Here's An Idea For Sellers....

There are more homes to choose from in today's market. So how does a seller make their home stand out in the crowd? Put yourself in the buyer's shoes. Ask yourself what would I want to know about this home. And perhaps more importantly, after living here, what is it that I like best about the home. The idea here is to offer honest and relevant information to prospective buyers. Make a short list of items and leave it on the kitchen table where it can be easily found by the agent and buyers as they walk through the home. Warning - please keep it simple. Please do not write a two page essay on why they should purchase your home. Instead just offer a few little kernals of info that will peak a buyer's interest and make them feel "at home."

For Example...

• Where’s the school bus stop. What's the best place to get a pizza.
• If there's something that they can't see now, but will enjoy later tell them about it. For example if it's winter, tell them about the lilac bush that blooms in the backyard in the summer.
• Is there a little park or ice cream shop around the corner that makes a great family walk?
• If there is a time of day or time of year that your backyard looks best tell them about it and if you have one leave a photo, i.e. sunset from the front deck, fall colors in the back yard, etc.
• Do you have bird feeders? Tell them what birds visit Goldfinches, Grosbeaks, Chickadees?
• Do you have other wildlife visit on occasion - leave a photo of the deer in the woods behind the house.
• Do you have a favorite room or feature of the house. Tell them it's your favorite and why, i.e. We love to sit and read the paper Sunday morning in the sun room, or we've really enjoyed having the big deck for family barbeques.

Pointing out these features will make your home stick out in a buyer's mind when they are seeing 10 different homes in a day.

Another great idea once you've sold your home is to leave a "Helpful Hints" list on the counter for when the new homeowners move in. This list might include...

• When does the trash collector come.
• Appliance manuals, copies of receipts, and contact info for repair services, warranty info.
• The location of the water main and its on/off valves.
• The location of the well, the depth and gallons per minute it produces.
• The location of the septic system and information who last cleaned it and when.
• Age of the roof, warranty information, and what company installed it.
• The names of the service people you've used, including that of your plumber and your heating/air conditioning service.

Your buyers will appreciate the added effort both before and after the sale!