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        <title>Denver Real Estate Blog</title>
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        <description>Denver real estate topics including local metro Denver community news and events.</description>
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            <guid>http://www.denversrealestate.com/blog/preparing-your-denver-home-for-a-showing.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.denversrealestate.com/blog/preparing-your-denver-home-for-a-showing.html</link>
            <author>bruce@bruceswedal.com (Bruce Swedal)</author>
            <title>Preparing Your Denver Home For A Showing</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
When you are selling your home, it is essential that it makes a good impression on any prospective buyers who come to take a look at it. If it does not live up to their expectations or if they are unable to imagine themselves living there, then these potential buyers will never take the next step and actually make an offer on the property. You can hold an open viewing, or schedule a viewing with a specific buyer, but whichever type of viewing you are holding you should prepare for it as if it were a business presentation. In some respects, presenting your home to potential buyers is the same as presenting a product to a client. You are trying to impress them and convince them to buy. You need to present your product, in this case the house, at its best.&nbsp;



The easiest and most obvious thing you can do to ensure that your house is as attractive as possible to the people who come to view it is to clean it thoroughly. Buyers will be put off if there is any mess or dirt in the house.&nbsp;



You can take the cleaning to the next level and get rid of any clutter. Pack it up and get it out of the house, perhaps to the attic or garage of a friend, or to a rented storage unit. Clutter can be distracting for potential buyers, and it can also make the house appear smaller and more crowded. Having clean surfaces and plenty of empty space will allow visitors to imagine their own belongings in the house. If there is a lot of clutter lying about it can also make buyers worry that there is not enough storage space in the property.&nbsp;



Their own homes are probably untidy and cluttered, but potential buyers always like to imagine themselves living in a pristine new home rather than a realistic one. Getting rid of mess and personal belongings can help them to do this.&nbsp;



If you are willing to spend a bit of money on your property in order to get a better price for it, then you can do some redecoration and repair work. Redecorating the house in a plain style will allow potential buyers to visualize what they would do to the property and to picture themselves living there. Many prospective buyers are put off by carpets, wallpaper or paint that are not to their taste, even though they could easily redecorate themselves. They often find it difficult to see past the changeable aspects of a property, and so are unable to imagine themselves living in it.&nbsp;



Performing any repairs that the property is in need off can have a significant impact on the way it is viewed by potential buyers. Most people prefer to see a property that won't need any work when they move in, so make sure that everything is working properly and is in good condition. If there are any major repairs that need to be done, it may be worth investing in getting the work done, although you should consider whether you will be able to recoup the expenditure on the sale. If you don't do the work, you may have to lower the price of the property in order to get it sold, but it may be easier to do than it is to undertake any serious renovations, particularly if you need to move quickly.


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            <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jun 2010 16:07:12 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.denversrealestate.com/blog/the-top-22-things-real-estate-agents-do-to-sell-their-home-fast-and-get-top-dollar.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.denversrealestate.com/blog/the-top-22-things-real-estate-agents-do-to-sell-their-home-fast-and-get-top-dollar.html</link>
            <author>bruce@bruceswedal.com (Bruce Swedal)</author>
            <title>The Top 22 Things Real Estate Agents Do To Sell Their Home Fast and Get Top Dollar!</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Good Real Estate Agents know what it takes to sell their own Denver home fast and still get top dollar.&nbsp; After all, marketing, packaging and selling homes is how they make their living.&nbsp; So here are the top 22 secrets good Denver Real Estate Agents use to sell their own homes quickly.

The Exterior

Curb Appeal is a vitally important aspect when selling a home in metro Denver.&nbsp; It is what prospective buyers see first and a sellers first chance to make an impression.&nbsp; When preparing the exterior of a home for sale sellers should focus on beautifying the driveway, entrance, landscaping and even the front door.


Manicure the shrubs and lawn and ensure the garden areas are mulched.

Take away all clutter from the front lawn.

Repair any cracks in the walkway or driveway.

Ensure that the gutters and downspouts are clean and functioning properly.

Remove any chipped or frayed paint on window frames and doors with fresh paint added.

Paint and / or replace the front door if needed.

Paint the exterior of the home if it is needed.


The Interior


All walls should be cleaned with no visible dirt or smudge marks.&nbsp; If there is any dingy paint the walls should be repainted.&nbsp; Lighter colors will make the house appear to be larger.

Carpets should be clean and in good condition or they should be replaced.

All windows should be thoroughly cleaned because buyers like to look outside.&nbsp; The screen doors and windows should open and close easily and be in good condition.

Remove all clutter.

Place all clothes neatly in drawers and closets.

Clean the kitchen thoroughly.&nbsp; That includes the cabinets, appliances and counters.&nbsp; They should spotless with all clutter removed.&nbsp; Glasses and dishes should be neatly placed in cupboards and never leave any dirty dishes on the counter or in the sink.

Reorganize closets to make them appear large by removing clothing if needed.

Remove excess furniture and place it in storage or in the basement.&nbsp; This will help the home appear larger.&nbsp; The home should NEVER be difficult to walk through and between rooms in the home so clear the pathways.

Make sure that the plumbing and electrical items are in working order.

Any appliances which are broken should be repaired.

Ensure that the garage door is in perfect working order.

Ensure that any curtains are open, window blinds or shades are up and lights are always on when the home is being shown.&nbsp; This includes during the day because the combination of artificial lighting and natural light sources give the impression of a larger and more open home.

The scent used most frequently in builders model homes is vanilla because a fresh scent will appeal to home buyers senses.&nbsp; These can be purchased from places like Home Depot and placed directly on your air filter to disperse throughout the home.

Eliminate any and all pet odors.

When buyers are shown the property ensure there is soft jazz or classical music playing in the background.


A word of advice!&nbsp; Never do excessive work!

Too many times sellers think that more upgrades will return a higher price which is not necessarily true.&nbsp; When sellers go beyond the needed fix ups it becomes easy to start wasting money.&nbsp; Do not do unnecessary fix ups before selling the Denver area home.

My hope is that you found this information valuable.&nbsp; As your local real estate professional I am here to answer any additional questions or questions specific to your situation which you may have.&nbsp; Call me for advice anytime.
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2009 23:54:07 -0600</pubDate>
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