For Sale By Owner: Prepare Home For Show

When acting as your own real estate agent, it is imperative that you cover all bases adequately. You must have a for sale by owner home that is in excellent condition and ready to be shown to potential buyers. It is not difficult to prepare your for sale by owner home for show but it does require proper planning and a little bit of work on your part to ensure success.

The outside of your for sale by owner home is the first thing potential buyers will see so it is very important to make sure it is clean and attractive. "Curb appeal," or the way your home looks from the outside, is what attracts potential buyers so if you spruce it up a bit, they will want to view the inside of the for sale by owner home.

A neatly manicured and well-kept lawn implicitly signifies a well maintained for sale by owner home. You should make a weekly habit of cutting your lawn while your home is on display for sale. Be sure to rake leaves and to sweep the sidewalks on the weekends when your house is to be shown. If you have shrubs and or trees, remove debris and dead limbs to make them more presentable. It is a nice touch to plant extra flowers for color or to add potted flowers to lighten up the landscaping.

If fences are in ill repair or need work, repair them and touch them up with stain or with paint. Put away lawn equipment, children's' toys, and any other outdoor items. Keep large pets with neighbors so they do not interfere with the showing of your for sale by owner home.

The inside of your for sale by owner home is next on the list to make presentable for showing. It has been proven that people buy homes that appear spacious, clean, and solid. Dark colors and clutter turn off most buyers, this means you must get rid of everything that you can possibly live without. A good rule of thumb is this, if you cannot see your baseboard, the room is probably very cluttered.

To get rid of unnecessary things you may have, you may donate them to a charity or have a garage sale. The larger items that you must keep can be placed in storage. If you will be painting your interior, use white or an off-white paint. You should also replace your light bulbs with brighter, higher wattage bulbs. Again, the look you are going for is bright and spacious. Be sure to clean everything thoroughly including carpets and mirrored surfaces.

Clean the oven and all appliances and be sure to polish any chrome fixtures. Be especially particular about ridding your home of any odors such as from smoke or from pets. Fix any loose doorknobs, repair any broken windowpanes or leaky windowsills. Be sure any light fixtures are secure and in good repair. Also, be sure to repair any leaky pipes and to reapply caulk as needed.

These general tips will get you started on preparing your for sale by owner home for show. It is a good practice to view the for sale by owner home as though you are the buyer and to be particularly hard on yourself so a potential buyer won't have to be. If you are worried that you may overlook something, it won't hurt to get a friend or neighbor to do a walk thru of the home and to critique your efforts. This will ensure a complete and thorough preparation and will boost the appeal of your home.

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