Tips to Improve Your Property to Make it Sell

If you have a lawn, keep it well maintained. Once weeds, overgrown or dead bushes, trees and other eyesores have been eliminated, you can easily and inexpensively enhance your property to draw buyers.

Annual Flowers

Nothing beats annuals for the warm months, because they bloom continuously, adding vibrant color. You can buy them in flats, cell packs of 6 or 8, or when larger, individually.

If you are not familiar with annuals, read the description and care tags that come with the plant. The majority of annuals thrive in full sunlight, which is six or more hours of sunlight per day. The easiest annuals to grow in the shade are impatiens, which come in many different colors. The directions will tell you how far to space annuals and the size they grow. If you are in a hurry to make them look good, just space them closer together.

Annuals can be planted directly in the ground, in hanging planters, and in containers. If there is space for hanging planters, like on a porch, readymade ones are handily available.

If you have removed shrubs or other plants and have empty areas in your gardens, planting annuals will quickly and inexpensively fill the space—and with the added bonus of color.

A few large planters, filled with annuals, can make a huge difference in the appearance of your property.

Landscaping

• Add fresh mulch to your garden beds. Use natural cedar mulch, as the artificially colored red and black ones are a real turnoff to many people.
  
• Keep edging between transitional areas like grass and gardens or grass and stone pathways, neat and crisp.
  
• If you are feeling creative, you can add stones or rocks around trees and shrubs. Garden centers and masonry stores carry a variety of decorative rocks. If you choose to use rocks, select ones that are local, for a natural look. I use river rocks that come in shades of grey and are dredged from local rivers. Do the next owners a favor and put landscape fabric down first, to discourage weeds.
  
• If you are using rocks on areas that get walked on, use ones that are two inches or less for ease of movement. Larger rocks—two to three inches—are best around shrubs and trees. To keep rocks in place and give them a finished look and to help keep them in place, you can edge them with rocks that are about six inches or larger.
  
• Make certain that you have adequate outdoor lighting along walkways. If you don't, consider adding solar lights, as they are less expensive than hiring an electrician to install and they are eco-friendly.
  

Outdoor Living Spaces

Outdoor living spaces are becoming increasingly popular. A key element is some kind of patio or deck. If you don't already have one, consider adding a patio or deck to your property.

Decks are raised off the ground and are made with either wood or wood polymer composite. The composites are a mix of wood fiber and recycled plastic. Composite boards are more expensive than natural or pressure treated wood, but they last longer and require virtually no maintenance. The environmental advantage in using composite decking is that less wood is used in production, replacement time is less than what is needed for wood decks, and the recycled materials end up in the deck, not in landfills.

A patio is built directly on the ground. Patios are made from bricks, concrete, pavers, flagstone, slate or other natural rock, or even gravel and small rocks.

Depending on your budget and the value of your home, you may wish to install an outdoor kitchen, or simply add a built in barbeque grill. Both are currently very popular. Outdoor kitchens can be elaborate, complete with refrigerator/freezer, sink, counters, electricity, stove, oven and a bar.

If you do add a patio or deck, include a few pieces of outdoor furniture to help buyers visualize themselves enjoying their outdoor refuge. If you don't own any outdoor furniture, but want pieces for your next place, now would be the time to buy. Even a couple of chairs and a table adds ambience. If you are not interested in furniture for your next home, you can buy very inexpensive chairs and a table—or use any board set on something to resemble a table. Add a colorful tablecloth or sheet and you have created a terrific space for relaxation.

Flooring: Green and Not Green Choices

Environmentally Unfriendly Flooring

Several types of flooring have a negative impact on the environment and indoor air quality. Composite and engineered flooring, plastic sheets, particle board and plywood are all environmentally unsound and unhealthy because
the veneer, glue, backing material and finish have an heavy environmental impact during manufacturing and they outgas into the home. Many types of glue contain formaldehyde, urea and other dangerous ingredients that outgas. These products continue to pollute in a landfill, as chemicals leech into ground, and the product is not biodegradable.

Vinyl
is also environmentally unsound, as it is derived from crude oil, requires great amounts of energy to create and pollutes during excavation and manufacturing processes. Vinyl contains PVC's, which outgas into the home. Vinyl is not biodegradable unless incinerated, a process that emits dangerous toxic emissions. In a landfill, vinyl leaches chlorine and heavy metals into the ground.

