| These 79 Ideas and Suggestions will Help You | | | | soap.49. Add a pretty dish of potpourri.YOUR |
| Improve Your Sale Price by $1000 TO $5000 - | | | | HOME'S BASEMENT50. Make it as pleasant as |
| These are ways to help you sell Your Home | | | | possible- erase all signs of dampness or mildew.51. |
| (some are Quick Easy Fix Ups) Faster and for | | | | Increase wattage of all bulbs to brighten up.52. |
| Top Dollar!SETTING THE "STAGE" these are | | | | Set it up as a games room or teen room |
| some preliminary thoughts...You will profit by using | | | | -Ping-Pong table, bright posters.53. Highlight a |
| some ideas compiled in the list below. Beyond the | | | | workbench area, dust, clean and organize.YOUR |
| obvious considerations of location, size, present | | | | HOME'S DRIVEWAY AND GARAGE54. Fix up |
| condition and design of your home, buyers look | | | | driveways for first impression impact.55. Enlarge |
| for special qualities that appeal to their emotions.It | | | | and improve appearance of garage with lights, |
| is your job to prepare the groundwork, to "set | | | | clear floor, organized shelves.YOUR YARD56. |
| the stage" for a buyer to fall in love with your | | | | Avoid an overgrown, unkempt look- prune, cut |
| home. Think of what has made your home so | | | | lawn, edge carefully.57. Mark property boundaries |
| special to you and try to highlight these features. | | | | if fences or lines don't exist.58. Use flowering |
| Although no home is perfect, you must try to | | | | plants to dress up your yard.59. Draw attention to |
| become aware of its shortcomings. Once you do, | | | | special trees- flowers at base to draw eye in.60. |
| you have the opportunity to accentuate the | | | | Play up flat areas- badminton set or volleyball |
| positive and eliminate the negatives by making | | | | net.61. Set up a backyard living/dining area- picnic |
| your home more visually appealing.For example: a | | | | table or rocking chairs.62. Let your pool help sell |
| long dark hall will appear shorter if wall papered in | | | | your home- clean, open earlier or close later, if |
| vertical pastel stripes; or by hanging a few | | | | winter, have photo of pool in summer, draw up a |
| pictures on the walls and installing inexpensive | | | | pool information sheet including costs, upkeep |
| lights above them, you will stop the buyer's eyes | | | | time, installation date, pool size and pool items |
| along the way. The monotonous tunnel effect will | | | | included with your home.THESE ARE IDEAS #63 |
| be immediately eliminated!Selling your home, | | | | TO #79, READ THEM CAREFULLY. |
| though rarely a "fun" experience, can be a painless | | | | THEY COULD BE KEY TO YOUR SALE! |
| and profitable one if both you and your agent put | | | | WHEN YOUR HOME IS SHOWN63. Be willing to |
| in the effort. It is this cooperative venture that | | | | show your home (practically) any time -yes it's an |
| will meet your goal of selling your home fast, with | | | | inconvenience to show your home at dinner time, |
| the least amount of inconvenience and at the | | | | but if the people buy your home, isn't it worth a |
| best price and terms for you.GENERAL1. Make | | | | re-heated dinner?64. Have a family game plan for |
| those minor repairs - no matter how minor.2. | | | | last minute showing- dust the table, put the dishes |
| Whatever the season, do some spring cleaning.3. | | | | in the dishwasher, have kids clean their rooms, |
| Have a yard sale or pack away in boxes those | | | | hide those damp pantyhose hanging on the |
| items that clutter.4. Create the illusion of | | | | shower rod - don't dare apologize about the |
| spaciousness.5. Give your rooms a light, bright | | | | condition of your home! (This will start buyers out |
| look.6. Use colour and lighting to draw attention to | | | | on a negative)65. Air out your home an hour |
| your homes best selling features.7. Disguise | | | | before showings- smell better, wide open |
| unsightly views- remove heavy curtains, let the | | | | windows on a nice day with a gentle breeze |
| light in.8. Eliminate unpleasant odors.9. Avoid | | | | ruffling your curtains.66. Set your thermostat at a |
| eccentricities- remove those beaded curtains!10. | | | | comfortable temperature -this is not the time to |
| Accessories can make or break a room- avoid | | | | economize.67. Light a fire in the fireplace to set |
| clutter.11. Display photos that show your home | | | | the mood.68. Turn on lights in each room- |
| during other seasons.YOUR HOME'S FRONT | | | | brightens up your home.69. Put pets out and send |
| DOOR AND PORCH12. Create a welcoming spot in | | | | children to play at the neighbours (if possible).70. |
| colour- flower pot, paint front door.13. Invest in a | | | | Keep out of sight when your home is being |
| new doormat.14. Open curtains, have sparkling | | | | shown- buyers feel uncomfortable when you're |
| windows.YOUR HOME'S ENTRY HALL15. Create a | | | | around. The benefit is they can more easily |
| dramatic focal point - e.g.., flowers, poinsettia, | | | | imagine the house as their own when you're not |
| antiques.16. Add spaciousness with a well placed | | | | around.71. Never volunteer information (you won't |
| mirror.17. Improve floor appearance here, if | | | | be there if you follow the previous tip). Resist the |
| nowhere else (except kitchen).18. Clean out your | | | | urge to tell them how great it is to have a bus |
| coat closet.19. Create the illusion of an entry hall if | | | | stop out front for your children, as you may learn |
