Getting the House Ready to Sell
Costs of Repairs
Do not do anything expensive, such as
remodeling. If possible, use savings to pay for any repairs and
improvements – do not go charging up credit cards or obtaining new
loans. Remember that part of selling a house is also preparing to buy
your next home. You do not want to do anything that will affect your
credit scores or hurt your ability to qualify for your next mortgage.
Plumbing
and Fixtures
When
looking at a house, prospective home buyers often do not
really know what to do. So they play with things.
They flick light switches. They open everything with
a handle. They turn on all the faucets and flush all
the toilets. Having nice shiny fixtures makes an
impression.
All your sink fixtures should look shiny
and new. If this cannot be accomplished by cleaning, buy new ones. If you don’t buy something fancy, this can be accomplished
inexpensively. Make sure all the hot and cold water knobs are easy
to turn and that the faucets do not leak. If they do,
replace the washers.
It sounds
like hard work, but it's pretty easy -- even for the
inexperienced.
Check to make sure you have good water
pressure and that there are no stains on any of the porcelain. If you
have a difficult stain to remove, one trick is to hire a cleaning crew
to go through and clean your home on a one-time basis. They seem to be
wonderful at making stains go away.
© 2000 by Terry Light and RealEstate ABC, revised 2004
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