SALEM OREGON REAL ESTATE-SPEND A LITTLE…GET A LOT-SELLER TIPS PART 1

SALEM OREGON REAL ESTATE-SPEND A LITTLE…GET A LOT-SELLER TIPS PART 1


The” Spend a Little….Get a Lot” series will be very short articles with a few quick, inexpensive tips to help you get your home ready to sell, and to help you pocket more money .

 1.  Holiday displays, including Christmas cards, should be removed and stored by the first week in January.

    2.   Use degreaser and a razor blade to make basement windows crystal-clear.

     3.   Remember to put away valuables while showing your home. Expensive jewelry belongs in a safe  deposit box.

4.  Have long-stemmed artificial flowers to pack? Ask your local florist for a couple of boxes wholesalers use to deliver fresh flowers to florists.

5.  Even if your entire house doesn’t need to be painted, putting a fresh coat of paint in a new color on the door and trim may keep a couple thousand dollars on your sale price.

6. Don’t wait until the last minute to call professional painters because their schedules may be filled. Hire them as soon as you make the decision to sell.

HOW TO AVOID THE MOST EXPENSIVE MISTAKES THAT SMART PEOPLE MAKE WHEN THEY SELL A HOME…..

Basing their asking price on needs or emotion, rather than on market value.

Many times, people make their pricing decisions based on how much they paid for, or invested into their home. This can be an expensive mistake. Overpriced homes take longer to sell and eventually net the seller less money. Consult with a professional real estate agent. They can assist you in pricing your home correctly from the beginning.

SALEM OREGON HOMES 4 U - Tips for Selling Your Home-Part 2-The Bathroom

SALEM OREGON HOMES 4 U- TIPS FOR SELLING YOUR HOME-THE BATHROOM PART 2
SALEM AREA HOME SELLER’S TIPS FOR GETTING YOU TOP DOLLAR FOR YOUR HOME IN THIS SALEM, OREGON REAL ESTATE MARKET. THE BATHROOM PART 2.



Welcome to Part 2 of The Bathroom!! In Part 1 I talked about cleaning the vanity, cabinets and drawers, and also suggested some repairs that you may need to consider when selling your home. In Part 2 we are going to address some other tips to make your bathrooms sparkle and appeal to buyers.

Buyers will notice a filthy shower, and nothing turns a buyer off quicker. So, spend some time here.

Remove personal items – cleanser, shampoo and conditioner, shave cream, razor, body sponges – from the shower/tub area.

Discard items that are unnecessary and store the rest under the sink. Test the faucets and showerhead. Do the faucets turn off all the way? If not, change the washers. Is the water spraying freely from the showerhead? No? Then remove it and check to see if it’s clogged. If it still doesn’t work properly after cleaning, replace it.

Carefully examine tiles and the tub. Does the tub have chips and discoloration? It may need to be resurfaced or replaced.

How do the tiles look? Any loose pieces or chips? Are there cracks in the grout? Scrub the bathtub, tiles and grout until they are mold and mildew free. Regrout gaps between tiles. Scrape and replace discolored caulking.

When the shower and bathtub have been overhauled, top off your repairs with a new, crisp shower curtain or liner in a neutral color.

Take a good look at the ceiling and walls. Do you see any mold, mildew, fingerprints or grime? If so, scrub it with bleach. Cracking or curling paint should be scraped and repainted in a neutral color.

Here is a good rule of thumb: Place only three items on the vanity area. Many real estate experts suggest these include potpourri, a new or clean, filled soap dispenser, and a plant. It’s a good idea to keep the toilet tank top cleared as prospective buyers and inspectors may want to peek inside it.

After the big clean-up and repair job in the bathroom, it’s important to maintain the fresh smell and appearance each day the house is on the market. The space should be kept uncluttered, clean and sanitized. It should reflect well on the house of which it is a part and offer few glimpses of the personalities who currently live there.

At this point, a homeowner enters the sprucing-up stage. After cleaning every nook and cranny in the bathroom, it’s time to add the finishing touches. All dirty towels and wash cloths, bath mats and robes should be removed. A clean set of towels should be displayed before the house is shown. Trash baskets should be emptied and floors wiped daily. All personal grooming items – tooth brushes, make-up, combs and brushes, hair dryers, perfume, etc. – should be tucked away, preferably in a container and stored in a drawer or cabinet.

Now that you have your bathrooms sparkling, let's talk about something else that is important! CURB APPEAL!! That will be the subject of the next blog post in this series of Tips for Selling Your Home.

Wondering what your home may be worth in the current market? Request a complimentary market analysis from me. I will also include a copy of my "How To Sell Your House For Top Dollar, Fast".  You can also contact me directly at 503-931-1846 or email me at MelWagnerBroker@msn.com.

