If selling your home is in your future, you’ve got some important work to do ahead of you. There’s so much more to selling your home than just planting a for sale sign in your front yard. It means more than taking a few pictures of the place to post online, too. Here’s a checklist of nine important things to do before you sell your home.

Before You Sell Your Home

Invest in some curb appeal

The first thing prospective buyers see of your home should entice them to want to see more.

Stand on the front walk and examine your home closely. Look at it through a prospective buyer’s eyes. How does it look? Does it need paint? Are the gutters rusting? If you have a garden, is it overgrown with weeds and grass? These are relatively easy fixes.

Do a clean sweep

You know the saying, “Less is more”? This is so true when it comes to getting your house ready to show.

Declutter all visible areas first. Then move to behind closed doors: closets, drawers, and cupboards. Yes, even behind closed doors. No space is off-limits to curious buyers. Note: Hide or lock up your valuables before your home is shown.

Donate, pack up, give, or throw away excess belongings and stuff. Potential buyers may worry the house won’t have enough space for their belongings and stuff.

Plus, you’ll have less to deal with when it’s actually time to move.

Remove potential buyer distractions

This step goes hand-in-hand with the clean sweep. Buyers need to be able to visualize themselves and their family living in your house. So pack up your personal items, family photos, artwork, and furniture. Anything that could distract potential buyers from visualizing themselves living this space needs to go.

Paint walls with a neutral color

It’s rare that anyone will hate a neutral color. Light, neutral colors allow potential buyers to envision what the walls will look like with the paint color they like.

And while you’re at it, pay attention to the baseboards. Scuff marks and chipping make a home look neglected.

Fix what’s broke

Well, fix loose handles, missing lightbulbs, dripping faucets, and so forth. Buyers tend to wonder what else may be broken if these small things aren’t taken care of.

Clean, clean, clean

And then clean some more. Bathrooms, tile, counters, showers, tubs, windows, and floors should shine.

Invigorate your home with staging

Home stagers evaluate your home’s condition and the belongings inside. Their goal is to make your home appealing to the highest number of potential buyers and selling your home quickly and for more money.

Scope out our neighborhood

Look for houses for sale in your area and search the internet. Visit open houses that are comparable to your home, also. This will help you choose the best selling price for your home.

Choose a great real estate agent

A great real estate agent makes all the difference in the selling process.

Many people think they can sell their home themselves versus paying an agent. But resist the urge to save money and pocket the cash. For Sale by Owners (FSBO’s) almost always turn into disasters, sacrificing both your time and money.

A great real estate agent knows the current market and can suggest the price to list your home for. They have a great marketing plan for the sale of your home.

Charles D’Alessandro, your great Brooklyn real estate agent

Before you sell your home, contact Charles D’Alessandro, your Brooklyn Real Estate Agent with Fillmore Real Estate. Call (718) 253-9600 ext. 206 or email me at [email protected] today. With over 30 years of real estate experience in Brooklyn, I can guide you through each step of the selling process, from listing to closing.

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Charles D’Alessandro
Your Brooklyn Real Estate Agent
718-253-9600 ext. 206
[email protected]

Since you’re convinced that the fall is a good time sell, here are some often overlooked steps to take to ease the stress of the sale of your home. Staging is one of them. Here are another five that will help you sail through the sale.

Ease the Stress of the Sale of Your Home

1. Make a list of improvements you’ve made and any issues you’ve experienced while living in your home

Highlight and disclose improvements you’ve made in addition to any issues you may have experienced while living in your home, especially if you’ve owned your home for a while. For example, chimney fires, water damage, a flooded basement, or the addition of a French drain system, too.

2. Be aware of how your listing appears online

Get online and Google your address. Why? Because almost all buyers search online for homes these days. And you need to be aware of how your listing looks on the Internet. For example, not all of your recent home improvements show up on Google Maps’ street view. You need to flag each one of those updates that aren’t showing up.

And what does the site give as an estimated value for your home? It may be very different from the asking price you’ve put on your home. Sometimes tax records have the wrong information about the number of bedrooms or bathrooms in your home. Not to worry. Just be aware and get it fixed. It’s easy to do.

3. Take a look at your home from the curb

What do you see? Cosmetic repairs, even minor ones, can cost you the sale if they’re not taken care of. First impressions are that important and can make all the difference when it comes to a sale. When your home is well-kept, it gives a good first impression. It shows you take great pride in your home. The buyer sees the care you have taken and translates that into less energy and cost for themselves as they prepare to move in.

