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5
Feng Shui Concepts to Help a
Home Sell
To
put the best face on a listing
and appeal to buyers who follow
feng shui principles, keep these
tips in mind.
1.
Pay special attention to
the front door, which is considered
the “mouth
of chi” (chi
is the “life
force” of
all things) and one of the most
powerful aspects of the entire
property. Abundance, blessings,
opportunities, and good fortune
enter through the front door.
It’s
also the first impression buyers
have of how well the sellers
have taken care of the rest
of the property. Make sure
the area around the front door
is
swept clean, free of cobwebs
and clutter. Make sure all
lighting is straight and properly
hung.
Better yet, light the path
leading up to the front door
to create
an inviting atmosphere.
2.
Chi energy can be flushed away
wherever there are drains in
the home. To keep the good forces
of a home in, always keep the
toilet seats down and close
the doors to bathrooms.
3.
The master bed should be
in a place of honor, power,
and
protection, which is farthest
from and facing toward the
entryway of the room. It’s
even better if you can place
the bed diagonally in the
farthest corner. Paint the
room in colors
that promote serenity, relaxation,
and romance, such as soft
tones of green, blue, and
lavender.
4.
The dining room symbolizes the
energy and power of family togetherness.
Make sure the table is clear
and uncluttered during showings.
Use an attractive tablecloth
to enhance the look of the table
while also softening sharp corners.
5.
The windows are considered to
be the eyes of the home. Getting
the windows professionally cleaned
will make the home sparkle and
ensure that the view will be
optimally displayed.
Source:
Sell Your Home Faster With Feng
Shui by Holly Ziegler (Dragon
Chi Publications, 2001)
5
Things to do Before Putting
Your Home on the Market
1.
Have a pre-sale home inspection.
Be proactive by arranging
for a pre-sale home inspection.
An inspector will be able
to
give you a good indication
of the trouble areas that
will
stand out to potential buyers,
and you’ll
be able to make repairs
before open houses begin.
2.
Organize and clean. Pare down
clutter and pack up your least-used
items, such as large blenders
and other kitchen tools, out-of-season
clothes, toys, and exercise
equipment. Store items off-site
or in boxes neatly arranged
in the garage or basement. Clean
the windows, carpets, walls,
lighting fixtures, and baseboards
to make the house shine.
3.
Get replacement estimates.
Do you have big-ticket items
that
are worn our or will need
to be replaced soon, such
your
roof or carpeting? Get estimates
on how much it would cost
to replace them, even if
you don’t
plan to do it yourself. The
figures will help buyers
determine if they can afford
the home,
and will be handy when negotiations
begin.
4.
Find your warranties. Gather
up the warranties, guarantees,
and user manuals for the furnace,
washer and dryer, dishwasher,
and any other items that will
remain with the house.
5.
Spruce up the curb appeal.
Pretend you’re
a buyer and stand outside
of your home. As you approach
the
front door, what is your
impression of the property?
Do the lawn
and bushes look neatly manicured?
Is the address clearly visible?
Are pretty flowers or plants
framing the entrance? Is
the walkway free from cracks
and
impediments?
8
Reasons Why You Should
Work
With a REALTOR®
Not
all real estate practitioners
are REALTORS®.
The term REALTOR® is
a registered trademark that
identifies a real estate professional
who is a member of the NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION of REALTORS® and
subscribes to its strict Code
of Ethics. Here are five reasons
why it pays to work with a REALTOR®.
1.
Navigate a complicated process.
Buying or selling a home usually
requires disclosure forms, inspection
reports, mortgage documents,
insurance policies, deeds, and
multipage settlement statements.
A knowledgeable expert will
help you prepare the best deal,
and avoid delays or costly mistakes.
2.
Information and opinions.
REALTORS® can
provide local community information
on utilities, zoning, schools,
and more. They’ll
also be able to provide objective
information about each property.
A professional will be able
to help you answer these two
important questions: Will the
property provide the environment
I want for a home or investment?
Second, will the property have
resale value when I am ready
to sell?
3.
Help finding the best property
out there. Sometimes the
property you are seeking is
available
but not actively advertised
in the market, and it will
take some investigation by
your REALTOR® to
find all available properties.
4.
Negotiating skills. There are
many negotiating factors, including
but not limited to price, financing,
terms, date of possession, and
inclusion or exclusion of repairs,
furnishings, or equipment. In
addition, the purchase agreement
should provide a period of time
for you to complete appropriate
inspections and investigations
of the property before you are
bound to complete the purchase.
Your agent can advise you as
to which investigations and
inspections are recommended
or required.
5.
Property marketing power.
Real estate doesn’t
sell due to advertising alone.
In fact, a large share of real
estate sales comes as the result
of a practitioner’s
contacts through previous clients,
referrals, friends, and family.
When a property is marketed
with the help of a REALTOR®,
you do not have to allow strangers
into your home. Your REALTOR® will
generally prescreen and accompany
qualified prospects through
your property.
6.
Someone who speaks the language.
If you don’t
know a CMA from a PUD, you can
understand why it’s
important to work with a professional
who is immersed in the industry
and knows the real estate language.
7.
Experience. Most people buy
and sell only a few homes
in a lifetime, usually with
quite
a few years in between each
purchase. Even if you have
done it before, laws and
regulations
change. REALTORS®,
on the other hand, handle
hundreds of real estate
transactions
over the course of their
career.
Having an expert on your
side is critical.