Carpet
is notorious for holding dust mites and particulates and thereby creates poor air quality. Unless you choose an organic, pesticide and chemical-free carpet, new carpets will outgas for up to a year, producing that "new smell". Many buyers will be sensitive to this odor and will not appreciate it. Carpets are also known for holding dirt and allergens, which degrades air quality.

But, if your carpets are in great condition, you can probably leave them. I wrote probably because hardwood is the favored flooring these days. If you are uncertain about whether you should replace carpet with certified sustainable hardwood or bamboo flooring, ask the advice of your agent.

Generally speaking, most agents across the country told me buyers preferred hardwood flooring in the social spaces—kitchen, living room, entry—and carpeting in bedrooms. So, if the carpets in the bedrooms are in great condition, it doesn't pay to change them to a more eco-friendly alternative.

If your flooring is any of the above materials and is in poor condition, I recommend you replace the products with hardwood or bamboo. If the vinyl, composite flooring or carpet is in great condition, however, you can opt to clean them thoroughly and leave them.

That said, if all your neighbors have hardwood instead of carpet, your home will most likely sell faster with the change in flooring.

Eco-Friendly Flooring

Hardwood

Hardwood is a wonderful choice for flooring, if the wood comes from a sustainable source or is reclaimed. Sustainably harvested wood is wood that comes from forests where growth is managed. Look for sustainable hardwoods or softwoods certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

Hardwood flooring is also very popular, as Philip Kent Kiracofe, President of Manhattan Association of Realtors puts it: "The elegance and character of hardwood flooring makes it the most popular flooring option. Usually, this is dictated by what is already in place in the building, with pre-war buildings often featuring herringbone pattern and parquet floors, while new developments may feature sustainable floors like bamboo, or fashionable wide plank designs."

Reclaimed wood flooring is wood that has been saved from an old building and is very popular now.

If you have hardwood floors, but they are dull, scratched or stained, refurbish them. Refurbish hardwood floors by sanding them and putting on a new finish. You can rent a sander yourself to save money, but they are tricky to use. Most refinishers will use a urethane finish, which is both toxic and smells. Instead of urethane, opt for natural wood oil, like Osmo's Polyx Oil (See Resources under Wood Finishes, Eco Haus™).

Urethane seals a floor, whereas wood oil penetrates, leaving pores open. Wood oil results in a very natural look, and a subtle shine. It also has only a faint orangey smell when freshly applied and is non-toxic. Keep the floors looking brand new with natural wax and cleaner. (See Step 4 on how to use.)

If you decide to go the eco-friendly route, make sure you include that in the eco-friendly chart. As a gift, leave the buyer with a container of wax and cleaner.

You can also purchase prefinished floors that have been finished with urethane that is cured using UV light, which prevents the outgassing of urethane. This finish is more appropriate in places like kitchens or entryways that get wet frequently.

Bamboo

Bamboo is actually
grass that grows approximately six times faster than wood and is almost as dense and hard wearing as oak. Bamboo does not need pesticides or fertilizers to grow. Bamboo is also an affordable choice in flooring.

All of the following types of flooring are eco-friendly; if you have any of them and they are in good condition, leave them.

• Stone
  
• Marble
  
• Slate
  
• Ceramic
  
• Brick
  
• Tile
  
• Mosaic
  
• Terrazzo
  
• Concrete
  
• Cork— an entirely sustainable crop; features flexibility, high insulation value and is resistant to water.
  
• Linoleum—composed of natural ingredients including linseed oil, wood flour, pine resin, jute and limestone. It is also biodegradable.
  Marmoleum by Forbo, is one brand that I like. However, some manufacturers may call their product linoleum when it is composed of polyvinyl chloride; so check product contents carefully.
  

Linoleum is fairly inexpensive and Marmoleum offers an amazing choice of colors and patterns. It is a nice choice for laundry rooms, kid's bathrooms, bedrooms and playrooms and other casual spaces.

Buyer's Benefit: All the eco-friendly flooring is safe for children and pets to play on. None of them degrade air quality and all are recyclable and biodegradable.

8 Clutter Removing Tips for Bathrooms when Selling Your Home

• Remove contents of all cabinets and drawers. Clean cabinets and drawers. Discard expired or no longer used items. Put back items you regularity use neatly, with labels facing forward. Box and store backup supplies elsewhere. As with closets, less is better, as it makes cabinets and drawers look spacious if stuff isn't overcrowded.
  
• Remove reading materials and other non-essential items.
  
• Keep garbage can empty and preferably hidden in a cabinet.
  
