In selling your home there are some things that will need to be done in order to make your home more "viewer friendly." This is the simple transition from your home's being a place of living to being a marketable product. If you take a look at any show home that has been constructed to help sell a new development you will notice quite a few differences between that show home and an average home. This first and most glaring difference is that obviously the show home is not lived in. This may sound like a bit of a crazy thought but it is true. If your home looks more like a show home it will show that much better.
So how can you eliminate signs of living and the family that resides in a home? It is a little trickier than it seems. Living in a home creates mess and clutter. If you consider that show home what do you see when you walk through it? Nothing in the closets, 1 set of dishes (maybe), everything is so clean it sparkles, shelves have a few books if anything and all the furniture is new. This is a bit of a tall order yes? The real difficulty comes in maintaining this image in your home while you are still residing there. Daily cleaning is a must. Take the time at the end of each day to clear away any mess that accumulated, vacuum or dust everywhere and put away anything that was used during the course of the day. The less you allow things to build up, the easier the job becomes.
Perhaps the main thing that people fail to do when getting their home ready for showing is not removing things that will remind the buyer of the family that lives there. If you remember the show home, there is no signs that a family might live there. This makes it easier for buyers to place themselves in the home, and comfort in the home is a critical asset when selling a property. De-personalizing can be as simple as removing family pictures, taking memorabilia off the fridge or counter tops and ensuring that small personal items are stored away. Making your home "viewer friendly" may seem like you are giving up a bit of your personal space, but remember; the idea is that you will sell all of your personal space.
There is a plus to giving up a couple of rooms in this way – houses with in-law suites will soon be in big demand as the baby boomers grow old!
Renting is good business sense and it is not the black area that many of us think it is. In fact, once you have tried it and realized how much stress it can relieve, you will probably be hooked!
But, if you try it without following some simple rules it could be a nightmare because you do need to have all your own family needs looked after. Here are some ways to foolproof yourself so that you can enjoy renting your home and having a boost to your income.
Do not consider renting without first having a separate entrance for the tenants. Many homes have this already, or you may have to give up your back door, or build yourself (or the new suite) a new back door. The cost of doing this will be realized in only a couple of months rent.
There will probably be small initial outlays: a door between your living accommodation and their rooms or suite. It is very simple to hang a door or make an interior wall with a door. It can also be easily removed if you wish to rent for only a few years.
If your home has a downstairs bathroom, you will have to give this up, unless you are happy with a shared situation. Beware of sharing as it may mean that your part of the home is accessible.
You do not need a full size stove, these days a microwave, a broiler oven and a small bar-sized sink will be sufficient.
Think about the car parking situation and ensure that it can be adequately solved. (i.e. one car of theirs in the driveway, one on the street?)
Do not share your garden as most purpose built apartments do not have this luxury, and you need your privacy. Remember gardens come right up to windows!!
Now that we have dealt with the physical characteristics of the house, we turn to you and your family. The single most important aspect for being a happy landlord is this: make sure the tenants have the same lifestyle as you. This may sound odd, so let me explain.
If you have a young family and the kids are racing around the house by 7 in the morning, you do not want a night-duty nurse downstairs trying to sleep! Alternatively, if like to be in bed with everything locked up and lights off at 10.30.p.m., you do not want a tenant who plays rap until 2.a.m. and then orders in a pizza. A quick solution to this is only request a career or professional couple.
If you like your home to look a certain way (e.g. all the drapes to remain in place, or no bikes outside, or no garbage bags by the door) then make sure you have these pointers written into an agreement, along with the hours about the noise and bedtime.
It is easier to remain detached and keep your privacy if you are not involved in any of the rental processes. Using the services of a rental company ensures that the legal aspects are all adhered to and allows you to maintain a strictly business-like attitude with your tenants. e.g. good morning and good evening if you pass in the driveway.
Do not become involved with the choosing process, the interviewing, the eliminating of the unsuitable and the checking of references.
Do not be the person who deals with any queries or complaints.
Do not be the person who collects rent, gives notice etc
Just be the person who has a bank balance that expands every month without you lifting a finger!
Both Eileen Mcadam & Michael Peterson 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.
Eileen Mcadam has sinced written about articles on various topics from Real Estate. Eileen McAdam is a real estate agent and Associate Broker specializing in . For professional service in looking for or purchasing. Eileen Mcadam's top article generates over 720 views. to your Favourites.
Michael Peterson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Travel and Leisure, Finances and Real Estate. This article was written on behalf of Michael Peterson. Michael specializes in and can show you. Michael Peterson's top article generates over 33100 views. to your Favourites.