Tips To Preparing to Sell Your Charlotte, NC. Home in 2013

Well today is December 21, 2012 and thankfully for most of us the Mayan calendar did end but did not bring the end of the world with it...So, as we go into 2013 and decide to sell your house; what do you need to do to ensure it will sell quickly and for top dollar? There is always a few standard answers to that question. One is price it low and it will sell. Price does play a factor in whether a house will sell or not; but it is not necessarily the deciding factor unless you are prepared to give the house away. So, what is a seller to do as they prepare to get their home in order for the selling season in 2013. First, i would depersonalize the house. When you get done packing up all your holiday decorations; take a look around and make sure that your home has a feeling of comfort but not showcasing you and your family. The first thing you always want is the buyer to be able to envision their furniture and items in the house. When you have a lot of personalized items in the house you are taking away from them using their mind and imagination to envision their items. I have seen it where the buyers become fascinated with the photos of the sellers or notice a lot of personal pictures hanging around and do not remember what the house was like. This they think it was not the right one for them and move on to the next house. Second, declutter. This is the next biggest thing you can do. If the furniture is not necessary take it out and put it in the garage or get a storage unit and store it. But keep the furniture and items to a minimum in the house. You want to showcase the space the house has and not hinder it. Open and spacious rooms are huge selling points in a home. Third, keep it clean. Nothing turns a buyer off more than a dirty house. If the house is not clean you are passing on an impression that you do not take care of the house and can hinder your sale opportunities with it. Fourth, keep it neutral. if you have vibrant paint on the walls; tone them down by painting the rooms a neutral color....People like to see a blank canvas to work with...... Fifth, change the light bulbs. Yes, i said change the light bulbs. Right now the days are short (but getting longer every day). Put in the maximum wattage you can in the light fixtures. This will allow the house to show bright and cheery for the buyer. Would you want a house that looked dark and gloomy? or one that looked bright and cheery? Sixth, clear the kitchen countertops off. The kitchen helps sell a house. Keep the countertops clutter free so that a buyer can see what type of space they are working with. if a buyer cannot envision the counter space and cooking is a large part of their life; you could lose that sale. Keeping a few items on the countertops is okay; but do not have them stocked with items. Seventh, fix the little things. If you have small little cracks or holes in the walls from pictures or items patch them up and paint over them. It will give the house a fresh look to it.... These seven items are cost effective and can help you sell your home in 2013 a little more quickly. I always recommend these to sellers and it has helped with the sale of their homes... Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker Coldwell Banker United www.davedicecco.com