6 Top Tips for Selling your Home for the best Possible Price

6 Top Tips for Selling your Home for the best Possible Price

Are you thinking about selling your home? Are you the executor of an estate and need to liquidate the asset and sell the property? Are you torn between selling your home as is or putting in a lot of money for renovation work and or upgrades and are not certain you will get a return on your investment?

We have put together list of the top 8 tips you may want to consider when selling your home and getting the biggest bag for your buck. These helpful tips are part of a continuing series of articles by Nick and Joe Santoro of Personal Property Managers (www.personalpropertymanagers.com ). Personal Property Managers specializes in real estate sales, real estate transition services, property management and content clean-out services in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

1. Clean it up
The cheapest and easiest way to increase the value if of your home in the eyes of potential buyers, is to make sure your home shows as well as possible. How do you do this? Make sure it’s spotlessly clean. Most people don’t have the imagination to look past piles of dirty dishes in the kitchen and discarded clothing strewn across your bedroom floor, to see how much nicer things would be if they lived there.
Just think of it this way…if there are two houses selling in an area at the same price at the same time, experience tells us that the cleaner one is likely to be snapped up faster.

2. If it’s broken…fix it
Don’t forget to ensure the gutters and roof tiles are in good order. One obvious maintenance job often overlooked is the garage door – and it’s usually the first thing a potential buyer sees. In addition, most buyers will have a home inspection done prior to purchase. Be pro-active. Address known issues in advance. Don’t let this hamper a deal.

3. Light and Mirrors
It’s a known fact that houses that let in a lot of light are likely to sell faster and for more money than dark, dingy ones. If you have lace or net curtains, remove them while you’re selling to let in the sunshine. If there are hedges blocking windows, cut them back.
Add mirrors. They are an easy way to maximize light and create a feeling of space.

4. Curb your dog
We all know that pets take a special place in our hearts, but that may not be true for a potential buyer. So, if you are selling your home, you will need to remove your pet…at least during showings. Vacuum those dog hairs off the living room couch and remove his basket and blankets from your bedroom.
Just as important, don’t forget about pet smells. Pet odors also suggest to potential buyers that there may be extra maintenance work, like replacing stained carpets and sanding down scratched doors.

5. De-clutter
A clean house sells much faster and at a higher price than a messy home. It’s just common sense. So, start now. Clean up. Don’t wait – throw it all out now, including those boxes in your garage. Clutter can make a place look smaller and give a buyer the impression there’s not much packing space in your home.

6. Clean it and Paint it
Nothing looks better than a clean, organized and freshly painted house. When selecting colors, keep it bland and neutral, rather than suiting your specific taste. This way you’re likely to interest a greater number of buyers.

Kitchens and bathrooms are big decision-making rooms, agree estate agents. Modernize where you can, using quality primers and tile paint to update bathrooms. Replacing work surfaces can also transform a kitchen without a major overhaul.

For more information on home sales, staging and downsizing, please contact Nick Santoro or Joe Santoro of Personal Property Managers at http://www.personalpropertymanagers.com or simply give us a call at 215-485-9272 or 908-368-1909. Personal Property Managers specializes in helping to transition elderly ones from their home of many years into senior care communities. Personal Property Managers services Pennsylvania and New Jersey and offers downsizing services, estate sales services, home staging, full service real estate services via its association with Every Home Realty to help sell homes.

Top 7 Tips for Cleaning out your Deceased Parents Home

Top 7 Tips for Cleaning out your Deceased Parents Home

Are you the caregiver of an elderly loved one who recently passed away? Have you been chosen to be the executor of your elderly parent’s estate? Are you now tasked with selling your parents’ home or the home of a deceased loved one? If you are, we would like to extend our condolences. This is a very emotional and exhausting time. The process can be both physically and mentally draining. The task of cleaning out and de-cluttering a home is daunting and often overwhelming.

We would like to help you by sharing our top 7 tips for cleaning out your loved ones home and preparing it for sale. This is part of a continuing series of articles by Nick and Joe Santoro of Personal Property Managers (www.personalpropertymanagers.com ). Personal Property Managers specializes in real estate sales, real estate transition services and personal property and content clean out services in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

1. Divide the physical labor. Cleaning out a loved ones home can often be so massive that often times, help is needed. Don’t be shy about asking for a hand from close family members, friends or even your parent’s aide or simply contact us at http://www.personalpropertymanagers.com

2. Take your time, even when you’re exhausted. Resist the desire to just toss everything in the trash. You never know what you are going to find buried deep in piles of cloths or in closets. More often than not, elderly loved ones may have tucked cash and jewelry into clothes pockets; always check the pockets before giving anything away.

3. Search for key financial documents. Before throwing away any papers, find and put aside your parent’s will, trusts and addenda; life insurance policies and statements, real estate deeds and titles; recent bank statements (you can get older ones electronically); stock certificates; 401(k) records; tax returns and receipts necessary for filing next year’s income tax return.

4. Divide up your parent’s belongings. This is often a touchy area. Sadly, when money or possessions come into play it often brings out the less desirable side of survivors. Have your siblings create a wish list of the items they’d like from the estate. Then, try to divide the assets equally by monetary value. If you can’t agree, you may want to consider getting items appraised.

If one brother or sister chooses high-ticket items, he or she should pay the other siblings an amount that will even things out.

5. Preserve sentimental photos and memorabilia. These are irreplaceable. Pictures and cherished possessions can mean a lot more than most items in ones home. Cherish them and preserve them to the best of your ability.

6. Donating or selling your parent’s clothes. Unfortunately, you will quickly learn that most clothing has little resale value, unless it’s vintage (i.e., from the ’60s or earlier). Designer resale or consignment shops might only take upscale clothes or items bought in the last two years that are in perfect condition. Other consignment stores will take items they think they can sell, price them fairly low and keep 50 percent of what people pay; the price goes down if the clothes go unsold after a month.

7. Bring in an expert to help. This is where we can help you. As we mentioned earlier, the task is often overwhelming both physically and mentally. Personal Property Managers can help you downsizing, de-clutter, organize an estate sale if there are enough items of value to sell. We are dedicated to helping you through every step of this process. We do so with dignity and expertise.

For more information on home sales, staging and downsizing, please contact Nick Santoro or Joe Santoro of Personal Property Managers at http://www.personalpropertymanagers.com or simply give us a call at 215-485-9272 or 908-368-1909. Personal Property Managers specializes in helping to transition elderly ones from their home of many years into senior care communities. Personal Property Managers services Pennsylvania and New Jersey and offers downsizing services, estate sales services, home staging and full service real estate services via EveryHome Realty to help sell homes.