8.
Objective voice. A home often
symbolizes family, rest,
and security — it’s
not just four walls and a roof.
Because of this, homebuying
and selling can be an emotional
undertaking. And for most people,
a home is the biggest purchase
they’ll
every make. Having a concerned,
but objective, third party
helps you stay focused on both
the
emotional and financial issues
most important to you.
Forms
You’ll
Need to Sell Your Home
1.
Property disclosure form. This
form requires you to reveal
all known defects to your property.
Check with your state government
to see if there is a special
form required in your state.
2.
Purchasers access to premises
agreement. This agreement sets
conditions for permitting the
buyer to enter your home for
activities such as measuring
for draperies before you move.
3.
Sales contract. The agreement
between you and the seller on
terms and conditions of sale.
Again, check with your state
real estate department to see
if there is a required form.
4.
Sales contract contingency
clauses. In addition to the
contract,
you may need to add one or
more attachments to the contract
to address special contingencies — such
as the buyer’s
need to sell a home before
purchasing yours.
5.
Pre- and post-occupancy agreements.
Unless you’re
planning on moving out and the
buyer moving in on the day of
closing, you’ll
need an agreement on the terms
and costs of occupancy once
the sale closes.
6.
Lead-based paint disclosure
pamphlet. If your home was built
before 1978, you must provide
the pamphlet to all sellers.
You must also have buyers sign
a statement indicating they
received the pamphlet.
Open
House Safety Tips
An
open house can be a great sales
tool, but it also exposes you
to numerous unfamiliar people
for the first time. Stay safe
by practicing these guidelines.
- Call
the local police department
and ask them to have a
squad
care drive by during your
open-house hours.
- Check
your cell phone’s
strength and signal prior
to
the open house. Have emergency
numbers programmed on
speed
dial. Carry an extra,
fully
charged cell phone battery.
- Determine
several “escape” routes
that you can use in case
of
an emergency. Make sure
all
deadbolt locks are unlocked
to facilitate a faster
escape.
- Turn
on the lights and open the curtains. These are not only sound safety
procedures, but also great
marketing tactics.
- Make
sure that if you were to
escape by the back door,
you could
escape from the backyard.
Frequently, high fences
surround yards that
contain swimming pools
or hot tubs.
- When
prospective buyers begin to arrive, jot down their car descriptions,
license numbers and physical
descriptions.
- When
showing the house, always
walk behind the prospect.
Direct
them; don’t
lead them. Say, for example, “The
kitchen is on your left,” and
gesture for
them to go ahead
of you.
- Notify
a friend or
a relative that
you will be calling in
every
hour on the
hour. And if you
don’t
call, they are to notify
the
police immediately.
- Inform
a neighbor that you will
be showing the house and
ask if
he or she would keep an
eye and ear open for anything
out
of the ordinary.
Source:
National Association of
REALTORS® Safety
Week kit
How
to Get an Offer on Your Home
1.
Price it right. Set a price
at the lower end of your
property’s
realistic price range.
2.
Prepare for visitors. Get your
house market ready at least
two weeks before you begin showing
it.
3.
Be flexible about showings.
It’s
often disruptive to have a house
ready to show at the spur of
the moment. But the more amenable
you can be about letting people
see your home, the sooner you’ll
find a buyer.
4.
Anticipate the offers. Decide
in advance what price and
terms you’ll
find acceptable.
5.
Don’t
refuse to drop the price.
If your home has been on
the market
for more than 30 days without
an offer, you should be
prepared to at least consider
lowering
your asking price.
Simple
Tips for Better Home Showings
1.
Remove clutter and clear
off counters. Throw out stacks
of
newspapers and magazines
and stow away most of your
small
decorative items. Put excess
furniture in storage, and
remove out-of-season clothing
items
that are cramping closet
space. Don’t
forget to clean out the garage,
too.
2.
Wash your windows and screens.
This will help get more light
into the interior of the home.
3.
Keep everything extra clean.
A clean house will make a
strong first impression and
send a
message to buyers that the
home has been well-cared
for. Wash
fingerprints from light switch
plates, mop and wax floors,
and clean the stove and refrigerator.
Polish your doorknobs and
address numbers. It’s
worth hiring a cleaning
service
if you can afford it.
4.
Get rid of smells. Clean carpeting
and drapes to eliminate cooking
odors, smoke, and pet smells.
Open the windows to air out
the house. Potpourri or scented
candles will help.
5.
Brighten your rooms. Put higher
wattage bulbs in light fixtures
to brighten up rooms and basements.
Replace any burned-out bulbs
in closets. Clean the walls,
or better yet, brush on a fresh
coat of neutral color paint.
6.
Don’t
disregard minor repairs. Small
problems such as sticky doors,
torn screens, cracked caulking,
or a dripping faucet may seem
trivial, but they’ll
give buyers the impression that
the house isn’t
well-maintained.
7.
Tidy your yard. Cut the grass,
rake the leaves, add new mulch,
trim the bushes, edge the walkways,
and clean the gutters. For added
curb appeal, place a pot of
bright flowers near the entryway.
8.
Patch holes. Repair any holes
in your driveway and reapply
sealant, if applicable.
9.
Add a touch of color in the
living room. A colored afghan
or throw on the couch will jazz
up a dull room. Buy new accent
pillows for the sofa.
10.
Buy a flowering plant and put
it near a window you pass by
frequently.
11.
Make centerpieces for your tables.
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