5 Tips for Selling a Vacant Home

Before preparing a vacant home for sale, here are a few essential steps to make sure the most important first step takes place: buyers make the decision to view the home.

“Many people think all they have to do is make sure the inside of their home is clean, but it really goes far beyond that when it comes to making sure your home looks its best so that buyers will take a look,” said Thomas Scott, vice president of Operations for Showhomes Franchise Corporation. “That is why we have released five essential tips that can help local residents stay on the right track when preparing their homes for a sale.”

Scott reveals five tips for selling a vacant home:

1. Curb Appeal – the better the curb appeal of your home is, the more attractive it is to prospective buyers.

– Trim overgrown bushes, weed beds and add a fresh layer of mulch
– Clean your front door and repaint if needed
– Add a fresh doormat
– Keep grass cut, edged and blown
– Plant some color in the beds to add contrast

2. Cleaning – for most buyers, dirt equals stress and the last thing most buyers want is more stress in their lives.

– Pressure-wash the driveway and sidewalks.
– Clean windows inside and out
– Pressure wash decks and patios

3. Paint – the condition and color of the paint can make a huge difference in how buyers react to your home. Select light neutrals – creamy kakis, pearly grays or soft greens.

4. Replace Worn Carpet – Dirty carpet is unsanitary and nobody will be able to overlook your worn carpet. Replace the top layer with inexpensive neutral colored carpet and you will always recoup the investment.

5. Stage your home – Buyers who look at vacant homes only see floors, walls and ceilings. With nothing else to look at, they focus on flaws. Because of this, vacant houses are very vulnerable to low-ball offers and often sell for 15-20 percent below list price.

Source: Rismedia 04/08