Sellers Home Guide 
                                                        2013
 
         


Tips to Make Your Home Smile at Potential Buyers

1. FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE THE MOST LASTING

Remember that when a prospect comes to look at your house, the first impression (curb appeal) is vital. Your front lawn and other landscaping should be neatly mowed and trimmed. Make certain your yard is clear of rubbish and leaves. The walk should be swept, and in winter, remove ice and snow from walk and steps. The front door must be clean and fresh looking, the door bell in working order.

2. DECORATING FOR A QUICKER SALE

Faded walls and worn woodwork will reduce the appeal of your house. Why describe how your house could look, when you can show how it looks with just a reasonable amount of redecoration. A minor investment in paint will pay bigger dividends to you in the form of a better price and a quicker sale.

3. LET THE SUN SHINE IN

Open the drapes and curtains. Clean the windows so that the prospect can see how bright and cheerful your house is. Dark and dreary rooms do not appeal to most home-buyers.

4. DON’T BE A DRIP

Fix leaky faucets, dripping water suggests faulty or worn-out plumbing (major repair bills); discolored, rust-stained sinks are also warning signs, so they should be properly cleaned.

5. LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT

Loose door knobs or cabinet pulls, sticking doors and drawers, wobbly hinges, stuck windows-all are negative factors. Take a few minutes to check and repair all these seemingly minor flaws, since they do distract from the value of your home.

6. SAFETY FIRST

Keep stairways and corridors clear and clean of clutter. In addition to being unattractive, clutter causes accidents.

7. TOP TO BOTTOM

Let prospects see the full value of your attic, basement, garage, and other utility/storage spaces by removing junk, cartons and other articles. If the storage spaces are dark and dreary, a coat of paint or extra lighting can do wonders.

8. LOVE BIG CLOSETS

We all love big closets and you can make them look even bigger by having them clean, neat and well organized. Get rid of old clothes and cartons that take away from the spacious look.

9. BATHROOMS SELL HOMES

Make bathrooms sparkle. Clean stained sinks and bowls. Repair and damaged or discolored caulking around bathtubs and showers, and be sure towels and area rugs are cleaned and in good condition. Make certain all lights fixtures and bulbs work.

10. WAKE UP YOUR BEDROOMS

Keep bedrooms bright and cheerful, after the prospects are gone you can close the drapes. Remove excess furniture to avoid a crowded look. Use attractive and cheery linens.

11. CAN YOU SEE THE LIGHT

Illumination in your home can be the “welcome sign” for every prospect. Turn on all the exterior and interior lights – including the accent and picture lights – when showing your house.

12. AVOID CROWDS

Potential buyers will feel like an intruder and want to hurry through your house if there are too many people around. Send the kids to the neighbor’s house for ice cream when your house is being shown.

13. PUT FIDO OUTSIDE

A dog may be man’s best friend, but not when showing your house. Keep all pets out of the way and not under foot.

14. GO FOR A WALK

It is suggested that you not be at home when your house is being shown. Often sellers are anxious to tell buyers all the great things about their home, and give personal tours of their home. This sounds like a great selling asset, but can often do more harm than good. Buyers are less likely to stay around to look at your home, if there are several people looking over their shoulder. Seller’s presence can often make buyers uncomfortable and cause them to leave too soon to really see your great home. It is best to leave showings to trained professional and who have the experience to bring negotiations on your house to a satisfactory conclusion.

15. IF YOU MUST BE HOME…

If you must be at home, for some reason, during a showing it is best to stay in the background as much as possible. Be courteous and friendly, but don’t try to force conversation with potential buyers. Prospects are there to inspect your house, not for a social call. If the buyers have any questions, it is best to let the agent do the talking.

16. BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

We recommend that your house be shown by appointment only. Through our office, we will schedule all showings including those from other real estate offices. Your cooperation is needed to make certain the house is ready to show when called.

HOW YOUR HOME WILL BE ADVERTISING

1. MLS System: This is an internet system exclusive to licensed agents in the Greater Louisville area.
 
2. Yard Signs 
 
3. Brochures 

4. Optional Open Houses
 
5. Multiple photos to highlight your home on other websites
( louisvillerealtors.com and realtors.com)

6. G. Starks Realty Co. own website.

INFORMATION LISTING BINDER
 
We will prepare a binder to be left in your home to inform potential buyers about the benefits of your property. The binder includes your listing information, take home feature sheets, seller’s disclosures, etc. We will also include extra feature sheets, so when your feature sheet box gets low you can re-fill your box. We try to keep an eye on your feature sheets, but should they get low and please give us a call.

PRE-APPOVE PROSPECTS

Whenever possible, we will ensure that potential buyers are pre-approved to purchase your home. When another agent brings us an offer, we may even recommend countering the offer asking for a pre-approval letter.

COOPERATIVE WITH OTHER AGENTS

Our first job is to market your house to thousands of other Realtors in the area. We hope to have a quick sale at the best price, and often the first offer is the best. We will strive to make every agent and buyer aware of your listing immediately.

SCHEDULED SHOWINGS

Our office will schedule all showings. You will always be notified in advance of these showings, and confirmation is required by you before anyone is permitted to show your home. It is suggested to have your home ready to show at all times. We also advise against showing your home on your own. Should anyone knock on your door or call you directly, please give them our phone number. That is one of the things you’ve hired G. Starks Realty Co. to take care of.

LOCK BOX

A lock box will be placed on your property to allow other agents to show your home. This box can only be unlocked by licensed agents, after they have a confirmed appointment.

FEEDBACK

Any time another agent shows your home, we will follow up with them to get feedback that will help improve the sale-ability of your home.

MARKET UPDATES

We will give you marketing updates once every week or two. These updates will include showings, market trends, changes needed to increase the value of your and selling ability, as well as possible price change suggestions.

PRESENT ALL OFFERS

Offers will be presented to you as soon as possible and we will negotiate the best price and terms for you.

OFFER IS ACCEPTED

Once you have accepted an offer, we will manage all details between the accepted offer and closing, including inspections, negotiating repairs, keeping in touch with the buyer or their representative, and keeping you informed every step of the way.
At G. Starks Realty Co. we are absolutely committed to fulfilling your needs with the highest level of professionalism, expertise and service. Our commitment to your satisfaction is the foundation from which a solid business relationship is built. Thank you!

G. STARKS REALTY CO.
5003 Winding Spring Circle Louisville Ky. 40245

Downtown Virtual Office:
811 South 2nd street Louisville Ky. 40203

Office: 502-961-9313

Website: www.gstarksrealty.com

Got a question... email us at homes@gstarksrealty.com