Traditional Marketing

As soon as you list your home with me, I will enter your home in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) database. Other agents can immediately access your property information by computer. Plus, your property will be included in any printed MLS publications. I also regularly publish in magazines and newspapers in the area and send out direct mail pieces to potential buyers.

Pricing Your Home

When you think about it, there are several other homes for sale competing with your home. I will help you price your home competitively to attract qualified buyers. The way I do this is by generating a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) report, which will show you a range of prices being paid for homes in your area. You can complete my online form to get a feel for your home's market value.

Preparing Your House for Peak Showing Condition

First Impressions Are Lasting!
 

When potential buyers approach in their cars, they make their first decision: whether or not to STOP and look inside. Therefore, a neat, attractive yard entices a buyer to view your home. Please carefully evaluate every aspect of your exterior.

A few Suggestions:

·        Keep your lawns mowed, raked, fertilized, and watered. 

·        Remove all toys, bicycles, tools, unsightly patio furniture, trash items, debris, etc., from your yard.

·        Trees and shrubs should be pruned and trimmed.  Gardens should be weeded regularly. ¨

·        All hoses and garden equipment should be out of sight. ¨

·        Outdoor furniture should be kept clean and/or repainted if needed. Stack firewood out of sight.

·        Walkways and driveways should be clear of debris. In the winter, clear off snow and ice. (You don't want a potential buyer to slip and fall!) At other times of the year, make sure that walkways, driveways, and curb sides are trimmed with edge trimmers.

·        Paint your mailbox if needed. Ensure that your street number is legible.

Put Your Property's Best Face Forward!

Is the outside of your house as attractive as the inside?

Items to Evaluate:

  • Porches, steps, verandas, balconies, patios, and other extensions should be uncluttered, swept, and in good condition.
  • Paint all entrance doors. It is at this point that potential buyers form an opinion of the house.
  • Shades and awnings should be in good condition. Replace them if the color has faded. Remove windsocks, chimes, etc.
  • Keep trash cans deodorized, covered, and out of sight.
  • Gates, fences, sheds, and other outer buildings should be cleaned, repaired, and painted.
  • Clean, repair, and paint all gutters and downspouts.
  • All loose roof shingles, tiles, and the like should be secured or replaced. If the roof leaks, fix it! Remove all traces of prior water damage to the ceiling inside your home.
  • Make sure that the garage door opens easily. Repair and paint it if needed.
  • Paint the chimney vents. Inspect and repair any loose bricks or stones. Caulk or replace flashing where the chimney meets the roof.
Investing in painting your house can make the difference between "turning on" the buyer and sending up a "red flag" about your home's condition. You may lose buyers due to what you consider an insignificant issue.
Evaluate the Inside of Your Property Through the Critical Eyes of the Buyer!
  • Wash all windows, inside and out, adding to the overall impression and to help your property show in a nice, bright light. Curtains should be clean and attractive.
  • Remove all smoke, pet, and hobby odours from the property.
  • Shampoo all carpets and vacuum them daily. If the carpet does not clean up well, replace it. Use a neutral color, or remove the carpet if hardwood floors underneath are in good condition.
  • Clean everything in your house from top to bottom, from the attic to the basement.
  • Remove all "junk" from the attic, basement, closets, garage, tool shed, and especially from the storage area if your property has one. Large storage areas are appealing to buyers. Rent a storage area for those items that need to be cleared out of these areas.
  • Remove posters and adhesive from walls and doors. Putty and paint any holes that result from nails or other mishaps.
  • Wax hardwood floors.
  • Remove all cobwebs.
  • If you have unusually bold paint on the walls, paint all inside walls with off-white paint. Use two or more coats to cover bold, bright, or dark walls. All walls should be painted-not just washed-brightening the property and making it look much larger.
  • Ensure that the doorbell is in good working order.
  • Make sure that all entrance doors-front door, storm door, screen door-are in excellent condition. If not, replace them. Again, this is the first impression the buyer has of the property.
  • Repair or replace room doors, closet doors, and windows and screens so that are in disrepair 
  • Repair or replace faulty banisters and handrails.
  • Repair or replace broken tiles on walls or floors in showers. Remove and replace any caulking around tubs and showers that is moldy
  • Repair or remove loose wallpaper.
  • If the basement shows any sign of water or structural damage, it may be necessary to obtain a structural engineer's report.
  • Replace toilet bowls if you cannot get them spotlessly clean. It is a minimal expense and makes a big difference.
  • Replace shower curtains and keep them clean.
  • Improve the plumbing to increase water pressure. Buyers will check this every time. Replace the washers in the faucets and remove rust stains.

 
 

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