March 3, 2020By Abby WaddellIn Real Estate

Preparing to Sell Your Home: 3 Tips from a Seniors Real Estate Specialist

Selling your home doesn′t just mean hiring a realtor to stick a sign out front. There are a lot of preparations you should make to ensure you get the best offer possible in the shortest time.

If you work with a Senior Real Estate Specialist then you can get extra help from your Realtor who has resources to help get the house ready.

As a Senior Real Estate Specialist, here are my 3 tips to selling your home:

Repair. Just because you’ve gotten used to the cracks in the walls and the rattles in the radiators doesn’t mean a buyer will too. If you have hardwood floors that need refinishing, be sure to get it done—hardwood is a huge selling point.

Buyers like to snoop around, so be sure to fix any sticky doors or drawers as well. Finally, don’t forget to address any issues with the exterior—fences, shingles, sidewalks, etc. After all, without curb appeal, some buyers may never get to see the inside.

Neutralize. You want buyers to see themselves in your home. If your living room has lime green shag, wood-paneled walls, and all your collectibles and personal photographs, this will be much harder for them to do.

Try replacing any bold color choices in your floors and walls with something more neutral—beiges, tans, and whites. Repainting and reflooring will make everything look fresh and new, and help prospective buyers imagine all the possibilities.

Stage. Once your house is clean and updated, it’s time to play dress up. Home stagers can add small details and décor touches that will bring out the possibilities in the various spaces in your home: lamps, mirrors, throw rugs and pillows, flowers, decorative soaps and towels, patio furniture.

Home staging can be particularly useful if your home is especially old or if the exterior looks dated. Think of it as a little mascara and rouge—if it’s done right, you notice the beauty, not the makeup.

Abby Waddell MBA, CPS, SRES, is a Senior Real Estate Specialist in the South Bay area of Los Angeles county. She has been in real estate for more than 34 years assisting buyers and sellers with various real estate needs. Her passion is working with families who are in transition due to not being able to stay in their current homes. She helps to lease or sell their homes or refer them to companies who can help them age in place.

Contact Abby
Abby Waddell
MBA, Realtor®, CPS, CRTS, Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES)
CalDRE License # 00892590
Cell: (310) 753-0770
AbbyWaddell@kw.com
www.agingparentshomes.com