| you have none-narrow table, open bookcase, | | | | later that the prospective buyers have no |
| railing, its own lighting area.YOUR HOME'S LIVING | | | | children, work the evening shift and love to sleep |
| ROOM AND FAMILY ROOM20. Treat these | | | | in late in the morning.72. Don't be compelled to |
| rooms as if they were stage settings-games | | | | apologize for what you may see as one of your |
| room suggests good family life, a guitar is warm, | | | | home's weaknesses, you may be moving |
| a dictionary, half finished crossword puzzle- let the | | | | because of the traffic noise of that newly built |
| buyer imagine living in your home.21. Highlight your | | | | highway, yet the buyer may be moving in your |
| fireplace, decorating the mantle or above with | | | | area because of the very proximity of the |
| picture.22. Improve traffic flow in these rooms.23. | | | | highway for quick commuting. Let the salesperson |
| Draw attention to exposed beams or a cathedral | | | | do the job of selling.OTHER IDEAS AND |
| ceiling.24. Don't let the TV dominate or be the | | | | CONSIDERATIONS73. Draw up a floor plan if you |
| focal point of the room.YOUR HOME'S DINING | | | | don't have one- it's a visual selling tool and they'll |
| ROOM OR DINING AREA25. Set the scene by | | | | remember your home much better after they |
| setting the table and add a centerpiece.26. Make a | | | | leave.74. Some purchasers want to know what |
| large dining room into, say, a dining room and a | | | | your heating, electricity, water and sewer costs |
| small library or add a desk.27. Visually enlarge a | | | | are per month and also sometimes want to see |
| small dining area-remove leaves, place against wall, | | | | warranties on appliances. Have this information |
| remove extra side chairs or large pieces.YOUR | | | | available if asked.75. Tell everyone you meet that |
| HOME'S KITCHEN28. Use props to set the scene- | | | | your home is for sale- why keep it a secret, |
| open cookbook, basket of eggs, bunch of carrots | | | | word of mouth is a strong selling aid.76. Remain |
| on a cutting board, ceramic mixing bowl with | | | | optimistic, it's easy to get discouraged after your |
| whisk, etc.29. Make it smell great- simmer | | | | home has been shown ten or twelve times, but |
| Christmas brew, bake bread, bowl of lemons, | | | | you've done everything to make your home |
| fresh coffee, cinnamon sticks etc.30. Expand your | | | | more salable, so don't take it personally. Keep in |
| counter space, store small appliances, use a | | | | touch with me, I'll be continually updating you as |
| moveable cart.31. Create more storage | | | | to market activity. Remember someone is going |
| space-neat organized shelves, hanging pot rack.32. | | | | to walk through your front door and fall head |
| Accent kitchen windows-plants, bird feeder | | | | over heels in love with your home. After all, you |
| outside window.33. Make small kitchen appear | | | | did.77. Don't be afraid to accept your first offer. If |
| larger-repaint white (walls recede), light curtains, | | | | you've priced your home right, we may get an |
| mirror.34. Highlight an eat-in area, set the table, | | | | offer in the first week that is very close to the |
| fruit as a centerpiece.YOUR HOME'S LAUNDRY | | | | asking price. Don't panic and think your home is |
| ROOM35. Make it cheerful and appealing.36. Double | | | | under priced, it means that the prospective |
| duty- corner table or chair, sewing area, set the | | | | buyers appreciate your home and want it |
| stage.YOUR HOME'S STAIRWAYS37. Make them | | | | badly.78. Don't forget that every buyer wants to |
| safe- lighting, clutter-free, rail, carpet or runners | | | | feel that he has got a "deal"- that is one reason |
| secure?38. Add visual interest- plant stand on | | | | you built bargaining leeway into your price in the |
| landing, wallpaper can narrow.39. Improve | | | | first place.79. Don't be afraid to call me any time |
| appearance of stair treads, clean or paint.YOUR | | | | with what may seem to be the smallest of |
| HOME'S BEDROOMS40. Create a master bedroom | | | | questions. That's what I'm here for, to service |
| "suite" effect ("Large is Better")- avoid busy | | | | you and get your home sold in the quickest time, |
| patterns, small desk, chair with lamp, etc.41. | | | | with the least amount of inconvenience, and at |
| Tackle your closets, clear clutter, clear floor, | | | | the best price and terms for you.If you follow |
| organize shelves, smell.42. Add storage boxes | | | | most of the items in this list you will be sure to |
| under the bed if you need more storage.43. | | | | receive thousands of dollars more when you sell |
| Depersonalize teenagers rooms- at your own | | | | your home.Mark Argentino is a Professional Real |
| risk!YOUR HOME'S BATHROOMS44. Create a | | | | Estate Agent and has his Professional Engineering |
| look- plants, glass bowl of shells, pictures, fresh | | | | degree. Mark works and resides in Mississauga |
| towels, magazine rack, etc.45. Colour- grey and | | | | Ontario. He specializes in helping people sell and |
| rose, all white- add some accent colours.46. | | | | buy homes in the Mississauga area. His website is |
| Invest in a new shower curtain and/or bath | | | | the most authoritative source of real estate |
| mat.47. Improve (not replace) your floor covering, | | | | information when you are buying or selling a home |
| scrub and clean.48. Put out fresh towels and | | | | in Mississauga. |