Steve’s Dozen Ways to Bring My Sellers More Money

Steve’s Dozen Ways to Bring My Sellers More Money


1. Cultivate your curb appeal. Some of the best buyers are the most impatient because they need to make a decision fast. If the view of your house from the street turns them off, they might not even stop. Shape up your front yard.
2. Take a critical look at the front of your house. If it’s weathered looking, if anything needs repair, or if anything needs to be hauled to the dump - eliminate these problems. Don’t turn your buyers off outside before the inside can turn them on.
3. Never stay in your house with buyers. Let the agent handle it, and remove yourself. Remember, the agent has worked for many hours with these potential buyers, knows what they are looking for, and how to work with them. Let him or her do the job without interference. You may think an agent isn’t showing the important features of your house, but the agent knows buyers aren’t sold by detail until they’ve become emotionally involved with the big picture of your house. The presence of any member of the seller’s family can’t help, always unnerves possible buyers, and often prevents a sale. Don’t put this obstacle in your path. Leave when buyers are coming, your absence will help sell it.
4. Give your dogs and cats a vacation. They need it and so does your pocketbook. Having pets around (especially aggressive dogs) when you’re selling your home can be incredibly expensive. Many people are acutely uncomfortable around some animals, and simply can’t think buy when their minds are on bye. At least put them in the garage and away from the main area when buyers are coming.
5. A few cans of paint and putty to brighten up your interior are the best investments you can make when you’re selling a house.
6. Drips do more than run up your water bill. They focus the attention of possible buyers on your house’s entire plumbing system, and cause them to worry. Fix these little problems before they cost you a lot more.
7. Squeaking doors and creaking floors, torn or missing screens, cracked glass, and anything in need of repair dampens the house hunter’s enthusiasm. Many buyers believe there will always be ten problems they haven’t noticed for every one they see. Eliminate any negotiation points. A $10 spackle job can easily become a $1,000 negotiation point.
8. Hide (or neatly arrange) everything connected with work: lawnmowers, garden hoses, vacuum cleaners, and all the gear you used to fix up the house. Accent everything connected with play and relaxation; sound systems, skis, toys in the kid’s rooms.
9. De-clutter. Repack compactly, dispose of unneeded items, or rent storage space and move out as much material as you can. You want to create the impression of open space (as much as possible) by removing nearly everything. Minimalist look is the way to go.
10. Adjust the environment. If it’s hot, cool it; if it’s cold, light a crackling fire or turn on the heat.
11. Harmonize the elements. Turn the music on softly and the TV off. Turn on all lights, days or night. Open the drapes in the daytime.
12. You can sell pride of ownership faster and for more money. It’s called cleanliness, and fresh cleanliness has more buyers than used dirt. Put sparkle in your bathrooms and kitchen, and you’ll take out lots more silver.

Steve Mun, Silicon Valley Realtor
www.stevemun.com