Week 1 - The Objective Search

The Christmas decorations have been put away and another year has begun. In the coming months thousands of families east of Toronto will begin to prepare their homes for sale.

This is the first of 12 weekly instructions on how to prepare your home for sale in an organized and stress free manner. By following the strategies set out in these newsletters you will help to ensure that you sell your home quickly and for the highest price possible.

If you miss me on any Monday morning while you are racing for the train, or would like to receive all 12 steps in an email, please visit www.stuartsmith.ca and find the link to the Monday Morning Realtor.

STEP 1 - THE OBJECTIVE SEARCH

Remember that you are not buying your house. What makes your house your home may dissuade other potential purchasers from making an offer. Family portraits, a trophy room or a fridge full of your children’s achievements may make the house look cluttered. When potential purchasers view your home they need to be able to imagine themselves living in the house. Set aside at least one hour this week to complete what I call, an Objective Search.

You can call me to do this for you or, with a pad of paper and a pen walk through every room in your home. You should be looking for everything that may not appeal to purchasers. A few suggestions would be;
1) The closets and cupboards – are they overflowing? Consider giving away every piece of clothing, shoes, games, toys, dishes, books and the old hot-air popcorn machine you no longer use to charity.
2) Plants – In most cases, small trees and plants take up a lot of space. The fact that they provide oxygen is not enough to insist on keeping them.
3) Tables (and any other surface) – Clutter is a deal breaker. Your collection of garage sale knick-knacks is only appealing to you. If you can’t bear to sell, donate or toss most of it out, you should consider renting a storage unit in the months to come.
4) The walls – Look for cracks or dark spots that need cleaning. Do you have cobwebs in the corners? We live with these things because our patterns are such that we don’t notice them, but purchasers will. That is why I recommend the Objective Search.

This list is obviously a very short example of what you will need to look for. If you would like to read more tips about the Objective Search, ask questions or you miss me next week, please feel free to post a message in this blog http://mondaymorningrealtor.blogspot.com or you can access all 12 steps by visiting my website www.stuartsmith.ca and find the link for the Monday Morning Realtor.

Enjoy your ride and have a great 2009.

Stuart Smith
stuart@stuartsmith.ca
(905) 728-1600
(888) 732-1600

*Not intended to solicit properties currently listed for sale