not appropriate (i.e. wall paper, paneling).
  Wash all floors and bathroom tiles.
  Shampoo dirty carpets.
  Get rid of clutter. Clean out your closets, garage, basement and attic. Use self storage if necessary.
  Replacing air filters will help keep the dust down.

• Replace bathroom and kitchen fixtures that are worn or leaking.
  People will notice a leaking or worn-out faucet. By replacing these items, you will give a new look to the room.
  Clean under the sinks. If there is any leaks fix them. Then clean up the damage using contact paper or paint. Find and research local contractors, get free no obligation quotes on your home improvement projects.

• Get rid of any bad smells in your home.
  Pay attention to pet or cigarette odors.
  Place scented potpourri around the house.
  On the day you’re expecting a potential buyer, pop a batch of frozen cinnamon rolls or home-made bread into the oven for a great aroma.

Consider a Pre-Listing Inspection

Having your home inspected by a professional home inspector before you list is a recommendation from Ron Kohatsu of World Inspection Network (WIN). Eventually your buyers are going to conduct a home inspection. You may as well know what they are going to find by getting there first.
One way to make your home appeal to all buyers is to conduct a pre-listing inspection. A pre-listing inspection helps sellers discover flaws in their home that they might want to address before sale. Since the buyer will use his or her inspection to gain information on issues that could justify renegotiation or even abandonment of the purchase, it’s important for you to know your home’s condition — even if you don’t plan to do work on the property. A pre-listing inspection also creates a positive marketing tool that you or your agent can use to promote your home. Each WIN pre-listing inspection includes marketing materials alerting potential buyers that your home has been pre-inspected and is move-in ready.
Pre-Listing inspections also help you prepare your home for the best possible results during a buyer’s inspection. Some inspectors complain that sellers often don’t think about how to best present a home to the buyer’s inspector, who may draw conclusions about a home’s structure based on minor issues the seller could easily address. Gestures as simple as changing burned-out indoor and outdoor light bulbs or scraping windows that have been painted shut could prevent the mistaken impression that the house has electrical flaws or outages or that none of its windows open. Replacing filters in furnaces and air conditioners, cleaning ducts, and adjusting door knobs and locks can all help with your buyer’s inspection. You’ll also need to provide keys to exterior structures, and unblock access to attics, and crawl spaces.

Having an inspection performed ahead of time helps in many other ways:

• It allows you to see your home through the eyes of a critical third-party.
• It helps you to price your home realistically.
• It permits you to make repairs ahead of time so that …
• Defects won’t become negotiating stumbling blocks later.
• You have the time to get reasonably priced contractors or make the repairs yourself, if you are qualified.
• It may encourage the buyer to waive the inspection contingency.
• It may alert you of items of immediate personal concern, such as radon gas or active termite infestation (not all inspectors offer these extra services, you can check for radon yourself).
• It may relieve buying prospect’s concerns and suspicions.
• It reduces your liability by adding professional supporting documentation to your disclosure statement.
• Alerting you to immediate safety issues before agents and visitors tour your home.

Copies of the inspection report along with receipts for any repairs should be made available to potential buyers. Be sure the inspector you use is insured and licensed or certified (if your state requires) or at least belongs to a professional organization such as NACHI, ASHI, NIBI.

What’s in a WIN Home Inspection? View Tour

WIN Gateway

Ron Kohatsu
Phone: (480) 844-2882Fax: (480) 833-7287

E-mail: rkohatsu@wini.com
Schedule a Home Inspection