DESIGN

Utah Homes For Sale That Bring the Highest Price – By Anne Johnson

When someone in Utah is selling their home, how can do they get top dollar?

What do the homeowners who get the highest prices for their homes when selling do differently than anyone else?

If you are getting prepared to sell your home use the tips below to help you prepare each area of your home before selling. These make a huge difference and most can be done for little or no money.

Follow these guidelines to get your home into top selling condition. Just a few small steps can get you the highest possible price.

CARPETS AND FLOORS

Hire a professional to deodorize carpets, especially if you have pets

Replace any worn carpet

Steam clean carpet thoroughly

If needed, install new neutral-colored carpet with a thick padding so prospective buyers feel comfortable as they walk on your floors

Make sure carpets are secure. Stretch and tack down any loose or curling carpet

Make sure the carpets are vacuumed, free of pet hair and combed

If you decide to replace a linoleum floor, choose a neutral color that will have wide appeal

CLEAN YOUR HOME AND GET RID OF CLUTTER

Appliances should be cleaned – inside and out

Clean all curtains, drapes and blinds

Clean or purchase new front door accessories

Clean the entryway carefully; it creates the buyers first interior impression of your home

Clean the inside of all kitchen and bathroom cabinets and neatly organize items on shelves

Mop and sweep all floors

Organize closets

Polish all interior woodwork

Remove appliances from kitchen counters to give a look of spaciousness

Remove oil spots from garage

EXTERIOR PAINTING

Paint front door and doorframe

Paint exterior fixtures

Paint mailbox

Paint or clean front door and garage door

Repair any damage to chimney

Repair holes in gutters and repair any separations from eaves

Repair or replace shingles or tiles missing from the roof

Sand and repaint areas with blistering or peeling paint

Seal cracks on porch and remove any standing water if concrete. If wood, secure looks railings and seal or paint as necessary

INTERIOR PAINTING

Add new wallpaper if the current wallpaper is torn or withered. Make sure it adheres to the wall

All woodwork like stairwell railings and doors should be repainted and or stained

Have leaks repaired & watermarks covered

If needed, repaint faded, worn or stained interior walls

Make sure that cracks in ceiling/walls are repaired

The windows should be washed and stain free. The window frames should be painted if necessary and the hinges should not squeak

Tone down bright room colors by painting them white or a neutral color

Whitewash dark paneling

BATHROOMS AND KITCHEN

If the appliances are included with the sale of your home, make sure they are operating and have proper documentations such as warranties and repair information

If there are missing or damaged tiles, have them replaced

Re-touch or repaint kitchens and bathrooms if the color is dated or the paint quality is poor

Make sure sinks are clean and stain-free

Repair damaged countertops, sinks or tubs

Make sure that there are no leaky faucets

Re-caulk damaged caulk on shower, sinks, tub or toilet

Clean tile grout and make stain-free

Paint, touch-up or refinish kitchen cabinetry

Tighten or replace loose doorknobs or cabinet pulls, sticking doors and drawers and wobbly hinges

Replace toilet seat

If appliances are dated or not functioning, consider replacing

LIGHTING AND WINDOWS

Repair sticky windows which do not open

At night, turn on porch light and outdoor lighting

Clean all switchplates

Clean all windows, inside and out

Clean existing shutters, blinds or drapes

Clean skylight for leaves and other debris

Increase the wattage of bulbs to maximum possible wattage

Install dimming switches in common rooms such as dining rooms and living rooms to allow you to create lighting for different occasions

Install new window treatments if those you have are damaged or dated

Keep curtains open and use natural light as much as possible

Make sure all outdoor lighting works

Prune outside trees to allow natural light inside

Turn on enough lights so home is well lit during showing

Wipe all light fixtures with a rag and cleaning solution

PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL

All drains should be clean and free flowing

All toilets should be in good working order

Clean up, paint or replace old plumbing fixtures in all bathrooms

Have your well or septic inspected or repaired

If needed, hire a plumber to replace badly rusted and corroded plumbing pipes

Inspect, clean and change filter of furnace

Make sure that all bathroom and kitchen faucets are in good working order

Make sure that all smoke and burglar alarms are functional

Remove mildew stains and repair any loose, crumbling caulk or grout around tile and tub areas

Repair broken doorbell

Service sprinkler system

STAGING

Clean fireplace and prepare with logs for display

Clean out the entry closet and put only a few hangers so that the buyer can visualize winter coats

Consider lighting up the fireplace during the colder months

Hang artwork on the walls

Hang extra clean towels in the bathroom for your guests

Have a fresh vase of flowers on the kitchen table to add appeal

Have beds made

If needed, put large furniture in storage

Lock pets up away from home during showings

Open drapes to allow light in

Place fresh flowers, potpourri and other decorations around house (even in bathrooms)

Play music during open houses

Put cedar chips inside the closets

Remove all unnecessary articles in basement or attic

Remove magnets and notes from refrigerator

Remove personal possession, like photos, trophies and mementos

Set the dining room table for a dinner party

Stage garage – clean up oily floors, straighten tools and other equipment

Tag or remove items not included in sale (i.e. water conditioner, chandeliers, plants, drapes)

OUTSIDE YARD

Add colorful plants or flowers near front door and porch area

Consider re-painting or re-staining a deck if the wood is worn out

Repair damaged, rusty or bent fence; paint or stain if necessary

If you have an awning for the patio, make sure that it is also free of debris and that there are no signs of tear or worn material. Replace if necessary

Keep the firewood neatly stacked

Keep trash area clean and organized

Keep walks, steps and driveway obstacle-free

Mow, trim, fertilize and water lawn

Power wash deck

Prune trees and bushes

Rake fallen leaves

Remove unnecessary items such as gardening equipment

Remove debris and personal items on deck and porch

Remove signs such as Beware of Dog

Remove weeds and dead or dying plants or flowers

Replace welcome mat at the doorway

Re-sod bare spots on lawn

Look around you home and make it inviting and one that you would be interested in buying if you were looking for a new home to buy. Wouldn’t you love it if the home you buy had all these things done?

Most are little things, and take only a little time, but they add up.

Good Luck!

If this has been helpful to you and you would like to visit more about your home selling or purchasing, please feel free to call me at 801-510-0151 or email me at anne@househuntinginutah.com

Cheers!

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About the Author

Anne Johnson has developed a proprietary home buying and seling system that maximizes deal value and reduces expenses. Anne is an entrepreneur and realtor with Prestige Real Estate in Utah. She owns HouseHuntingInUtah.com in addition to several websites and related companies. She works one on one with individuals and companies to bring them the best value and best deals in Utah real estate. Contact her at http://www.househuntinginutah.com or email at: anne@househuntinginutah.com
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