When it comes time to sell your home, listen carefully to your real estate agent. You may not like their tastes or what they ask you to do, but they do know what helps to sell a home.
I invited real estate agent, Richard Silver from Bosley Real Estate, in Toronto, to gives us some tips.According to Richard, the number one problem is clutter. We all collect stuff but the house need to be aired out, visitors given room to move and clutter hidden away, when prospective buyers come to visit.
While the house is for sale, do not smoke in the house. Kitty litter must be cleaned every day. Dog hairs must be vacuumed daily. Do not let the dog run to the front door. The prospective buyer may not like dogs and they will start to feel negative about the house before even looking at it.
Don't undertake major renovations in preparing a house for sale. Any money spent, to help sell a house, should bring back double or triple the investment, otherwise leave it to the new owners to do. If you have any questionable issues, have a house inspector check the house first. Any important issues must be taken care of before you put it on the market. Click here for more on home inspectors.
Richard insists that the house has to look good. I would suggest a few little handyman fixes. Make sure all moulding or trim is in place, including the quarter round on the floor. Changing door knobs and drawer handles can change the whole look of a kitchen, with little cost or trouble. If plumbing fixtures are really bad, change them, but don't put in expensive fancy stuff, just middle of the road, clean working fixtures.
Remember Richards rule, if it won't pay back double or triple, don't invest just before selling a house.