4. Clean every nook and cranny

Potential buyers look everywhere! They look inside drawers, cabinets, closets, even the dishwasher and washing machine. Potential buyers judge how clean everything is as part of that first impression mentioned in step three. Spending the time and money needed to deep-clean your home will come back to you ten-fold.

5. Let your agent know which items aren’t to be included in the sale

From custom window treatments to appliances, if they’re not included in the sale, tell your agent. Unless specifically excluded in the contract, the law says that anything bolted to the wall or ceiling goes to the buyer. If you want to take your flat-screen TV, chandelier, or custom pot rack, play it safe. Pack it, replace it, or label it as soon as you list your home on the market. Don’t let buyers bank on owning the items and be disappointed when they move in. Read Fixture Feuds for a little insight on potentially bad situations.

As I like to say, look at your house through the eyes of a buyer. Would you want to buy your house? What needs to be repaired or updated? Fix clean, update, and get the clutter you see outta there before you list your home. Selling a home is stressful, but you can ease the stress with these five simple steps.

Charles D’Alessandro is a great agent who will help ease the stress of selling your home. With over 30 years of real estate experience in the Brooklyn area, he knows just what to do to prepare your home for sale. Contact Charles D’Alessandro, your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate, at (718) 253-9700 ext. 206 or click here for suggestions and tips on how to prepare your Brooklyn home for sale now.

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Charles D’Alessandro

Your Brooklyn Real Estate Agent with Fillmore Real Estate

718-253-9600 ext. 206

[email protected]

Whether Brooklyn’s housing market is hot or not, some homes seem to attract potential buyers and multiple bids without much effort. How does that happen? Is there a secret strategy that will sell your home quickly? No, there’s no secret, but there are 12 tried-and-true listing to-do’s that will help you sell your home – fast!

Want to sell your home quickly? Do this, this and this!

1. Find a Top-notch Real Estate Agent

This to-do is listed first because it’s that important. Smart sellers hire the right real estate agent to sell their Brooklyn home. Charles D’Alessandro knows the local market inside and out and understands exactly how to position your home for potential buyers. Don’t settle for any less than the best!

2. Hit the Perfect Price Point

You may think your home is worth top dollar, but charging top dollar isn’t always the best strategy to implement when you want to sell your home quickly. A whopping price could land your home on the market for a long spell. If you study the local comps carefully and follow Charles’ advice, you’ll hit the perfect price point.

3. Focus on Maximizing Curb Appeal

If those who drive by your home like what they see, they’ll most likely show up at the open house. That’s why it pays to freshen up landscaping, trim bushes, paint the front door and add attractive outdoor lighting. Smart homeowners know that to sell your home quickly, you must focus on your home’s curb appeal.

4. Update Kitchens and Bathrooms

An outdated kitchen or bathroom will turn prospective buyers off quicker than you can say, “Trick or treat?” Consider painting cabinets, updating faucet hardware, or replacing at least one of the kitchen appliances. This is an excellent strategy when you want to sell your home quickly, providing you update the rooms cautiously.

5. Scrub the House Clean

Homes that are deep cleaned inside and out sell quickly. A thorough cleaning from top to bottom doesn’t cost much, but it takes a ton of time and elbow grease. Home buyers investigate every nook and cranny of a potential home. Smart sellers know this and will invest the extra time necessary to clean their closets, their basement, fans and baseboards, too.

6. Address and Fix Potential Problems Before Inspection

It doesn’t make sense to spend a lot of money on renovations before you list your home, but it is smart to address any possible problems that might show up during inspection. Check the roof for leaks, look for sticky windows and make sure the wiring isn’t outdated. If a major problem is discovered during inspection, you may not get to sell your home quickly.

7. Send Pets on Vacation

Dogs or cats, no matter how well-behaved or cute they are, aren’t selling points. Even potential buyers who happen to be animal lovers, too, won’t appreciate your pets. If you have pets and you want to sell your home quickly, send your family pet packing. Find a friend or relative to keep your pets and all their toys, crates, and bowls. Then open up the windows to let a lot of fresh air in.

8. Hire the Pros

It’s true that certain up-front expenses can really pay off. Smart sellers hire floor refinishers, painters, and landscapers to spruce things up. Then they hire a professional real estate photographer to share images of their homes in their best light.

