- Thoroughly clean the entire home.
- Scrub tile in the kitchen and bathrooms.
- Clean hardwood floors.
- Steam clean carpets and drapes. Consider getting an appraisal to find out your current market value. Consider replacing carpet if stains are prominent.
- Get rid of all dust bunnies.
- Repair cracks and holes in the walls.
- Paint interior walls with neutral colors, like beige, cream or light pastels. Pale blues and greens are good for bathrooms.
- Remove excess and oversized furniture.
- Rearrange furniture to maximize space.
- Organize room closets and store out-of-season clothes.
- Remove all small appliances, toys, magazines and pet items.
- Remove family photos, personal collections and medications.
- Remove items from the garage and store them off site.
- Secure valuable items, including cash and jewelry.
What if you, as a buyer, like a home but despise its wood-paneled walls, shag carpet and lurid orange kitchen? If you are working with an agent, you can express your contempt for the current owner’s decorating skills and rant about how much it’ll cost you to upgrade the home without insulting the owner. For all you know, the owner’s late mother may have lovingly chosen the décor. Your real estate agent can convey your concerns to the sellers’ agent. Acting as a messenger, the agent may be in a better position to negotiate a discount without ruffling the homeowner’s feathers.
A real estate agent can also play the “bad guy” in a transaction, preventing the bad blood between a buyer and seller that can kill a deal. Keep in mind that a seller can reject a potential buyer’s offer for any reason–including just because they hate his or her guts. An agent can help by speaking for you in tough transactions and smoothing things over to keep them from getting too personal. This can put you in a better position to get the house you want. The same is true for the seller, who can benefit from a hard-nosed real estate agent who will represent their interests without turning off potential buyers who want to niggle about the price.
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