• Remove anything that doesn't belong in a bathroom.
  
• Keep surfaces clear of personal care products and belongings. If some items must remain in view, keep them neat.
  
• Keep medicine in cabinet, not out.
  
• Remove bath toys.
  
• Remove or store medical equipment when buyers are coming. Buyers do not want to buy a home they associate with illness and it can make them uncomfortable.
  

11 Steps to Organize Your Bedroom to Sell Your Home!

Master Bedroom

The master bedroom should exude romance and peacefulness; how to make that happen will be addressed in Step 9. Therefore, this is no place for things like a television, exercise equipment, or family photographs.

• If dirty clothes must be in the room, keep them in a covered hamper in a closet.
  
• There should be nothing but air under your bed! Stuff under a bed is visually and energetically unappealing and makes it appear as if you don't have enough storage space.
  
• Make more room in your closet by removing and storing out of season clothing. Donate or sell what you have not worn in one or two years. Repair or discard torn clothing and shoes. Arrange like clothes together; casual shirts, work shirts, casual pants, etc.; it looks really nice and you'll have the bonus of discovering how easy it is to find everything! There are additional tips on how to deal with your closets in the entryway section, see page 20.
  
• While buyers probably won't look in your dressers, you may as well use this opportunity to get rid of clothing you don't wear. Neatly fold what clothing remains. Pack and store out of season clothing.
  
• Keep only personal items in the bedroom, if possible. If you must store paperwork, keep it neat and hidden in a closet or drawers.
  
• Remove photographs of family and you as a couple.
  
• Sort and organize jewelry. A jewelry box on a dresser is fine. Sell or donate what you do not like. Any valuable jewelry should be stored in a safe in the bank or in your home, as you never know who will be going through your home, and it could get stolen.
  
• Remove any stuffed animals, dolls or other collections.
  
• Remove personal items on dressers or tabletops.
  
• Remove exercise equipment.
  
• Remove television and computer.
  

Preparing to Sell Your Home

Preparing to sell your home includes deciding what needs to get done, hiring an agent (unless you do it yourself), agreeing on a price, and listing your home, which includes taking photographs.

As you are reading, I suggest you record what work you plan to do in the "Notes" section at the end of the book. Before you contact agents, complete the list of changes you would like to accomplish.

I find a fresh perspective really helps people determine what changes to make in their home. To really "see" what your home looks like, try the following at night: turn the lights on inside your home, go outside and look in through the windows of your house. Doing this exercise will give you a new point of view and truly captures what your home looks like. My husband and I do this periodically; it feels as if we are looking at a TV or movie set and it helps us to determine if we want to make any changes.

Looking inside your home in this manner will help you see the clutter, the outdated kitchen, the oversized furniture, the worn-looking sofa and other problems. Write down all the changes you would like to make.

I also recommend that you take photographs of your property and inside the home as this will also help you decide what needs to be altered.

You may be tempted to sell your home on your own, thus avoiding paying an agent, but I strongly advise against that practice. An agent can market your home far better than you can, and in this buyer's market, you need all possible advantages.

Additionally, after reading this book, you will be pretty certain about what you need to do to make your home sell. However, if you are considering any major renovations, I strongly advise you to seek the advice of a real estate professional before you do anything. The agent can tell you what condition comparable homes are in and what renovations will help sell your home.

An agent will also know what specific home improvements are trendy and hot in your market. Most importantly, an agent will give you a realistic price to sell your home. Also, you can ask what the selling price would be if sold "as is" and then after the changes you plan to make are implemented.

If you don't have a budget yet, this might help determine what you choose to spend, especially when it comes to major renovations.

However, you may be discouraged that your planned improvements might not raise the value as much as you would like. However, keep in mind that in a buyer's market, selling your home is the goal. By improving the look and feel of your place it will make it sell much more quickly. Homes that sell quickly get closer to—or more—of the asking price than homes that languish on the market.

Before you hire an agent, you can get an idea of what your home is worth by using a real estate appraisal website. Here are several:

• www.HomeGain.com
  
• www.ElectronicAppraiser.com
  
• www.HomeInSight.com
  
• www.ValueMyHouse.com
  

You can also look for comparable homes to yours at sites that list homes, like www.Realtor.com.

You can begin the process of finding an agent while still doing homework on what changes you need to make in your home. Your homework involves seeing what comparable homes look like and what they are selling for.

