Jaime Fallon's 7 Tips for Selling Your Home

# 7 Play the agent field  A secret sale killer is hiring the wrong agent. Make sure you have an agent who is totally informed. Make sure they monitor the multiple listing service (MLS), know what properties are going on the market and know the comps in your neighborhood. A tech savvy agent is KEY to selling success!

#6 Bright and cheery Maximize the light in your home. After location, lighting is the most requested item that buyers seek. Take down the dingy drapes, clean the windows, change the lampshades, increase the wattage of your light bulbs and cut the bushes outside to let in sunshine.

#5 Don’t over-upgrade  Quick fixes before selling always pay off. Do updates that will pay off and get you top dollar. Get a new fresh coat of paint on the walls. Clean the curtains, buy some inexpensive new ones or remove them all together. Replace door handles, cabinet hardware, make sure closet doors are on track, fix leaky faucets and clean the grout.

#4 Always be ready to show!  CLEAN! CLEAN! CLEAN! Your house needs to be “show-ready” at all times! You have to be available whenever they want to come see the place and it has to be in tip-top shape. Also, hide the critters and their dog/cat dishes, litter boxes and pet homes (not everyone is an animal lover).

#3 Take the home out of your house! DE-CLUTTER! Depersonalize your home. Get rid of a third of your stuff – put it in storage. This includes family photos, memorabilia collections and personal keepsakes. Consider hiring a home stager to maximize the full potential of your home(a top agent should be able to do this). Staging simply means arranging your furniture to best showcase the floor plan and maximize the use of space. 

#2 The kitchen sells You’re not actually selling your house, you’re selling your kitchen – that’s how important it is. If you have the additional funds to replace dated counter-tops, do so however the fastest, most inexpensive kitchen updates include painting and new cabinet hardware. Use a neutral-color paint so you can present buyers with a blank canvas where they can start envisioning their own style.

#1 The first impression is the only impression! No matter how good the interior of your home looks, buyers have already judged your home before they walk through the door. You never have a second chance to make a first impression. Spruce up your home’s exterior with inexpensive shrubs and brightly colored flowers.