Selling Your Home? Prep PAYS OFF!
by Thomas Kraeutler
Most real estate experts agree: buying or selling a home ranks among the most stressful experiences of adult life. As a professional home inspector, I'm often thrown head on into the middle of an emotional battle of wills between buyers, sellers and real estate agents all wanting the best "deal" for the house. By the time the inspection is arranged, the buyer is convinced he's paying too much for the house, the seller swears he's giving the house away and the real estate agents are hoping to keep the deal alive.
In spite of all this, the home inspection is a critical process. Nobody wants to buy a "bad" house and the inspector's job is to carefully check the home's structural and mechanical systems for problems that can lead to big repair bills later. However, there are many things a seller can do to get the home ready for an inspection and ready to bring in the highest price possible.
CREATE SPACE
Most people buy homes because they've outgrown their existing house or apartment and need more space for a growing family. As a home seller, your product is that "space" and the more "space" you have to sell them, the higher the price you're likely to get. Here's how you can create more space, even in smaller houses:- eliminate excess furniture
- remove storage
- clean out your garage
- generally take every opportunity to create a wide-open look
MAXIMIZE and NEUTRALIZE
After cleaning the place up, it's time to paint. Relocation firms, that help big companies move employees across the state or across the country, often wind up having to sell the employee's former house as quickly as possible. Their trick? They immediately paint the inside of the house, top to bottom, with an off white paint and then follow up by installing a low-grade, tan, wall to wall carpet. I jokingly refer to this as "neutralizing" because they want to erase all resemblance's of the former owners tasteful (or not so tasteful) decor. You may not be able to purchase new carpet, but a fresh paint job will go a long way to helping prospective buyers envision their decorating preferences. It's easier to imagine a new baby's room when you're looking at cleanly painted walls, instead of the grunge left by the teenager that's currently staying there.
ALL SYSTEMS GO
Next, get all of your mechanical systems serviced by qualified contractors. It is generally not expensive and extremely important in presenting your property as well cared for. Service your air conditioning system, clean your furnace, repair plumbing leaks, correct any electrical switches or outlets that are not working, and so on. Fix any minor problems found before they become major ones. Whatever you do, don't skimp by only changing the filter in the furnace - have the heating system thoroughly cleaned and checked out by an expert. A new filter in a dirty, poorly maintained, furnace does nothing but make a buyer think you are trying to pull the wool over his eyes.
OUTSIDE CHECK
Once you're finished inside the house, do a little work to freshen up the exterior. Replace broken windows, repair rotted trim, cut back trees that are too close to the house and invest in some new landscaping.
INSPECTION PLUS
Even before you put your house on the market, a professional home inspection is a valuable way to get expert help in the pre-sale process. While buyers will often want their own inspection, you will be far ahead of the game to have an impartial expert check your house beforehand. Inspectors can provide lists of needed repairs and, most importantly, give you an early warning of any potentially major problems that are likely to creep up when a buyer's inspector gets involved. There's nothing worse than bargaining down to your last dollar on the sale of your house, only to find out later that your furnace is shot and the buyer wants you to pay for a new one.
Tom Kraeutler is a hands-on home improvement broadcast journalist and the kind of guy homeowners want to call at midnight when their basement floods. He earned his home improvement stripes as a professional home inspector, amassing over 20 years experience learning how houses are put together, and how they fall apart! Tom appears regularly on CNN, MSNBC, The History Channel, HGTV and the DIY Network. He's a columnist for House Beautiful and do! Magazine and his work has been featured in Smart Money, Reader's Digest and in hundreds of daily newspapers across the nation. 
