| 1 |
FIRST
IMPRESSIONS ARE THE MOST LASTING |
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Remember that when a prospect
comes to look at your home - the first impression (curb
appeal) is vital. Your front lawn and other
landscaping should be neatly trimmed and mowed. Make
certain that your yard is clean of refuse and leaves.
The walk should be swept and, in winter, remove ice and snow
from walk and steps. The front door must be clean and
fresh looking, the doorbell in working order.
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| 2 |
DECORATING
FOR QUICKER SALE |
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Faded walls and worn woodwork
will reduce the appeal of your house. Why describe how
your house could look... when you can show how it looks with
just a reasonable amount of redecoration. A minor
investment in paint will pay bigger dividends to you in the
form of a better price and quicker sale.
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| 3 |
LET
THE SUN SHINE IN |
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Open the drapes and curtains.
Clean the windows so that a prospect can see how bright and
cheerful your house is. Dark and dreary rooms do not
appeal to most home-buying prospects.
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| 4 |
DON'T
BE A DRIP |
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Fix leaky faucets; dripping
water suggests faulty or worn-out plumbing (major repair
bills); discolored, rust-stained sinks are also warning
signs, so should be properly cleaned.
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| 5 |
LITTLE
THINGS MEAN A LOT |
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Loose door knobs or cabinet
pulls, sticking doors and drawers, wobbly hinges, stuck
windows--all are negative factors.
Take a few minutes to check and repair all these seemingly
minor flaws, since they do detract from the value
of your house.
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| 6 |
SAFETY
FIRST |
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Keep stairways and corridors
clear and clean of clutter. In addition to being
unattractive, clutter causes accidents.
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| 7 |
TOP
TO BOTTOM |
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Let prospects see the full value
of your attic, basement, garage and other utility/storage
spaces by removing junk, cartons and other articles.
Neatly stack cartons, etc. If the storage spaces are
dark and dreary, a coat of paint or
extra lighting can do wonders.
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| 8 |
LOVE
BIG CLOSETS! |
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We all love closets and you can
make them look even bigger by having them clean, neat and
well organized. Get rid
of old clothes and cartons that take away from the spacious
look.
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| 9 |
BATHROOMS
SELL HOMES |
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Make bathrooms sparkle.
Clean stained sinks and bowls, repair any damaged or
discolored caulking around bathtubs
and showers, be sure towels and area rugs are bright and
sparkly, make certain all light fixtures and bulbs work.
Keep the toilet seats in the closed position.
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| 10 |
WAKE
UP YOUR BEDROOMS |
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Keep bedrooms bright and
cheerful, after the prospects are gone you can close the
drapes. Remove excess furniture
to avoid a crowded look, use attractive and colorful bed
linens and spreads (of course the beds should always
be made).
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| 11 |
CAN
YOU SEE THE LIGHT? |
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Illumination in your home can be
the "welcome sign" for every prospect. Turn
on all the exterior and interior lights - including the
accent and picture lights--when showing your home at night.
All interior lights should be turned on during a day
showing.
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| 12 |
AVOID
CROWDS |
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Potential buyers will feel like
an intruder and want to hurry through the inspection of your
house if there are too many people around. Send the
kids over to a neighbors or take them down to the ice cream
store when the real estate
agent shows your house.
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| 13 |
SILENCE
IS GOLDEN |
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When showing your house, turn
off all radios or television sets. Let the salesperson
and buyer talk freely without having
to yell over the noise of a blaring radio.
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| 14 |
PUT
FIDO OUTSIDE |
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Dog may be man's best friend,
but not when showing your house. Keep all pets out of
the way and not underfoot.
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| 15 |
THIS
IS NOT A SOCIAL CALL |
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Be courteous and friendly, but
don't try to force conversation with potential buyers.
They are there to inspect your
house, not to be social. Let the salesperson do the
talking.
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| 16 |
STAY
IN THE BACKGROUND |
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The salesperson knows what the
buyers need and are looking for, and can best describe and
emphasize the best features of your house. DON'T TAG
ALONG. (If possible, it is best for you to leave at
the time they arrive). If there
are any questions, the salesperson will contact you for the
information.
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| 17 |
BE
IT EVER SO HUMBLE |
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There's no place like your home.
You live in it, so don't apologize for the appearance of the
house. If something out
of the ordinary should happen to mess up the appearance,
inform the salesperson when you are first called for
the showing. Should any negative comments or
objections be offered--back off--let the trained
professional salesperson answer them.
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| 18 |
THIS
IS NOT A GARAGE SALE |
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Don't try to sell the potential
buyers any of the furniture or furnishings that you don't
want to take with you. They haven't
even bought your house yet--and you could foul up the sale.
These are details that can be discussed afterwards,
so cool it.
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| 19 |
LET
A PROFESSIONAL DO IT |
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Let the professional salesperson
talk to the customer--about selling price, terms, possession
date and other factors.
Realtors have been specially trained and have the experience
to bring negotiations on your house to a satisfactory
conclusion.
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| 20 |
BY
APPOINTMENT ONLY |
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It is recommended that your home
be shown by appointment only in order to make certain the
house is in showing order.
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