SALEM AREA HOME SELLERS! HERE ARE SOME TIPS FOR GETTING YOU TOP DOLLAR FOR YOUR HOME! THE BATHROOM PART 1.

 

 

SALEM AREA HOME SELLERS! HERE ARE SOME TIPS FOR GETTING YOU TOP DOLLAR FOR YOUR HOME! THE BATHROOM PART 1.

 

I am starting a new series of articles based on my Seller Newsletters full of tips for selling your Salem area home for top dollar even in the current Salem Oregon Real Estate Market. If you would like to be added to my free newsletter list, please contact me, and I will get you added right away.

 

We are going to start this series off with the bathrooms. When a house is on the market, it becomes less the owner’s home and more of a display item. Nowhere is this more important to remember than in the bathroom. Buyers don’t want to see the seller’s personal hygiene items, moldy remnants of steamy showers, or a soap scum-covered collection of empty shampoo bottles. They want to be confident that this most private of rooms is well maintained and sanitized. The trick to make the area seem less, well...private.

 

Preparing a bathroom for potential buyers is a four step process:

 

• Clean
• Repair
• Sanitize
• Spruce

 

Every surface that can hold something – vanity, toilet tank, shower window, floor – should be cleared of as many objects as possible. The same thing applies for anything that can be opened – medicine cabinet, drawers, and linen closets.

 

Cleaning begins with throwing out any expired medication, make-up that hasn’t been used in a year, nearly empty containers, and any other useless objects found while emptying cabinets and drawers.

 

The process continues with wiping each shelf, drawer, and cabinet door. When everything is out from under the sink, take the time to check the faucets and pipes for leaks.

 

If faucets leak, washers probably need to be changed. In some cases, the faucets may be corroded and need to be replaced. If this is the case, opt for an inexpensive and very plain model. Fill the sink with water. If it drains from the sink slowly, pour in some drain clog remover and see if this helps. When everything is clean and in working condition, neatly return items to the cabinet under the sink, using containers for small objects like bath toys, sponges or cleaners.

 

While the top of the toilet tank is bare, lift up the top and check the water level and condition of the inner mechanisms. Flush the toilet. Does the water refill to the correct level? Does the water shut off when it reaches this level? If not, then the inside mechanism with the seat and stopper at the bottom of the tank will need to be replaced.

 

One of the many benefits of listing your home with me is that at Coldwell Banker Mountain West, we have a group of handymen that are employed by our company to do basic handyman repairs on our seller’s homes for as long as your home is on the market, and on our buyer’s homes for as long as they own their home. It’s called our Lifetime Handyman Repair Service. They will take care of any leaking faucets and shower heads, toilets that are not working correctly, and they will put fresh caulking in your bathroom once you have everything else ready to go in the bathroom which helps to provide a cleaner and fresher appearance. Our Lifetime Handyman Repair Service has saved our sellers and buyers a great deal of money by providing free repairs.

 

So, there you go, some tips to get you started on getting your bathrooms in order before putting your home on the market. Stay tuned for part 2 of The Bathroom.

 

If you would like more information about the services that I offer to my sellers, you can contact me directly at 503-931-1846 or MelWagnerBroker@msn.com.

SALEM OREGON HOME SELLING-100 FALL DECORATING IDEAS

SALEM OREGON HOME SELLING-100 FALL DECORATING IDEAS FROM SOUTHERN LIVING.

As we say goodbye to Summer and head into fall, if you are currently trying to sell your Salem Oregon Home, you may be looking for some quick decorating ideas to "spruce up your home" for a Fall look.  The Salem Oregon Real Estate Market currently has many options for buyers looking to purchase a home in our area.  Make your home stand out by feeling warm and inviting, while sporting a new fall look.  Here is a two minute video highlighting some great decorating ideas for you!

Make your pumpkins stand out with these great pumpkin carving designs.  Need some more pumpkin carving ideas?   Be sure to check out the other videos on the sidebar of the 100 Fall Decorating Ideas to see all of the great party ideas such as spooky trees, ghost cakes and how to use all of those pumpkins for decorations.

Happy Fall Everyone!!

Salem Oregon Home Buyers-How to Cut Your Spending up to $500 a Month.

Salem Oregon Home Buyers-How to Cut Your Spending up to $500 a Month.  CNN Money shows us how! 

Whether you are saving for your first home, or a homeowner already, we can all use some tips to save money on our monthly expenses. If you are saving to buy a home in Salem, Oregon these tips can help you get your downpayment together in no time.  If you save $500 a month for one year, you will have saved $6000 which is enough for a downpayment on a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home in our area.  These tips cover savings on everything from grocery shopping to insurance savings and more.


If you would like more information on the Salem Oregon Real Estate Market or buying or selling a home in the Salem Oregon area, please let me know.