Article Title: 7 Steps to Sell Your House in Twenty Seconds



Author Name: Joanne Victoria

Contact E-mail Address: mailto:joanne@joannevictoria.com

Word Count: 1179

Category: Real Estate Sales

Copyright Date: 2007

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7 Steps To Sell Your House in Twenty Seconds

Did you know that purchasing a home is an emotional process?

Most people decide in less than twenty seconds, yes, twenty

seconds if a particular house is for them.

Not only that, but buyers look at an average of twelve

homes before they make the momentous decision to

buy a home.

That means your home must compete with at least these

eleven other properties. Then, you must sell to the Multiple

Listing service members, first, before you can sell to the

buyer of your home.

A lot of work for you as well as your listing agent to

complete to compete.

Yes, there is the financing end of the transaction. However,

the price range of the home and the mortgage parameters

are usually (or should be!) determined prior to buyers’ looking

at available properties.

Listed below are

Seven Steps to Sell Your House in Twenty Seconds

1. Clean! Clean! Clean!

Your home can never be clean enough. Do whatever it takes

to see that your house looks as brand new as possible,

especially in the clean department.

a. Pull out your refrigerator and clean behind and on top of it.

b. Check all your baseboards. If they are damaged, first clean,

and then paint them. Easy and cheap enough to do.

c. Check all the doorframes throughout your home. Again,

clean and paint, if needed.

d. Each and every day during the marketing of your home,

keep it clean. Dust, vacuum and wash those windows to their

brilliant clarity.

2. Organize

Go through all your closets, cabinets and drawers.

Start with the kitchen. Throwaway any old spices and

foodstuff you have not used in over six months. This will

also make your move easier. If there is anything on your

countertop bigger than a football, remove it. Have only

items of color or clarity on your countertops and furniture.

Next, go to your Fibber and McGee closet. A Fiber and

McGee closet is one where you can be buried by its contents.

Most times it is a hall closet. Remove everything, keep

only what is necessary and if the closet is still too full, store it.

New homebuyers want to know that their new home has

plenty of storage space.

No one is interested in your lifestyle, just your home, so

please remove any collectibles.

This is not personal, just business.

If you have a carport, garage or deck, do the same thing.

Whatever you do not need, store or eliminate.

3. Eliminate Clutter

Get rid of any and everything that is unnecessary to your

life during the marketing process. Get rid of extra furniture,

golf trophies, knick-knacks, any collection you have that

is extremely personal.

Pay for a storage unit or rent a Pod.

Again, people do not want to see your stuff, they want

to visualize their stuff.

Check your drapes, window coverings and shower curtains.

If they look dingy or are dusty, either clean or replace.

Also replace the shower curtain liner. No mold, please! If the

shower curtain is dated or flowery, replace with a simple

neutral colored shower curtain.

4. Repairs and Paint

Replace all light bulbs with higher wattage bulbs, upgrade

all attached light fixtures and replace any damaged switch

plates. Remember, if your house looks as if you have

taken care of it, it will sell easier.

Is your doorbell out of order? Then replace it. Are the

baseboards in your home damaged from the vacuum

cleaner? Again, repair and paint as needed.

Do your kitchen cabinets look dated? If possible, freshen

with a paint job. You can sand and re-stain or just clean them.

Make sure all the walls are of a neutral color. Designer

walls have to go. Deep colors may make the rooms

appear smaller; your home must look as much like a

furniture showroom as possible. Save yourself time and

dollars by doing this work first.

Repaint the existing baths even if you do not think they

need it. They do. Use neutral colors and repaint the

ceilings as well. Paint your entryway, even if it looks

great to you. A fresh coat of paint is cheap and works wonders.

5. Curb Appeal

Curb appeal is about first impressions. Your home better

look good from the outside, first. Replace any dead

flowers and plants with new ones. Replace and water

any dead grass, mow and water frequently. Your local

nursery will have the newest products to help your

lawn grow fast.

If the outside of your home needs painting, do it. It will help

sell your home, even if it costs a little money and time.

You will get it back in the sales price.

Go across the street and be extremely critical of how your

house looks. If it needs painting, do all the other steps first,

then consider the painting project. Even if you do not paint

the entire exterior, paint your front door a fresh,

bright neutral color.

6. Light it Up!

Let people see what they are getting. Increase wattage in

all your light bulbs and add up-lights in dark corners. Your

local hardware or box store has these and they work wonders.

Double check your exterior lights and increase wattage here

as well.

Your entry, inside and out, must be extremely well lit. Replace

low wattage bulbs and if needed upgrade your light fixtures.

7. Fresh, Fresh Smells!

If you are a smoker, do it outside, if at all. Purchase a

spray that will remove odors without masking them.

If you have cats, empty kitty litter boxes daily. If you have

dogs, keep the dog outside. Consider sprinkling odor

eater products on your carpets, as home buying prospects’

noses are sensitive to new or different smells.

Consider placing fresh lemons or oranges in a bowl on

your dining room table. Much better and less expensive than

fresh cut flowers, and they last longer!

Bonus tip:

Price your home to sell. If you are testing the market,

reconsider going through all the stress of listing your home.

Choose the right realtor who will tell you the truth, not just

what you want to hear. An experienced real estate agent

should know the market, the comparison sales in your area,

as well as what buyers want.

The willing buyer/willing seller concept stands out against

over- priced listings or uneducated real estate agents. Price

your home right.

Your home will sell to someone at the right price, as long as

you follow the above tips and list it for the right price –

in twenty seconds or less!

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Joanne Victoria, owner of New Directions and author of

"Vision With a Capital V - Create the Business of Your Dreams",

with over 25 years of experience in real estate coaching

and consulting, works with real estate agents and

brokers who want more focus and clarity, more

satisfaction and more fun in order to get what

they really want. You can reach Joanne at:

mailto: mailto:Info@NewDirectionsinRealEstate.com

By phone at:360-377-2995.

Book orders in the US: 888-503-2665.

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