Visit homes for sale when they have their open houses. In addition to seeing prices on homes, study the features inside and out. During an open house, listen to what potential buyers are saying about the different features, what they like and dislike.

Go to online sites like www.Realtor.com for even more information. You can insert your zip code in the search box and compare houses similar to yours. The key is to see what type of features they have and how long the house has been on the market.

Study what is hot or trendy in decorating. While buyers know they aren't buying your possessions, having a stylish look—as opposed to an outdated one—will make your home look current. Buyers will assume that if you keep your look up to date, you will also have maintained your home. In addition, a great looking home will be associated with increased status and good taste—something buyers seek.

Put another way, imagine your home is decorated with doilies, teacup collections and plastic covered furniture. Potential buyers will see an obsolete home. Nobody wants to move into a home that will make them feel old and behind the times!

You can also flip through magazines for what's hot in decoration and eco-friendly features. Here are some good magazines to read:

• Natural Home
  
• Dwell
  
• Better Homes and Gardens
  
• InStyle Home
  
• Oprah's Home
  
• Home
  

Things to look for in magazines include trendy colors. Every year has its hot colors and they show up in magazines. You can use trendy colors with things like pillows or candles. Trendy colors feel fresh and people will respond to them.

Note that magazines never feature homes crammed with stuff; rather, there will be minimal amounts of objects, and you will likely see only a couple beautiful accessories and lots of space between furniture.

As you study homes in your price range, see what features they have. Do the homes have granite countertops or tile? Is there carpeting or hardwood floors? In this market, make improvements to be on par or even a notch above comparable homes, especially if there is a glut of homes in your area.

How to Qualify an Agent and What Questions to Ask

• At open houses, talk to agents to determine their competence.
  
• Online, see which agents are making sales.
  
• You will want an agent that you have a good connection with; someone you like and trust.
  
• Ask each agent you meet with how they plan on marketing your home. Good real estate agents will provide a detailed report of how they will market your home.
  
• Find out how long the agent has been in the business and pick a seasoned professional.
  
• Note the agent's interest level as they view your home.
  
• Ask if they will provide a pricing analysis called a comparative market analysis (CMA) that compares your home to similar ones on the market.
  
• What services do you provide?
  
• How long does it take for your listings to sell?
  
• What is your range of fees?
  
• What is your success record?
  
• What are the asking prices of other homes in the area?
  
• Can you supply references from three recent sellers?
  
• Will you have a brokers' open house for my place?
  
• Will there be a public open house?
  
• How will you market my home?
  
• Do you list green improvements? (All green improvements you make should be written down and given to your agent. (There is a form called "Eco-Friendly Features and Appliances" in the Appendix that you can use for this.)
  

  The agents that I spoke to were all enthusiastic about green improvements and said they told buyers about them. Eco-friendly improvements will only become increasingly important to buyers as awareness continues to shift towards social responsibility and the health benefits of green living.
  

Introduction to Sell Your Home Fast in a Buyer’s Market, Continued

Buyers are also looking to move into a home in pristine turnkey condition. "Turnkey" means that the home is ready for occupation, that no changes are necessary for the new owners. Many families are already overwhelmed with children and jobs and have neither the time nor extra money to make changes. Make your house completely turnkey and priced right and it will sell quickly.

Ways to make your home eco-friendly will also be found throughout the book. A green home, you will discover, is healthier for you and the environment. Eco-friendly features are also becoming increasingly sought after by buyers.

You may be familiar with the concepts of "staging" and Feng Shui. The term "Home Staging" was coined by a woman named Barb Schwartz, who understood that a clean, organized home without the seller's "memories" sold faster than ones that were left untouched. I depart from traditional staging in that I don't like the literal "staging" part, as it seems fake. Instead, you will discover how to create an environment that feels and looks authentic. You will create a home that feels like a sanctuary. Buyers will gravitate to your home because it looks and feels so good. They will want to step into the lifestyle that you have created. Furthermore, you can apply what you learn about making your home look and feel good to your next place.

I have studied and practiced Feng Shui for many years, and if you are familiar with the practice, you will see principles of Feng Shui applied in this book. You will discover the importance of how energy flows throughout your home and how the placement of objects will help sell your home. Specific Feng Shui principles will help you get the most money possible for your home.

Central to understanding how to sell your home quickly is to understand what it is the buyer does when they shop for a home. When a buyer looks at a home, they invoke four senses:

• Sight
  
• Sound
  
• Smell
  
• Sixth sense: "how it feels"= the energy of a place
  

This book will explore the many ways to make your home delight the buyer's senses. When all four senses are positive, your home will sell quickly.

