Sell Your Home Faster & For More Money.

Choosing the right partner to market and sell your home is an important decision. The real estate world has changed dramatically and selling your property in the current environment takes a different approach. That is why we created the Advanced Property Marketing System. This powerful methodology is based upon best practices from real estate plus other relevant industries. Implementing the Advanced Property Marketing System takes more time and costs us more money – but the results speak for themselves. Since introducing this innovative system, our company has sold more properties than any other brokerage. Trendgraphix and RealValuator rank Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties as the #1 company in homes sold for 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. The Atlanta Business Chronicle ranked our company as the #1 residential real estate company in 2010 and 2011 based upon homes sold.

Explore our sellers guide.

Preparing your home for sale

No matter what your reasons are for selling, the process of preparing a home for sale is the same. Start here:

1. Take a Fresh Look at Your Home

A buyer wants to see himself in your home, not you! So take a fresh look at your dwelling. Hop in your car, drive around the block, and then scrutinize your home as a prospective buyer might see it for the first time. Consider what's called "curb appeal;" does it need washing or painting? Does the driveway need repair work? Is the landscaping in good shape? s the yard neat and trimmed? Remember, be very critical; your buyer will be.

Size up the interior as though seeing it for the first time. Take a tour and imagine what your real estate agent might say about each room, look into cabinets, open doors, check out the bathroom.

Make notes of the things that might put off potential buyers, along with another list of the things that first attracted you to the dwelling.

2. Clean Out the Clutter Before You Start to Sell

Get rid of clutter in every area -- closets, attic storage, kitchen cabinets, drawers, bath vanities, and shelves -- everywhere. Remember, this is no time to be sentimental: if you don't use it, lose it. Potential buyers are seriously put off by clutter, and most of us drag a lot more things through life than we really need.

Also, don't forget the furniture and fixtures when getting rid of clutter -- most of us put too much in too little space, which makes a buying prospect, think your home is too small.

Then, have a great moving sale with all the stuff you've collected and use the proceeds for paint or whatever other materials you need for repair projects. If you just can't bear to part with some possessions, pack them up store them temporarily in rented a storage unit.

3. To Sell, Sell, Sell -- Clean, Clean, Clean

After you've cleared out the clutter, it's time to really clean. Have the carpets professionally cleaned, strip and polish the floors, scour the bathrooms, go over the laundry room, polish the furniture, scour out the cabinets, wash the windows and window coverings, and spiff up the ceiling fans and kitchen appliances. In short, clean everything.

Don't forget the exterior; paint or power-wash everything. Remember, this is a ceiling-to-floor, roof-to-foundation clean-up project.

4. Get More for Your Home: Repairs Pay Off

After you've cleaned the place to within an inch of its life, the next project is making all the repairs necessary to attract a buyer.

Patch up the roof, touch up all the paint, repair the screens, spruce up the porch framing, and make your entry area really shine. Don't forget to water the lawn and landscape beds, and take the time to trim, mow, edge and get rid of sick or dying plants. Inside, fix the grout in the bathrooms and on tile floors, adjust any doors that need it, fix any scratches on the walls, cover any stains, and be sure to fix any plumbing problems. Remember, do what your home needs before the first buyer appears at your door.

A good agent will advise you on what needs to be done. Also, if you have friends willing to be brutally honest about what your home needs to sell, invite them to assess the fix-up needs.

Trying to sell without doing these steps is possible but it carries a price. An "as-is" sale keeps you from doing all this work, but a buyer will assess about twice the price you would have paid for the repairs. Then, the buyer will deduct that amount from your asking price before making an offer.

5. Show It to Sell It

Regardless of who markets your home, you or a broker, there are other, small things you must do to attract buyers. For example, even if it's bright daylight, open the blinds and turn on the lights. Also, open all the interior doors to make the home appear roomier. Be sure to remove all your kids and pets -- they're cute, but a prospect wants to see your home, not your pride and joy. In addition, make sure your pet's litter pan is clean so the home smells clean and fresh, not like air freshener. Remember, you need to make sure your home is available to be seen by a prospective buyer with as little notice as possible. That means less than an hour, or even five minutes, if possible.

6. Get a Sense of the Market

Take time to check out the competition: homes with similar prices and in similar neighborhoods. Remember, you don't have to go out and buy new furniture just to look like that beautiful new model in the new development -- what you want is the feel of that new model -- clean, uncluttered, and fresh.

Remember, after location, the most important item to a buyer is a well maintained home. Many flaws can be overlooked if the buyer knows he can move in without a lot of trouble and expense.

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