• First, and foremost dejunk, declutter, and depersonalize.
  • Pack up all your "stuff". This is a home that you want buyers to consider as their's - they will not if you have your family photos, etc displayed.
  • Consider packing up and maybe storing your nonessentials. The more "stuff" there is in your home - the SMALLER it seems.
  • Remove all oversized furniture as you do not want the room to appear smaller than it is.
  • The less furniture in a room the larger it seems.
• Look at your home through the eyes of a buyer. Be critical and honest with yourself.
  • If you have "bold" colors on the walls, consider repainting with a neutral color.
  • clean! clean! clean! Clean windows, window sills, above door jams, and under all furniture. Consider having your carpets professionally cleaned.
  • clean your yard; mow, edge & remove clutter.
  • if you have pets, vacuum every morning and neutralize any pet odors
  • organize closets (buyers will open these)
• Consider the time of year you decide to market your house. Don't blame your Realtor if you decide to put your house on the market just before the major holiday season and it doesn't sell. Overall, Spring is the best time to consider marketing your home.
• Once your home is on the market make sure it stays picked up; make up beds in the early am before you leave; do not leave dishes on the table, counter or in the sink. Make sure all dirty clothes are stored in a hamper. If you have indoor pets, consider a "pet gate" to confine them to one room of the house.
• Seriously consider your pricing strategy. There is a tendency for buyers to inflate the price of their home and this does not assist in the selling process. Other considerations:
  •  SC Law requires that you complete a Property Disclosure Statement. You must be honest and forthcoming. T hink about whether or not you have filed an insurance claim as the mortgage company will be able to access this information.
  • Consider whether you will assist in closing costs for potential buyers.
  • Inspections. It is far better to know if there are issues with your home rather than to discover them after a sales contract is in place.
    • Consider having a home inspection (by a licensed home inspector) and repair anything that is on the report. Give a copy of the report and the receipts to your Realtor
    • Consider having a termite inspection and again repair anything noted.
    • Consider having a HVAC inspection
• Try to make your home as available as possible for showings. Restricting showings "after 5pm and the weekend" drastically impacts on showings as this is when most buyers are available to view homes.

Inexpensive upgrades that make a difference to buyers:

• replacing old lamps or lighting fixtures
• new bedroom treatments
• fresh paint
• new towels

Interview several Realtors before you make your decision:

• Ask about their marketing plan for your home. 
• Ask them about their designations.  Designations are earned by Realtors through specialized training. 
• Ask about virtual tours, brochures, and open houses. 
• Ask them about the Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) that they have completed for your home.

Interview me to represent you and when you select me, I will provide you with the following:

• a comprehensive marketing plan for your home
• staging recommendations for your home
• a comparative marketing analysis to use as a pricing tool
• flyers and brochures specifically designed for your home
• a virtual tour on cd for you to share with family and friends
• a virtual tour for potential buyers to view online
• your home will be listed with the Orangeburg MLS and Columbia MLS which will make it available to thousands of real estate agents around the midlands to show to potential clients
• your home will be listed on Realtor.com, WISTV.com, Trulia.com, our company website, my personal website, and many other websites for national and international exposure.
• professional advocacy
• counseling on pricing and marketing strategies
•  professional negotiations during the contract process
• a worryfree closing process

Please contact me so that we can begin our mutually beneficial partnership.

Recommended resources:

Visit realtor.org

• enter "staging" in the search field and read "Field Guide to Preparing and Staging a House for Sale"
• enter "remodeling" and read, "Field Guide to Remodeling"  and the latest "Cost vs. Value Report"