Top 5 Things You Should Know to Help Sell Your Home Fast By Sharon Snyder -- The Richter Team Top 6 Things

RISMEDIA, August 8, 2011—While many markets around the country continue to experience challenges as the market makes its slow turnaround, Ann Arbor real estate is selling fast, and it’s because we follow some simple rules.

1. Curb appeal is key to selling your home

If it looks rundown from the outside, then it probably is on the inside too. Curb appeal is all about first impressions. Buyers want to feel like they could live in a home from the moment they pull up in front of it. Basic improvements such as exterior painting, cutting the grass and planting some flowers improve the look of a home from the outside tremendously.

2. Deodorize

Every home has a unique odor, especially if pets are present. Be sure to professionally clean the carpet and the furniture and replace carpets if necessary. Keep pets clean and the home free from dander. Consider taking pets and pet cages if present in the home with you when you leave for showings.

3. Really want to sell your home? Repair and repaint

A little putty and paint can make all the difference. Repair damaged dry wall, gouges in wood surfaces and paint the walls. Bright colors such as those in children’s rooms should be repainted with a neutral color. We like to repaint our Ann Arbor homes with a neutral shade that will be attractive to a wide variety of buyers.

4. Put away your personal collections

Here, the old saying that one man’s treasure is another man’s junk rings true. De-clutter your home by packing up knick-knacks, heirlooms, personal collections, and even family photos. After all, they are special only to you and your goal is to make the home presentable to the widest number of people possible. Expensive collections should be packed away as well to keep them safe.

5. No guns, drugs or valuables

If you own a gun, be sure it’s unloaded and lock it away. Don’t leave it accessible to anyone viewing your home, especially anyone with children. The same is true for prescription drugs, fine jewelry, valuable art work, money and anything else you want to keep safe.

6. Staging

Staging is the Richter Team additional advise to sellers. We work with our clients to make the property look its best. Sometimes simple changes in furniture make a great difference. Depersonalize and de-clutter to make a house look roomy, clean, warm and inviting. Investing in a coat of paint and new flooring can give you a great return - a quick contract at the higher end of the market scale.

The debt and spending debate

Honorable Senators and Congressmen,
I realize that this past several weeks you have been working hard on the debt situation for our country.  I regret to say that it seems to me that this is a chess game rather than a real attempt to solve a very serious issue for our country.
From watching the news reports, it seems to me that several things are happening:
1. Spending continues at the base line rate and it is not frozen at current levels.
2. The cuts are not cuts, but rather reduction in future increases.
3. The triggers seem to favor the Democrats, since social issues will be considered more favorably than defense.
4. The proposed plan will not prevent the reduction of our country's financial rating, as it falls short of the stated required cut (reduction in spending growth) stated by Moody.
5. The only winner in this game is Mr. Obama, as he gets a pass on dealing with the problems (spending) until a new Congress and/or President is in place.

For these reasons, and several others, I respectfully request that you vote against this plan in front of you, and negotiate a freeze in spending and a reduction of future spending of 1% across the boards.  Everybody shares in the pain.

Respectfully,
Monica Richter