Town and Country, Inc
"The Firm Behind the Sold Sign!!!"
NEW MEXICO HOMES, COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, AND LAND FOR SALE
Home | Featured Property | Residential | Commercial | Land
Contact Info
Jerry Cass & Bob Burch
Broker/Owners
Phone
(575) 762-7776
Fax
(575) 763-5974
Toll Free
(800) 637-9468
Mobile
(575) 799-6472
Mobile
(575) 799-5304
Evenings
(575) 763-7948
Articles
You may not be able to finish the basement or remodel the kitchen, but you can improve the market value of your house.
It is important to attract as many qualified buyers as possible. In preparing your home for sale it is important to look at your home through a "buyer's eyes." Make your home as appealing and uncluttered as the home you would like to buy.
Outside
- Mow the lawn, trim trees and shrubs away from the house. You can't sell a house if the potential buyer can't see it. Rake leaves, remove dead plants, flowers, and shrubs.
- Put away tools, garbage cans, hoses, toys, and building materials neatly in the garage.
- Check for broken roof shingles, straight lines on gutters, shutters, windows, and siding.
- Seal or resurface driveway.
- Clear patios or decks of planters, flower pots, charcoal, and barbecues.
- In the front yard dress up shrubs and lamp post with large quartz stones, railroad ties, and pine bark mulch.
Foyer
- Use a bright light bulb in the foyer light fixture.
- Turn on all lights in home in the evening to welcome potential buyers.
- Fill the house with the pleasant aroma of cinnamon or other fresh scents.
- Spotlessly clean woodwork, carpeting, and windows throughout the house.
- Clear window ledges of all objects to give a nice glimpse inside and out.
- Repaint walls if necessary in neutral colors such as antique white.
Living Room
- Discard worn furniture and move extra to storage area. Too much furniture makes rooms look small.
- Visit a model home to get decorating ideas.
- Clear away all magazines, books, and unnecessary objects from furniture throughout the house.
- Take down pictures that hide walls and patch nail holes and paint.
- Add lamps and lighting if dark.
- Open curtains.
- Set out fresh flowers.
Kitchen
- Professionally clean oven and stove.
- Replace broken appliances and repair squeaks, drips, or binds in cabinet drawers.
- Clean all appliances inside and out until they are spotless. Wax and polish floor.
- Discard old food and leftovers from refrigerator.
- Clean refrigerator front of messages, pictures, and magnets.
- Clear all magazines, small appliances, and cookware from counter tops.
- If it hasn't been used for months...put it away!
Family Room
- Clean fireplace.
- Replace carpet if it's a loud color (I know it costs money, but you'll get it back at settlement.)
- Remove all magazines, books, toys, and worn furnishings that might influence a buyer's feeling about the room
- Create an easy-going relaxed atmosphere in your family room. This is where most families spend their time so make it look good.
Bathrooms
- Remove any unnecessary items from counter tops, tubs, and commode. Put as much away as possible. Make each bathroom look like a guest bathroom.
- Sink, commode, bathtub, tile, and shower curtain should look immaculate. No soap film or hair.
- Fix leaky faucets, rust stains, and faulty plumbing that may squeak or bind.
- Caulk and grout tile. Bleach discolored grout.
- Replace or remove any wall paper that isn't conservative.
- Coordinate towels to one or two colors only.
- Place softer bulbs in bathroom fixtures and place a scented flower arrangement on vanity top.
Master Bedroom
- This is the second most important-to-be-appealing room in a home (after the kitchen, before the family room and garage).
- Define areas such as sleeping, dressing, and sitting by furniture arrangement. Try to have bedroom look as simply furnished as possible.
- Be sure all clothes are hanging up not laying about the room.
- Make closets more appealing by storing off-season clothes elsewhere. Go ahead and pack them up since you're moving anyway.
Children's Bedrooms
- Here's a challenge: ask children and teenagers to help by thoroughly cleaning up their rooms. Also remove all posters and questionable photographs. Low lighting and clutter make bedrooms look smaller or darker than they are.
- Patch and paint walls if necessary.
- Open curtains.
Garage
- The perfect garage contains only cars, but if this is not possible, you can clean up and fix up most items or simply sell or toss them.
- Clean and seal cement floor.
- Neatly stack tools and clean up work bench. Tidy up storage self areas.
Basement
- A finished basement is great! Just follow same guidelines given for preparing the family room.
- If unfinished, make sure concrete floor is well swept and clean.
- Seal or paint concrete floors battleship gray.
- Clean water heater, change filters, and put strong light bulbs in fixtures.
Q & A
Q. Should we remodel or decorate?
A. While redecorating can make a home look more attractive, it is difficult to anticipate what a new buyer may be looking for in your home. It's best to simply prepare your home with a clean and uncluttered appearance.
If anything you might want to invest in some fresh paint. Paint can go a long way in enhancing the appeal of your home.
If your home is in need of paint or carpeting, it's better to invest the money ahead of time rather than hope a buyer has a vivid imagination of what your home will look like without spots on the carpet and chipped paint on the walls. You only have one change to make a good first impression!
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