9. Make Your Home Standout

Much like deep cleaning, a few spruce-ups can turn your house from boring into “Wow!” Add a coat of fresh paint in a warm neutral color to walls. Purchase some new and updated furniture and brighten up the room with new throws or pillows. Don’t forget to declutter counters, cabinets and closets. The “Wow Factor” will sell your home quickly.

10. Talk About It, Talk About It, Talk About It

Your Brooklyn real estate agent, Charles D’Alessandro, will take care of the major marketing for your home, but word of mouth is an extremely effective tool to sell your home quickly. Let the world know about your listing. Share the news on Facebook, at the dentist’s office, on the playground, … everywhere you can.

11. Be Show-ready, Always

The more people who tour your home, the greater your chances of finding a buyer quickly. Make your bed and fluff up the pillows as soon as you wake. Never leave a dirty dish in the sink. Set some fresh flowers on the dining room table. If your home is always neat and tidy, it is always ready to be shown at a moment’s notice.

12. Time it Right

It’s a fact. Spring is the best time to list if you want to sell your home quickly. Listing a home during the months of March through May usually attracts more potential buyers, and curb appeal is at its best. But don’t discount selling in the fall. There are great reasons to list your home in the fall. Take a look at why listing in the fall is a smart move from the buyer’s perspective: 10 Reasons Why House Hunting in the Fall is a Wise Move.

Want to sell your home quickly? Contact Charles D’Alessandro, your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate at (718) 253-9700 ext. 206 or email [email protected]. Charles knows the Brooklyn market and what it takes to help you sell your home quickly.

Homebuyers in Brooklyn are tired. They’re tired of being cooped up. They’ve spent a lot of time online snuggled beneath a favorite throw trying to keep warm this winter. And what have they been doing online all winter? Shopping the housing market. They’re ready to buy! Low interest rates will begin creeping upward this summer, so homebuyers in Brooklyn will be eager to buy in April, May or June. Freshen up your Brooklyn home listing this spring. Make your home stand out to homebuyers, and grab their attention!

New listings inundate the housing market each spring making it the busiest season for real estate. This means homebuyers in Brooklyn have an over abundance of new listings competing for their attention. Your home must stand out to grab attention. If your home has been on the market since the holidays, your Brooklyn home listing needs to be updated now for the spring housing market. Take it off the market, and put it back on after a few weeks. Homebuyers will then view it as a fresh new listing. Here are 6 ways to grab attention with your Brooklyn home listing to make it stand out this spring.

1. Impress with curb appeal this spring

First impressions are important. When a buyer sees your Brooklyn home, they know in about 60 seconds if your home is worth their consideration. Making a good first impression with a little curb appeal is easy to do. Pruned trees and bushes, freshly turned garden soil, freshly planted flowers, power-washed walks, porch, driveway, patio and home exterior and clean windows will make your Brooklyn home listing stand out and impress homebuyers this spring.

2. Organize and start packing

Make your Brooklyn home look roomy and neat. Homebuyers need to see themselves and their belongings in your home. Take a good, hard look at each room, including the garage or shed. Look through your home thoroughly, one room at a time, to avoid overwhelm. Ask tough questions and be brutally honest. Do you really need that end table? Would you miss that knick-knack if you lost it to a fire or gave it away? Then, in accordance with your answers, start packing, donating or tossing. Now you’ll be a step ahead in the moving process when your home sells. Think about it. Do you really need eight sweaters?

3. Clean and stage your Brooklyn home listing

Now that everything is organized and packed, start cleaning. Curtains, rugs, walls and baseboards, cupboards and drawers are dirtier than you probably realize. Once this cleaning is done, it’s time to freshen up your Brooklyn home listing with a few simple staging efforts. Add fresh flowers, pastel-colored throws and pillows throughout. Matching towels, a bar of soap and a candle in a clean bathroom will catch buyers’ attention.

4. Groom your pets and clean pet items

If you own a pet, you need to be discreet about it. Homebuyers may love animals, too, but they still do not want to walk into your Brooklyn home and smell your pet or see your pet’s toys. Hide Fido’s presence in your home with lots of fresh air, clean drapes and clean carpets. While your home is on the market, make a special place in the house just for your pets. Keep toys, beds, food, dishes, litter boxes and all that pertains to your pet, clean and tidy in their special place until your Brooklyn home sells.

