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Preparing a Home for Sale May Take Longer Than You Think
July 6, 2011 by cherylflynn · Leave a Comment
If you’re thinking about selling, chances are you may be doing what a lot of people do, mentally minimizing the time and effort it takes to prepare a home for sale.
You may be thinking, “I have so much stuff!! Where do I start?!?” Well, mindset is an important consideration. The first thing to do is to step out of your “seller shoes” mentality and take an objective and critical look at the home from the eyes of a potential buyer who is looking for a bright, shiny, clean new environment to call home for the next several years.
Do the fixtures work properly or are they looking a bit tired and outdated? Are the drawers and closets stuffed with papers and things you don’t really use or need? Is there dust under things and in corners? Are the floors spotless and shiny? Do you have collections that need to be sorted through and disposed of? Are there odors or leaks? What about the roof? Furnace? Water Heater? Septic System? Have you maintained all of these home systems?
Have you constructed rigs in places which you have gotten used to but that take away from aesthetic beauty of the house when seen from an objective buyer’s point of view? Are the windows, light fixtures, tile and grout polished and shiny?
Make no mistake, cleaning, decluttering and preparing a home for sale is not a quick and easy job. In fact, it is a lot like moving and may give pause as to just how much “stuff” we as human beings accumulate throughout our lives and think we really need in order to be comfortable and happy!
It may require a year or two, or more, to go through everything in the house and either keep it or dispose of it, depending upon your living habits and whether or not you have accumulated a lot of stuff over the years.
But, after it has been done the whole house will smell, look and feel really beautiful! And, you just may find that your mind is as free, clear and uncluttered as your house!
Cheryl Flynn is a licensed Real Estate Broker affiliated with Byron Realty Corp. She specializes in Concord MA Real Estate, Sudbury MA Real Estate, Berlin, Bolton, Stow, Maynard, Hudson, Marlborough, Framingham, Southborough, Clinton, Lancaster, Sterling, Westford, Waltham, Wellesley, Andover and Dover MA Real Estate.
