Selling Tips

1. Make the Most of that First Impression
   A well-maintained lawn, neatly trimmed shrubs and a clutter-free porch welcome prospects. Focus on your front door, paint it, keep it clean, and make it beautiful. If it’s autumn, rake the leaves. If it’s winter, shovel the walkways.
2. Invest a Few Hours to Ensure the Best Offers
   Clean up the living room, the bathroom and kitchen. If your woodwork is scuffed or the paint is fading, consider some minor redecoration. Fresh wallpaper adds charm and value to your property.
3. Check Faucets and Bulbs
   Dripping water discolors sinks, and suggests faulty plumbing. Burned out bulbs or faulty wiring leave prospects in the dark. Don’t let little problems detract from what’s right with your home.
4. Make sure All Doors Work: Cabinet, Closets and Room Doors
   If cabinets or closet doors stick in your home, they will also stick in a prospect’s mind. A little effort on your part can smooth the way toward a sale.
5. Think Safety
   Homeowners learn to live with all kinds of hazards: roller skates on the stairs, inconvenient extension cords, slippery throw rugs and low hanging overhead lights. Make your residence as safe as possible for uninitiated visitors.
6. Make Room for Space
   Remember, potential buyers are looking for more than just comfortable living space. They’re looking for storage space, too. Make sure your attic and basement are clean and free of unnecessary items.
7. Consider Your Closets
   The better organized a closet, the larger it appears. Box up those unwanted clothes and donate them to charity.
8. Make Your Bathroom Sparkle
   Bathrooms sell homes. Check and repair damaged or unsightly caulking in the tubs and showers. Display your best towels, mats, and shower curtains.
9. Create Dream Bedrooms
   For a spacious look get rid of excess furniture. Use your most colorful bedspreads and fresh curtains.
10. Open up in the Daytime
    Let the sun shine in! Pull back your curtains and drapes so prospects can see how bright and cheery your home is.
11. Lighten up at Night
    When showing your home in the evening, turn on all your lights, both inside and outside.  
12. Avoid Crowd Scenes
    Potential buyers often feel like intruders when they enter a home filled with people. Rather than giving your house the attention it deserves, they're likely to hurry through. Keep the company present to a minimum, ideally just the potential buyer and their agent. 
13. Watch Your Pets
    Dogs and cats are great companions, but not when your home is being shown. Pets have a talent for getting underfoot. Do everybody a favor: Keep Kitty and Spot outside, or at least out of the way.
14. Think Volume
    When it's time to show your home, it's time to turn down the stereo or TV.
15. Fill your Home with Pleasant Fragrances
    Yankee candles will do the trick, popping some cookies in the oven is even better.
16. Don't Apologize
    No matter how humble your abode, never apologize for its shortcomings. If you hear of a prospect volunteering a derogatory comment, let Effie handle the situation.
17. Keep a Low Profile
    Nobody knows your home as well as you do. But Effie knows buyers - what they need and what they want. She will have an easier time articulating the virtues of your home if you stay in the background.
18. Don't Turn Your Home into a Second-Hand Store
    When prospects come to view your home, don't distract them with offers to sell those furnishings you no longer need.  These offers can be address after you get an offer for your home. 
19. Defer to Experience
    When prospects want to talk price, terms, or other real estate matters, they should speak to Effie.
20. Help Effie help you…
    Effie will have an easier time selling your home if all showings are scheduled through her office. You'll appreciate the results!