Real Estate Services Beyond Your ExpectationsReal Estate Services Beyond Your Expectations Service Mark

A Silicon Valley Real Estate Brokerage Serving Santa Clara County And Beyond

Do's & Don'ts to Selling Your Home

People usually decide within minutes whether or not they like your home. These tips will help you merchandise and sell your home in a fashion to elicit the highest price in the quickest time frame. Your Beyond Homes representative will help you to visualize your home from a buyer's perspective.

Do's

Kitchen

  • Since the kitchen is the most important room in a house to the majority of home buyers, make the room bright and attractive -If the room seems dark or dull, try new paint and/or new window treatments
  • Ensure the kitchen is spotless. Check the stove, floor, windows, cabinets, hoods, etc.
  • Replace the kitchen flooring (linoleum, tile, carpet, etc.) if it is badly worn
  • Replace loose, cracked, or stained tiles on the counters and walls
  • Remove any appliances or knickknacks on the counters. A clean, uncluttered counter will make the kitchen appear larger
  • Avoid having dirty dishes on the counter, in the sink, or in the dishwasher

Bathrooms

  • Repair dripping faucets
  • Keep fresh towels in the bathroom
  • Replace old and stained caulking with new caulking
  • Remove any stains from toilets, sinks, bathtubs, and showers
  • Unclog any sink, bathtub, or shower that drains slowly

Living Areas

  • Have all the walls in top shape. Repair all cracks, nail holes, and other blemishes in the drywall. Touch up the repairs with matching paint. (Make sure you keep a list of all repairs for disclosure purposes.)
  • Wash all windows, inside and out, and replace any broken panes or torn screens. Make sure all windows open and lock properly
  • Check ceilings for leak stains. Fix the source of the leak, repair the ceiling, and paint
  • When painting or redecorating, avoid offbeat colors. Stick to neutral colors such as white, beige, or other light pastels
  • If you have a fireplace, clean it out and put in fresh logs
  • Professionally clean carpets, buff wood floors if needed, and remove/clean any stained or cracked tiles
  • Ensure all light switches work. Replace burned out light bulbs, and consider putting in brighter light bulbs in all fixtures
  • Straighten up and remove excess items from all closets
  • Remove any unnecessary furniture and avoid clutter in all rooms. This will make each room appear larger
  • Keep toys in childrens' rooms, and put bikes, skates, etc. in an inconspicuous place
  • Fix any doors, windows, or sliding glass doors that do not latch or that stick

Garage

  • Dispose of anything you are not going to move. Box up everything else you will not need until you move to your new home
  • If you need to store extra personal belongings in the garage, make sure you leave a space around the inside perimeter open for prospective buyers and inspectors to view
  • Make sure the garage door opener is in good working condition, and that all safety devices work properly

General

  • Eliminate all clutter, and make your home look neat. This applies not only to the interior of the home but also the yard. Don’t forget to trim your hedges and prune your trees. This is the cheapest and one of the most successful steps to making your home seem impressive to other real estate agents and their buyers.

During an Open House

  • Take your family away for the duration of the open house
  • We will help set the mood by selecting music, lighting, and other staging techniques to highlight the strengths of your home, and give the prospective buyers an enjoyable experience

While Your Home is Being Shown by Other Real Estate Agents

  • Open draperies and shades to let light in. A bright room will appear airy and larger
  • Place fragrant candles, or potpourri in multiple locations throughout the house
  • Keep radios, stereos and TV's off or turned to a low volume
  • Take pets outside or put them into the garage to allow people access to all areas of your home
  • Be courteous but don't force a conversation with potential buyers. It is best to leave your home and not tag along. This lets the buyers view your home without feeling inhibited to ask their real estate agents questions
  • Let the real estate agents show the house. They know their buyers requirements and can better emphasize those features of your home
  • Do not discuss price, terms, possession, or other factors affecting the sale directly with the buyer. If a buyer asks for something specific tell them to write it into the offer. We will take care of all negotiations for you, with your input of course!

Don'ts

Don't set up complicated showing procedures. A home that discourages showings will remain on the market much longer than a home that shows easy. The more times a home is viewed, the faster it will sell.

In most cases, don’t insist on being present when the home is being shown to prospective buyers. One sure way to discourage buyers from buying your home is to be present during the showings, and not to give them privacy. Buyers need to fully inspect the property and discover/discuss any shortcomings. Buyers are reluctant to voice any concerns about your home with you present. It is best for you to leave your home or find a quiet corner of the house or backyard when it is being shown to prospective buyers.

Don't refuse to counter a low offer. Buyers will always try to buy low. A low offer from a qualified buyer is much better than a high offer from an unqualified buyer who will eventually pull out of the transaction. The price buyers offer is not the most important part of their offer - if they are willing to negotiate.