DAVID
HOOPER
Prudential Utah Real Estate
Tel: (801) 560-SOLD (7653)
Fax: (801) 942-4743
E-Mail: david@hooperhomes.com
SELLERS
* What's
Your
Home Worth?
* Are
You
Ready To Sell?
* When
Will
It Sell?
* 30-Day
Marketing Plan
* 10
Mistakes
That Cost You $
* Selling
An Upscale Home
* 20
Secrets
To Pocket More $
* Your
House
Didn't Sell
* Seniors
- When To Sell
* Empty
Nester
Tactics
* Negotiating
The Best Offer
* Divorce
And Your Home
* 19
Things
To Ask Your Agent
* For Sale
By
Owner
* The
Home-Selling
Handbook
GENERAL
* Performance
GUARANTEE
* Local
Market
Trends
* Avoid
An $11,100 Mistake
* Hiring
An Agent
* What
Others
Are Saying
* Ask An
Expert
RELOCATION
* The
Relocation Wizard
* How
To
Plan Your Move
* The
Neighborhood
Guide
* Kids
And
Relocation
* Help
Teens
Survive The Move
BUYERS
* Hot
NEW Listings
* Hooper's
Current Listings
* Access
The Local MLS
* Search
For Homes Nationwide
* How
Much
Can You Afford?
* Mortgage
101
* Mortgage
Calculator
* Save
Big
$$ When You Buy
* Stop
Wasting
Money On Rent
* Nine
Deadly
Traps To Avoid
* Save
Thousands
In Interest
* Maximize
Your Buying Power
* Secrets
Of
Model Homes
* The
Home-Buying
Handbook
CONTACT
ME
* Send
E-Mail To David
* Refer A
Friend
|
 Will
Rogers' famous quote "You never get a second chance to make a first
impression"
was never more true than when marketing your home. Many times a buyer
will
eliminate a home from consideration simply from driving by the outside.
When your home has an inviting "curb appeal," it will sell faster and
for
more money. Take the time to walk across the street and look at your
home
through the eyes of a buyer. It should welcome buyers with a sense of
tidiness
and care. It should say, "Welcome Home!"
LANDSCAPING
- Landscape to enhance
the
features of
your home, not to hide them. Cut back shrubs and brushes to the height
of the bottom of the windows. Trim any that look scraggly.
- Prune low hanging tree
branches high
enough to walk under them.
- Rake and bag leaves as
frequently as
needed.
- Water and fertilize
the
lawn.
Repair broken sprinkler heads. Hand water dry spots.
- Mow the lawn twice per
week during the
summer months. Edge the walks and trim the hedges at least once per
month.
If you do not have the proper equipment, rent it or pay to have it done.
EXTERIOR DETAILS
- Remove disabled autos,
lawn furniture
in disrepair, toys, bikes, and other items from view. You will be
moving
soon, so discard or store now, if possible.
- Hoses should be coiled
or
placed inconspicuously
when not being used. Store lawn equipment out of sight.
- Clean and deordorize
trash
cans.
Keep out of sight.
- Repair, paint, or
remove
any fencing
that is in disrepair.
- Paint the trim or even
the
entire house
if needed. This will probably do more for curb appeal than anything
else.
- If the roof leaks, fix
it. Remove
any and all evidence of leakage by whatever means possible (Be sure to
save the receipts!)
THE FRONT DOOR
- The front door gives a
vital impression
while the REALTOR and buyer wait for you to answer the bell.
Scrub
and clean the door or repair it, if necessary.
- Throroughly clean the
doorbell.
Use a toothpick, if necessary, or even consider replacing the
button.
Repair the bell if it's not working.
- Cleanly sweep the
front
porch and steps,
and add plants or pots of seasonal flowers.
- Remove any decorative
items that you
plan to take with you.
- Keep cars in the
garage. Remove
grease spots from the garage floor and driveway with a commercial
cleaner.
 Imagine
yourself driving down a quiet residential street and seeing two homes
next
door to each other, each for sale. One needs paint; the lawn hasn't
been
mowed in a while, and bikes, toys and hoses litter the front yard. The
home next door has a lush green lawn which has recently been mowed and
edged, and the front door looks to be freshly painted. Which is more
likely
to sell sooner...and for a higher price?
CLEANING AROUND THE
KITCHEN
Appliances
- To rid yellowing, mix
together 1/2 cup
bleach, 1/2 cup baking soda and 4 cups warm water. Apply with a
sponge
and let set 10 minutes. Rinse and dry thoroughly.
