For Sale by Owner: How to Compete with Other Homes on the Market

Many people have homes to sell that are not brand new. Years of living in the home and decorating to your own personal tastes can work against you when the home shoppers are not only looking at existing homes listed for sale, but you are also competing against any new model homes in your area. There are some simple tips that will make your home more marketable by making it more attractive to varying tastes. Although you think your house looks great, remember that everyone is different.

If you hired a Realtor they would be likely to give you some advice about preparing your home for sale. But it comes at a high price; namely, their commission or listing fee. So if you plan to follow the For Sale By Owner route, the following advice will help and it's FREE!

The first step is to go visit some new model homes in your area. This will take a little time out of a Saturday or Sunday, but will be worth the time spent. Model homes are professionally decorated and designed to make people want to buy them. The furnishings are all new and perfectly coordinated, which may not be the case in your home.

The first thing to look at is the outside of the model. Professional landscaping makes the lawn look perfect and the gardens elegant. This is called curb appeal. Of course, the outside of the home is also fresh and clean, whether it is painted, brick or stone.

Once inside, make a mental note of the wall colors, which are generally neutral, but not white. If the walls in your home are covered with wallpaper, be prepared to remove it and paint the walls a neutral color, similar to what you see in the models. This will cost a little bit of time and money but will make a world of difference to a prospective buyer.

Check to see what kind of floor coverings are being used most often. Tiled floors and wood floors have become very popular. Many people are replacing carpet for a variety of reasons. Notice how area rugs are used to cover the endless span of tiles or break up the continuous dark wood. Depending upon the weather in your location, carpet may not be a bad idea, especially in the winter, so if your home is fully carpeted, it isn't necessary to tear it up and replace it with wood or tile. However, you might want to add an area rug in a large room or under the coffee table to give the room more of a decorator look. You can also hide stains this way. Be strategic.

In the model, notice how the rooms are decorated. The dining room table is usually formally set with candles and wine glasses included. If there is an eat-in kitchen or dinette, the table is often set for breakfast. Little details like placemats or tablecloths make a difference. A scented candle should be somewhere in the kitchen for lighting before a showing.

Model homes are always clean -- no, immaculate! The builder's representative (salesperson) vacuums and dusts every single day. The beds are made in all bedrooms and the windows and mirrors are cleaned daily. Of course, it's easy to keep a house clean when nobody is living there. Your goal should be to vacuum, dust, make beds and clean the bathrooms and kitchen, including the refrigerator, before a showing.

There is artwork on the walls of the model, but usually not family pictures. The concept behind this is that if people see your family's pictures on the walls or tables, they will have a more difficult time picturing their family living in the home.

Notice that when you enter the model home the ceiling fans are usually on at a low speed. This is to draw your attention to them. If you have ceiling fans in your home and have scheduled a showing, turn the fans on low, regardless of the season. Make sure the blades are clean and if there are lights below the blades, clean the light covers and dust the bulbs.

After you have gotten an idea of what buyers are seeing in a brand new model home, go home and take an objective look at your home. Walk in the front door, don't go through the garage, and try to envision what your buyer will see. What may stand out most is that your home may be cluttered or have a lot of furniture while the model had a lot of space. It is highly advisable to declutter your home before showing it. This may require renting a storage unit to hold some of the furniture and knick-knacks, and even clothing that is out of season so that your closets look larger. Remember what you were looking for when you shopped for a home and ask yourself if you would buy your home if it looked then like it looks now.

Here is a recap of the necessary steps in preparing a home for sale:

- Take down wallpaper and paint walls a clean, neutral color

- Make sure the floors are clean and add area rugs to cover stains or add interest to a room

- Declutter by removing any unnecessary furniture and knick-knacks to make the rooms look larger

- Update any fixtures in the bathroom or kitchen if you can afford to do so

- Pull the weeds in the garden and buy a few plants at a discount store, arranging them similar to the landscaping in front of the model home

- Paint the outside of the home, or pressure wash it, if necessary

- Remove family pictures and replace them with discount store artwork

- Clean the closets to make them appear larger

The following steps should be taken before every scheduled showing:

- Clean the house completely

- Make all the beds

- Set the tables and light candles on the dining room table as if you were about to sit down to dinner

- Turn on any ceiling fans at a low speed

- Be sure there are clean, matching towels in the bathrooms

- Turn on lights throughout the house

- If your furniture is old or dirty, put an attractive "throw" or quilt along the back of a sofa or chair

- Bake chocolate chip cookies (yes, they can be the slice and bake kind) to make your kitchen smell good

Remember, prospective buyers will be comparing your home to new homes on the market in your area as well as existing homes for sale. Show them that your home can look as nice as a newly built home and stress the fact that they will be smart to buy in an established community. If you have great neighbors who have lived on your block for years, make it a point to tell them.