How to show your home at its best When you're ready to sell your home, make sure potential buyers see it at its best. Here are the top ways to fix up the appearance of your home without investing a lot of money. A little time and effort now will pay big dividends at closing.
Landscaping Cut the grass and make sure all flowerbeds are freshly mulched and free of weeds. Prune overgrown shrubs, especially if they're hiding windows or blocking the entryway. Find a local landscaper
Gutters and Fences Reinforce sagging gutters and straighten crooked fences. Make sure the gutters are cleared of obstructions and the soil isn't washed out around downspouts. A quick power washing will brighten fences. Find a local Fencer
Driveway and Walkways Clear away clutter like bikes, tools and toys. Use weed killer on grass and weeds that sprout in pavement cracks. Keep edges neat with a weed eater or edger.
Front Door Freshen the door and trim with a new coat of paint. Tighten loose doorknobs, oil squeaky hinges and make sure the doorbell works. Clean any furniture or outside decorations. Add a colourful potted plant or a new doormat. Find a local painter
Inside Entry Shampoo the rug or scrub and wax the floor. Add a fresh area rug and make sure it has a non-skid surface for safety. Hang a mirror to make your entry look larger and brighter. Find a local carpet cleaner
Kitchen Set a warm, inviting mood by keeping countertops free of clutter and adding decorative canisters or a scented candle. Clean out the refrigerator, degrease the oven, wipe down cabinet doors and keep the sink shining.
Bathrooms Make sure your bathrooms sparkle. Clear countertops of unnecessary clutter. Replace discoloured or damaged caulking. Fix dripping faucets and leaky toilets. Find a plumber near you
Wardrobes Organize the contents to make your closets appear larger. Donate unwanted items to charity and store what's left in stackable plastic totes to maintain a neat, tidy appearance.
Garage, Basement and Attic This is the time to sort through all the junk and decide what to keep and what to give away. Use easy-to-assemble storage shelves to stow tools and sporting goods; wall hangers for garden hose, blowers and other equipment. Use a Local Handyman
Lighting Replace burned out bulbs and clean fixtures, inside and out, to get rid of dead bugs and cobwebs. Consider replacing dated fixtures in the most visible locations. Install indoor track lighting to highlight artwork and open drapes and blinds to let in natural light. Outside use landscape lighting to accentuate architectural features. Use an electrician near you
1) How much will you receive? Companies all offer different amounts, from as low as 70% to as high as 100%. Companies which offer 100% usually give you 70% upon completion of the sale and 30% at the end of the tenancy, however the average offer tends to be 85%
2) Are they a reputable company? Selling your house can often be far from a relaxing process. For your peace of mind, it's important know the sell and rent back company you are dealing with is reputable, ethical, in good financial standing and will still be around at the end of your tenancy period. Make sure you do plenty of research on a sell and rent back company before you enter into any agreement with them. An independent personal recommendation is ideal if you can find someone who has gone the process, but as sell and rent back is still an emerging sector of the property this may be tricky. Searching the internet may also reveal some more information on the range of companies entering the sector.
3) Are you guaranteed long-term rental? What happens when you become a tenant? Look for companies which offer a long-term contract, this will give you peace of mind that you cannot be evicted after a short period. When you become a tenant you will generally have to pay for council tax and the normal gas, electric bills as any tenant would.
4) Will you have to pay valuation costs and legal fees? Most companies will pay the valuation costs and legal fees for you. Some companies will do this to make the offer seem more attractive but only buy the property for a lower percentage. This is not true for all companies as some will pay for the costs and fees whilst offering a high or full percentage.
5) What about privacy? Will my details be kept private/confidential? Each of the sell and rent back companies should keep your details private and confidential to comply with the data protection act, although ensuring the company is reputable beforehand should eliminate any risk of breach of confidentiality. Unless expressed otherwise, the only people who will know about what happened will be you, the company you dealt with and the solicitor handling the case, and a "sold" sign will not be put up outside your house.
6) Will rent stay at pre-agreed levels? Some sell and rent back companies will offer a fixed rate for the first few years, after then the monthly rental payments may increase. Others will not guarantee a fixed rate and leave you open to increased payments later on in your tenancy. Often the best deal will be the sell and rent back firm who will offer you 10 years (or whatever the length of tenancy agreed) at a single fixed rate which is signed into the contract.
7) Will the valuation be independently calculated? Always choose a sell and rent back company which offers an independent valuation, especially by a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
8) How long is the process likely to take? How quickly could you receive your money? Companies can complete the entire deal in 24 hours if that is what's required and as long as the legal paperwork goes through ok, but most will take 3-4 week to get everything sorted. Your money is usually released after the transaction has been completed.
9) Who owns and maintains the property? After the transaction has completed, your landlord will generally be the company who bought the property from you and they will be responsible for taking care of any maintenance or emergency callouts that occur. This is why it is essential to ensure the landlord is reputable or are using an experienced and reliable property management company to quickly address any issues you have. The "moveable furniture" (chair's, tables etc) is typically still owned by you, unless you negotiate a deal with the company to sell them the furniture as well.
10) What if you want to buy your house back? Some companies will offer a deal where you can choose to buy your house back off them at the end of the tennancy period. This is very useful for those who are having a difficult time financially but expect things to improve in two years or more when they can afford mortgage payments again.
Both Click4help & Bernard Higgingson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Click4help has sinced written about articles on various topics from Beauty Tips, Sell Home. www.click4help.com.au. Click4help's top article generates over 2900 views. to your Favourites.
Bernard Higgingson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Sell Home. Bernard Higgingson is a freelance writer covering the sector within the property sector. Bernard Higgingson's top article generates over 1600 views. to your Favourites.