- Instead of commercial
waxes, shine with
rubbing alcohol.
- Use club soda for
quick
cleanups.
It cleans and polishes at the same time.
Can Opener
- Loosen grime with an
old
toothbrush;
then run a paper towel through the cutting process. Presto!
Copper Pots and Utensils
- Fill a spray bottle
with
vinegar and
3 tablespoons of salt. Spray on discolored copper, let stand, rinse off.
Oven
- An inexpensive
overnight
oven cleaner:
Set oven on "warm" for 20 minutes; then turn off. Put a small dish of
ammonia
on the top shelf, a large pan of boiling water on the bottom shelf, and
close the oven. Next morning, air out the oven and wash off even hard,
baked-on grease with ease!
Grease-Clogged Drains
- Pour in a cup of salt
and
a cup of baking
soda, followed by a kettle of boiling water.
- Coffee grounds are a
no-no! Put
them in the trash.
Refrigerator
- A box of baking soda
absorbs odors.
- A little vanilla on a
paper towel or
cotton ball will import a clean, sweet smell.
Sinks
- To really whiten a
porcelain sink, spread
paper towels in the bottom and saturate with bleach for an hour or so.
- Remove water spots
from
stainless steel
with rubbing alcohol or white vinegar on a sponge.
- Club soda will shine
up
stainless steel
in a jiffy - bartender's trick!
FOR A SPARKLING
BATHROOM...
- Glass shower doors
shine
up in a hurry
with white vinegar on a sponge.
- Polish metal fixtures
with
plain kerosene
on a rag. Smell disappears quickly, shine stays on.
- Put shower curtains in
the
washing machine
in warm water with 1/2 cup each of detergent and baking soda, and toss
in two large bath towels. Add 1 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle
- Clogged metal shower
head? Try
boiling it in 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 quart water for 15 minutes.
For
plastic shower heads, soak in equal parts hot vinegar and hot water.
SLICK TRICKERY
FOR FLOORS
AND CARPETS...
- Heel marks surrender
quickly to kerosene
or turpentine on a rag, or try an ordinary pencil eraser.
- For carpet stains,
blot up
as much as
you can FAST. (Don't rub; this will spread the stain.)
- For fresh stains,
plain
club soda is
amazing. Shaving cream is also good; rinse it with club soda.
EASY CLEANUP FOR
FURNITURE
AND UPHOLSTERY...
- Shaving cream is a
good
upholstery cleaner
for fresh stains and "ordinary dirt."
- Don't use oil on
vinyls to
make them
shine; it can make the vinyl permanently hard. (Body oil, by the way,
has
the same effect.) Use a commercial vinyl cleaner or vinegar on a
coarse,
damp cloth.
- Sagging cane seats
tighten
up when given
a hot water bath and placed in the sun to shrink-dry.
- Vaseline will remove
many
minor scratches
from wood. Apply a generous amount and let sit awhile.
- Fill a spray bottle
with
vinegar and
3 tablespoons of salt. Spray on discolored copper, let stand, rinse off.
ALL AROUND THE
HOUSE...
- Remove musty odors
from a
trunk or from
drawers by placing an open coffee can filled with kitty litter inside
overnight.
- Try "dry-cleaning"
your
dog with baking
soda. Rub well into the coat; then brush out. Good-bye, doggy odor!
 A
typical buyer will look at numerous properties when trying to find a
new
home. Included will be all other homes priced similarly to yours,
builders'
professionally decorated homes, and even homes not listed with a real
estate
company. A few hours time and a little expense may mean the
difference
between "for sale" and "SOLD."
KITCHEN
The kitchen is the most
important room
in the house. Make it bright and attractive.
Remove all appliances and
containers
kept on your counters. Clear counters make the kitchen appear cleaner
and
larger.
- Clean the burners and
oven.
- Clean the ventilating
hood
and replace
the filter.
- Put up bright, new
window
treatments.
- Repair or replace worn
flooring and
loose tiles.
BATHROOMS
- Bathrooms help sell
homes. Make
sure this room looks and smells sanitized. The sink, handles, and
toilet
bowl should sparkle. Remove all stains using commercial cleaners. If
you
cannot get rid of the stains, buy a new toilet or sink. Repair
dripping
faucets and running toilets. If the sink or tub drains slowly, unclog
it.
- Hang clean and
matching
towels.
Inexpensive bathroom sets, which include rugs and a tank set, add charm
and appeal.
