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No matter where in Florida you are selling your home, there are a few things we believe that every home owner should do in order to sell their house. Below, we have a few simple tips that should be followed in order to prepare your home for sale, and possibly more importantly, preparing you for the process of selling your own home.
One classic mistake made by nearly every homeowner is to let personal feelings get in the way. You have to think to yourself, "This is a home now, it is no longer my home." Think of it as an asset to be sold off, and remind yourself as often as possible why you are selling your home to begin with.
The above mistake can often lead to a second classic mistake: Overpricing your home. This can make the process of selling your home by yourself a lonely process. There are several websites to help assess your home value, but it is recommended that you have a professional evaluate your house and property. There is no substitute for an actual experienced person walking through your property to judge the current market value.
Now that you have your home disassociated from your personal feelings, it is time to disassociate your home from the potential buyer's feelings. Make sure you take down all personal photographs and items that clearly mark a home as yours. You want your buyer to imagine making this home theirs.
The goal is to make the house appear as new as possible. This does not mean making the house look bare, but it is a good idea to have all surfaces free of clutter as well as being clean and neat. Things should be arranged and organized while being as inconspicuous as possible. People love to poke their nose around a house when they are seriously considering purchasing it, so it is recommended that you have all closets clean and already opened for your guest. This gives the home a more inviting feeling to the potential buyer.
This is another common mistake made by those attempting to sell their home because they don't have anywhere to put their "stuff." One of the first things you should do is to rent a storage unit for all non-essential items that are in your home. Aside from the "stuff" you put in this storage unit, you should also place any items that you are certain you do not want to be sold along with your home. If a buyer doesn't see these random items, there will never be any negotiating or hassle over them.
It is wise to make some small and needed repairs to the home, but don't get too carried away with it. Some people have actually been known to put in a new pool in order to increase the value of their home. This simply does not work. While it will increase the value, the costs simply would not justify such an elaborate expansion of your home. Fill in the cracks, fix the leaky pipe, caulk the bathtub, and possibly replace some carpets, but a general rule is that an expansion is a bad idea.
In the process of getting your home ready for show, you may find yourself feeling like a "jack of all trades." Here is a quick checklist, but you may want to add more things to your list as you see fit.
- Plant some flowers. Most flowers will grow quite well in Florida's mild climate.
- Paint whatever needs to be painted. Be critical of the house because your buyers will too.
- Make sure the lawn is mowed and the bushes are trimmed.
- Get rid of any unpleasant odors and lock up your pets before anyone comes over
- Vacuum on a daily basis!
- Clean out the refrigerator
- Hang up clean and fresh towels
- Wash your windows on both sides and make sure everything is dusted properly
These are some small things that can make a BIG difference when using the For Sale By Owner method in Florida or anywhere else. We hope that these quick simple tips help you in the selling process, but perhaps the most important step of all is listing your home on Central Florida For Sale By Owner!
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