Currently, the overwhelming majority of buyers shop online for homes, finding places they will ask their agent to see. Buyers are not going to ask to see homes that don't look great, so it is crucial that you make your home look as inviting as possible and that good photographs are taken.

I wanted this book to be as current as possible, with input from real estate professionals working in this economy. Therefore, in 2009, I interviewed dozens of agents, staging professionals, interior designers, mortgage bankers and others in the real estate field around the country. They are quoted throughout the book for their expertise.

Keep in mind that above all other matters, price is the key factor that will sell your home and Step 2 is devoted to the subject.

To sell your home in a buyer's market, it is a given that it must be clean, clutter-free, and looking its absolute best. Additionally, you will need to decide what upgrades, home improvements and appliances to buy based on comparable homes in your market. For instance, it makes no sense to put a professional grade refrigerator, granite countertops and top-of-the line cabinetry in the kitchen you are selling if you own a starter home.

Making upgrades using eco-friendly choices will give your home a competitive advantage over similar homes in your market. Your home will sell faster than the competition because buyers are seeking out what is now becoming increasingly desirable. As the trend toward "green" renovations grows, buyers will feel as though they are hip for buying a home that features these cutting edge upgrades.

If you read and follow the advice in this book, you might end up transforming your house or condo into the home of your dreams! In fact, this book has a dual purpose--as a designer, my hope is that this book both helps sell your home and enables you to create your dream home in your next place. So, think about the project you are about to embark on—selling your home—as practice for your next place!

Instead of viewing this process as a chore, consider it a life-changing adventure. Once you have created the space that will sell your home, you will experience what it is like to live in it; even for a short period of time. You will understand what it is like to reside in a really clean, clutter-free, organized space with vibrant energy. If you are like most people, you will feel liberated, be more organized and calmer with less stuff in your life.

You can choose to read the book in its entirety and then do the work, or read and do the work Step by Step. Preparing a home for sale can be overwhelming. Try to give yourself plenty of time to get your home ready and focus on the task at hand, instead of worrying about everything that needs to get done.

Selling Your Home?

The purpose of this blog is to give you the information you need to sell your home quickly in a buyer's market. Please feel free to comment or ask questions. The following is an excerpt from the introduction of my forthcoming book, Sell Your Home Fst in a Buyer's Market: Secrets from an Expert Green Feng Shui Staging Designer.

By definition, a buyer’s market means that the buyer has the advantage over the seller. It means that the buyer gets to be highly selective among a large inventory of homes and can pick the best house that they can afford. This puts the seller at a disadvantage—unless they have one of the best homes compared to similar homes in their market. Think of it this way: buyers know how much they can spend and are looking at lots of choices in homes on the market within their price range. The buyer will pick the home with the most value added to it; the one that looks and feels the nicest.

The purpose of this book is to explore the steps necessary to make your home chosen over the competition.

But first, you need to understand the psychology behind what goes on in the buyer’s mind when they are shopping for a home. Virtually everyone wants to maintain or improve their lives and desire health, wealth and happiness. The expectation is that in buying a new home, their dreams of a better life will be realized.

A buyer is not going to feel like their dreams will come true in a poorly maintained, dirty or cluttered home. Most buyers cannot (or simply won’t) look beyond the clutter and dirt to visualize what a home would look like if it were in great shape. Your job is to make your home a space that conveys to the buyer that their dreams will come true if they live there.

This book will show you how to turn your home into a “dream magnet.” It goes beyond the obvious chores of cleaning, removing clutter, and organizing. You will do those things, but you will also add touches that will make your home look and feel fantastic. It will be that look and feel that will sell your home, because that is the feel of possibilities. You will create a space that conveys a lifestyle that a buyer desires, a home that promises to make them happy, content, and financially comfortable.

9 Steps to Sell Your Home Fast

This is the first post for my new blog, 9 Steps to Sell Your Home Fast! In the future, I will be posting tips on how to do just that, as well as excerpts from my soon-to-be-released book on the same subject.

My name is Norma Lehmeier Hartie, and I am an award winning author and an expert in Green Feng Shui Design.

Future postings will include cleaning, clutter removal and clearing tips; green home improvement and features to add to a home to sell it; Feng Shui and staging tips; creating great curb appeal and more!

Email me at: norma@HarmoniousEnvironment.com or sign up for newsletter to get notification of book release.