- Scrub the shower
curtain. Replace
it if torn or stained.
- Open the shower
curtain to
enlarge the
room.
- Replace a worn or
broken
toilet seat.
- Remove wet towels and
washcloths.
- Check and repair
caulking
in the bathtubs
and shower.
CLOSETS AND
GARAGE
- Straighten up the
closets. Get
rid of or store excess items. A nearly empty closet will appear much
larger.
- Box and store seasonal
clothing.
- Adjust and lubricate
doors
and hinges
with paraffin or candle wax.
- Use air freshener to
eliminate musty
odors.
- Clean out the garage
and
dispose of
everything you are not going to take with you. Package everything you
won't
need until you move. Buyers often visualize the garage as the only
storage
area and want to see lots of room.
LIGHT
- Illumination is like a
welcome sign.
Keep high-watt bulbs in all fixtures.
- Keep windows
sparkling. Clean
windows make a house feel light and airy.
- Replace broken or
cracked
glass and
thermoseals. Mend torn screens.
- Clean all light
fixtures
and light bulbs.
Replace any burned-out bulbs.
- Brighten any dark
rooms
with white or
off-white paint.
- Drapes and curtains
should
be clean.
Pull up shades and open all curtains to allow in more light.
THE LITTLE
DETAILS
- If at all possible,
send
cats, dogs,
and other pets to a friend or relative from the day the house goes on
the
market until the day it's sold. Remove all odors. Many buyers are
either
allergic to, afraid of, or simply dislike animals.
- Remove all ashes from
the
fireplace.
Lay some logs to make it look inviting.
- Water all plants and
dust
the leaves.
Get rid of any dying plants.
- Shampoo the carpets.
If
carpets are
worn or torn, spend whatever you can on soft, neutral replacement
carpeting.
Many buyers do not have the funds to update after closing.
- Put a fresh coat of
paint
in the living
areas. Stick to white or off-white paint. Change the furnace filter and
clean vents.
- Remove excess
furniture,
personal knickknacks,
posters and any item attached to the ceiling or walls you plan on
taking
with you. Buyers will not purchase a home unless they can visualize
their
possessions in the house.
 It's
almost "show time!" An agent has called and would like to show
your
home. Here are a few suggestions and last minute touches that will give
you a distinct advantage.
LIGHTS AND WINDOWS
- Turn on all the lamp
and
light fixtures,
even the ones in the closets and basement.
- Pull open all curtains
and
raise all
of the blinds. This makes the home appear larger and more inviting.
- At night, turn on the
porch light and
any other exterior lighting that's available.
DETAILS THAT
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
- Never apologize for
appearance.
It only accents the problem.
- Throw a loaf of frozen
bread dough in
the oven (on low heat) a few minutes before a showing.
- Grind a lemon in the
garbage disposal.
- Turn off the TV.
- Tune the radio to a
light
jazz or classical
station and leave it on low volume.
- Remove any excess
furniture to make
the rooms appear larger. Clear refrigerator fronts of messages,
pictures,
etc.
- Make the beds,
straighten
the towels,
and do the dishes.
- Check the front yard
and
remove all
bikes, wagons, or other toys. Coil any hoses.
THE QUICK PICK-UP
- Have an empty laundry
basket available
that you can use quickly to gather up any clutter before a showing.
- If you don't have time
to
wash all of
the dirty dishes, put them in the dishwasher or even under the kitchen
sink.
- Empty all trash cans,
especially the
one in the kitchen.
PETS AND PEOPLE
- Buyers can feel like
an
intruder when
the owners are present during a showing. If at all possible, run an
errand
or go for a walk.
- Put all pets
outside. Better yet,
take them with you on your walk or drive.
- Leave the showing to
the
professional
agent and don't tag along. Answer questions candidly and truthfully,
but
don't offer answers to unasked questions.
- Never try to sell
furniture or other
personal property to a prospect before the sale is complete. It
can
kill the sale.
MAKE SHOWING EASY
- Please cooperate with
agents when they
call for an appointment. Sometime it may be inconvenient for you to
have
the house shown, but you may never get a showing opportunity with that
buyer again.
- Many times buyers are
on
tight schedules
and can only view properties during set times. Allow your agent to
place
a Keybox on your property to make sure your home gets shown to every
available
buyer.
- We apologize in
advance,
but occasionally
an agent will stop by unannounced and ask to show the property.
This
often is your only chance with these buyers. If possible, you should
accommodate
them. Ask for a few minutes to straighten up and let them in.
|
