Once you make the commitment to place your Oakland home on the market, you realize that there will changes that you will have to make to its current condition to appeal to potential buyers. Whether your home is located in Redwood Heights, Montclair, or Rockridge, you will need to consider your selling presentation.  Some things will be easy to do, and others may require some financial investment to make your home competitive in the current marketplace. I, as your Oakland real estate agent will be going over many of these things to assist you in making the best presentation possible. Here are some of the ideas for consideration:
1. Tour Your Home As a Visitor Would--Go through your home as if you were a brand new visitor. Ideally, take friends or neighbors with you that you trust will be frank with you about your current home's presentation. It is hard to accept that some things are not buyer friendly when you have lived in, and invested in, your home, so having others join you will certainly help in deciding what things are positive, and what are negative.
2. Take A Hard Look At Some of Your Remodeling Projects--If you have invested a lot of money in specialty projects that suit your rather unique taste or hobbies, consider revamping or changing them to fit the broader appeal of the buyers you are hoping to attract. As an example, If you have a whole room devoted to fishing, and it includes displays of fish, pictures of fish, lures, shelves and bookcases displaying assorted rods and reels, consider that with some revamping, that room would be most attractive as another office or bedroom for buyers with family. Save the bookcases and shelving for potential buyer use or storage but otherwise, keep it simple.Â
3. Keep Things Clean and Fresh--This is the basis of one of the most important first impressions that you want to create as the buyer walks into the home. Everything should be appealing to the eye and to the nose. Remove as much unnecessary furniture and personal items as you can, and still live in the home. The idea is create an image so pleasant, that the potential buyers can envision themselves living there in a wonderfully pleasant atmosphere.Â
4. Create Curb Appeal--While this term has been overused, there is a reason for that. A pleasant curb appeal works! Many homes are never even considered when buyers drive by the house, see a weedy, overgrown or messy front yard. They just keep driving, uninterested in what may be inside. Their thought is that if it is that severely neglected on the outside, that most likely will be true on the inside. As a result, you will never get a chance to change their minds unless you attract them inside. Luckily, with the Internet, you can gain fresh ideas daily on yard and exterior displays. Additionally, the competition among home improvement centers keep prices for plants, trees, and outdoor furniture quite reasonable.Â
While this list could go on many pages, these are some of the most important issues to consider when getting ready to sell. With a little time, some money, and some dedication, you can attract just the right family to your home.
Posted by Bruce Wagg on
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