Stuart Neal's Blog

I get to look inside a lot of houses in the metro Edmonton area. I’m always amazed by how little preparation some home sellers make before we show their house. We think that it’s the job of a good Realtor® to point these things out. I wonder why they don’t?

Here is our preparation check list. We think that home and condo sellers all over the world will benefit from using this simple checklist, not just those we serve in the metro Edmonton market, here in Alberta.

1. Wash the front door – and/or repaint it - Your buyer will have created an impression about your home before they even take off their shoes.

2. Wash the windows – It’s amazing how good a home looks when the windows sparkle.

3. Close your closet doors – Make your rooms look clean and sharp. No one wants to look at your mess, when they first walk into a room.

4. Drop the toilet seats – Do we really need to explain why?

5. Open the blinds and drapes – Light sunny homes sell. Dark dungeons do not.

6. Wash the floors – Most buyers like clean sparkling homes. I walked into a house the other day and there were dust balls floating across the hardwood. Yuck!

7. Clear the sink – The kitchen needs to be super clean and look unused. Buyers will not expect to see dirty dishes in the sink. Again, yuck!

8. Clear clutter on all horizontal surfaces especially in the bathroom. How big is your home? Most buyers want the most amount of space their money will buy. If you start from the floor and move up, clearing excess furniture, ornaments and bric a brac, your home will show much better. Need a visual? Go into your nearest new construction show home. Most high quality volume builders get it right.

9. Depersonalize – Pictures of your family members are important to you. As is your children’s or grand children’s artwork. Buyers don’t care. Please put this stuff away in a safe place before you start to advertise your home for sale.

Politeness prohibits us from posting pictorial examples of what NOT to do, but we think you get the picture. Need more advice? Call us and one of our advisors would be pleased to conduct a one-on-one walkthrough of your home.

Want more information about our discount and flat fee home selling programs? Please feel free to call our broker owner Stuart Neal at: 780-760-2014 or visit www.LowerRealtyFees.com

Lower Realty Fees & Outstanding Results, Superior Realty Services from only $1999

Note this blog was first published on www.LowerRealtyFees.com. It was revised, updated and reposted on www.AmbergateHomes.com in November 2015.