News

So, you are ready to SELL. Your Real Estate agent will soon start bringing potential buyers to your home. First question: Is your place really ready to show? Whether you are living in the property for sale, you are renting it to a tenant who will soon leave, or the place is empty, you should strive so that your home looks at its best when your Realtor arrives with clients. You want your house to look pretty at least, hopefully welcoming and amazing! Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes; first impressions are critical and make a big difference!

As you are probably aware, Miami’s Real Estate market is thriving and moving at a pretty decent pace! There is good demand but also a great amount of supply. Even if your property is not inside one of the many high-rise condos, there is a pretty good chance that your house will face some competition from comparable places. Clearly, between two identical or similar properties in terms of structure and price, the one that “shines” will sell easier than its dull neighbor.

Experience shows that buyers feel more comfortable purchasing what looks like a well-cared for property as they assume that what they cannot see has probably also been well maintained. Prepping and staging a house is the best route to a faster higher-priced sale! Turn your home into an irresistible marketable place! Highlight the strengths and downplay its weaknesses with the following home prepping tips:

1. Start by working on the exterior and curb appeal: Applies more to houses of course, as there are a lot of things that the buyer will see as he arrives to the property such as the lawn, hedges, steps, walkways, doors, windows, patios, gutters, driveway and garage.
2. Clean and remove clutter inside the place: If this is too much work or you are not around, hire a professional cleaning service. If there is too much furniture consider renting a storage unit. You can create more space by floating furniture away from walls, allowing traffic flow and making space user-friendly. Keep closets, kitchen and bathrooms clean and tidy.
3. Perform an inspection and make minor repairs: Check for cracks, holes or water damage to walls, ceilings and floors. Check for plumbing leaks. Fix any damage to doors. Replace burned-out light bulbs. Check windows for broken seals. Inspect for insects or rodents, especially in attics.
4. Eliminate odors: Make sure nothing is smelling funny and that you can breathe some fresh air inside the property. Avoid masking odors with heavy perfumes or air fresheners that may cause allergies; try flowers, fresh apples or candles instead.
5. Paint if necessary: Walls and ceiling should look clean, damage-free and good. Also, neutral colors and matte finish appeal to most people.
6. Finish up and make the place shine: Any carpets should be thoroughly cleaned and be treated for stains. Floors should be swept, mopped and shined. Polish chrome faucets and mirrors. Let the light in. For dark areas, add lighting fixtures and/or change bulbs with higher wattage. Keep the A/C running at a cool temperature (especially here in Florida).

Rest assured that thoroughly prepping your home for showings will certainly go a long way towards helping you to sell faster and at a higher price!

Adrian Morales Dobrzynski