Avoid these Sale Stoppers BEFORE your home hits the market!

If you think about it, do you believe that your home is still a good fit for you? Some life circumstances cause our housing needs to change, and you may find yourself crammed in tighter than ever, or wondering what to do with all that extra space. If this sounds familiar and you feel it's finally time to move, you may not be sure where to start, even if you've done this before. That's completely understandable!

The best way to get your home is ready for sale is to make sure it is as clean, uncluttered, well-cared for, and attractive as possible.

I'm here to tell you, start with taming the clutter. Boxing up years' worth of accumulated items can certainly seem overwhelming, but hopefully you're resigned to tackling it anyway. Because you know that clutter not only ruins the online photos, but it also make your home feel smaller and distracts buyers from picturing themselves living there. It can even reduce the perceived value of your home and result in lower offers. Definitely not what you want!

But there are things even worse than clutter: poor condition and deferred maintenance. These two interconnected problems will cause many buyers to literally turn around and walk away. Everything wears out eventually, so it is crucial to keep your home in good repair.

The last thing you want is for buyers to get the impression your home is not only outdated, but also unloved. Even if your home appears fine, an inspection will reveal any hidden areas of neglect. So make sure you replace that faucet, fix the trim, ditch the worn out carpeting, and clean out those gutters. These are just a few of many ways to avoid bigger problems later on. If not a deal killer, these conditions certainly will affect your bottom line at closing.

What kinds of conditions am I talking about? Here are some actual, costly examples I have encountered; some smaller, some larger, but all of them impacted the sale:

• Stained and worn carpeting
• Scratched trim and hardwood floors
• Cracked tiles
• Cracked windows
• Rotted window frames
• Lingering smoke and pet odor
• Mineral build up on and around faucets
• Water damage caused by clogged or improperly fitted gutters
• Water damage caused by disconnected downspouts
• Foundation damage caused by improper grading
• Roof damage caused by improperly installed chimney flashing
• Roof damage caused by long-term moss growth
• Mold caused by improperly vented bath fans
• Mold caused by leaky pipes
• Worn out furnace caused by lack of regular maintenance
• Unsafe deck caused by lack of maintenance

The sad part is, all of this was completely preventable.

Hopefully you've been keeping up with your maintenance. So what if you realize your home has some of these issues? Does that mean you can't sell it? No, but you'll probably need to invest some money in order to get top dollar.

Before you begin, you may want to call in a consultant to help you prioritize your task list. I am that consultant, gladly helping my clients differentiate between absolute necessities and lesser items, keeping affordability and impact on the sale in mind. My goal is to help you reach your goal: sell your home for the most money and in the shortest time possible. Having a fresh perspective from an outside observer can save you time, money, and hassle. When you're handing over the keys to the new owners at closing, you'll be so glad you did!