5. Update your Brooklyn home listing with minor repairs and home improvements

Replacing old caulk and discolored grout, outdated light fixtures and carpets will do wonders to freshen up your Brooklyn home listing this spring. You don’t need to make major renovations before you list your Brooklyn home. Minor improvements such as matching hardware throughout, new switch plates, polished floors, neutral paint on walls and freshly painted trim will make your Brooklyn home stand out to homebuyers.

6. Check interior systems and make repairs

Check and make sure all interior systems in your Brooklyn home are working as they should be – heating, ventilation, air conditioning, home security, smoke detectors, fire alarm and extinguishers, carbon monoxide alarms, window seals. If you find repairs that need to be made, make them yourself or hire someone to do it before the buyers walk through for a home inspection. It makes sense to pay $100 now instead of $300 later for the same repair when the buyer requests it.

Call your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate, Charles D’Alessandro at (718) 253-9600 ext 206 or email [email protected] for more on how to make your Brooklyn home listing grab attention and stand out this spring. He’s the right listing agent. His experience will help your home sell quickly and for the right price. You can trust his knowledge of the Brooklyn area and the marketing strategy he will create for you. He will represent you well.

Resources:

Homebuying.about.com

Realtor.com

Bankrate.com

Forbes.com

wtnh.com

 

Summer is quickly drawing to a close. That means you need do some serious evaluating in order to take advantage of the rest of the season’s long daylight hours and get your Brooklyn real estate sold.

So before you spend the evening catching fireflies and roasting marshmallows, buckle down and get s’more work done on your Brooklyn real estate. Below are five ways you can prepare your home and yourself for the big sale!

Host a block-party barbecue. People in the neighborhood are a great resource to tap into to market your home. Host a party to tell them your plans and allow them to see your home. If they have a friend they want to have nearby, they might just sell your house for you.

1. Make your yard memorable. Summer is the ideal time to spruce up your curb appeal so that your home makes a good first impression on potential buyers.
2. Repair the roof. This can be a big expense, but it is also one of the first things that home inspectors note. If it needs repairs, do it now. If you don’t, it could cost you more money when it comes time for closing negotiations.
3. Eliminate odors. Buyers want to imagine themselves living in the home, not be distracted by how they’re going to get the summer-intensified smell of your pet out of the carpet.
4. Know your minimum price. You need to prepare yourself for the numbers game. Do your research using comparables to determine what your house will most likely go for and what you’re willing to accept.

 Use what’s left of summer to make your Brooklyn home stand out from the rest! You’ll sell quickly and can start looking forward to next summer in a new home — maybe one with a pool.

If you’re thinking about selling your Brooklyn real estate and would like more tips on how to get it ready, please call Charles D’Alessandro Your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate a call at 718/253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected], for more information and aFree Market Price Evaluation without obligation!

 

 

Before you put your home on the market, you want to make certain that it’s in tip-top condition to ensure a quick sale. The key to listing your home at a competitive price and guaranteeing you have what buyers are looking for is to think like a Brooklyn  real estate agent. To get your Brooklyn home ready to sell, here are five easy and inexpensive home improvements this Brooklyn real estate agent recommends: Layout – Take an objective look at your home and stage accordingly. Remove clutter and rearrange furniture so that potential buyers can envision each room’s purpose. Also, store any obtrusive furniture that disrupts walking flow or makes rooms look smaller.

1. Hardware – Update all hardware. Changing out door handles, drawer pulls and light fixtures is an easy way to modernize your home while costing little money.
2. Charm – Play up the unique features of your home. Refinish hardwood floors if scuffed, remove excess objects from built-in bookshelves and clean unique light fixtures. It’s these irreplaceable elements that make your home stand out from other homes and hook buyers.
3. Scent – Eliminate all bad odors like pet smells, stale cooking odors and cigarette smoke.  Just lighting candles or spraying air freshener won’t work.  Clean, deodorize and get rid of rugs or other cloth objects that still smell bad.
4. Curb Appeal – Spend some time sprucing up the yard. It’s the first impression buyers will have, and although the house might be in mint condition, a lots-of-work lawn could instill a negative notion before they even step a foot inside your home.

Buyers’ needs vary in every market. However, buyers will always consider these five features before they buy. So, stay one step ahead of the game and ensure your house is up to par with buyers’ expectations. If you’re getting ready to sell your home and are looking for a Brooklyn real estate agent who can help you sell your home fast and for top-dollar, I’d be honored to be interviewed for the job.  Give me a call today  Charles D’Alessandro Your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate at 718/253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected],