Good luck :-)

You are definitely doing the right thing by getting the home really clean and maintenance done! Good photos are key too. Since we were out of state, we did most of our shopping by MLS photos, picked about 25 houses to see in one weekend with realtor, and picked one.

If the house looked unkept from the outside, I just passed on it. With young children, I didn't want a lot of fix-it work from the start.

Good luck and hope you sell soon!

I agree - you are doing the right thing. Even though someone might not conciously register cobwebs on the siding, or an old mark on a painted wall, it adds up to an impression of a less than pristine property.
(Then again, I'm anal - I actually repainted the screws for all the light switches and plugs - thank goodness it was a small house!)
I wish you the best of luck: a quick, painless, profitable sale.

Good Luck and way to go on being prepared!

Good luck, roselvr!

Don't forget to stop & smell your roses! Remember, deep cleansening breathes...

Tricia

Good Luck!!

I think a nice clean house even if not updated makes a much better impression to me than a dirty updated house. I'm sure all your hard work will pay off.

I think a nice clean house even if not updated makes a much better impression to me than a dirty updated house. I'm sure all your hard work will pay off.

That is absolutely true! CLEAN SELLS!

Good Luck Roselvr, Im sure your efforts will pay off!

Hubby was pretty sick yesterday, sick enough that he couldn't move, so nothing got done on his end. Thankfully today he managed to do a few things. I'm not moving too fast today, had a few projects going (computer build on the table) 3 loads of laundry (bedding - so beds weren't made) plus I was doing some yard work, tracking in sand....

The phone rings at 2, hubby said they wanted to show between 3 & 4. Talk about freaking out! Thankfully he helped me do dishes, sweep, make beds, put laundry away....

4:05 comes, no show. I was ready to call my agent to see if they'd come while we were out back, sure enough a car pulls up. I let them in and went outside; going back in to tell them that the 2 closets without doors actually have doors that just aren't on.. Go back out. They stayed maybe 10 minutes. I say to hubby, guess they didn't like it, they didn't stay long. I walk towards the front, they're hanging out looking at the gardens.

After they leave, I email the realtor - telling her I didn't think it went well. She calls 2 minutes later. As soon as she hears she'll let me know.

About an hour goes by, she calls and said they loved it; it showed well & the price was good. WOO HOO! They had just driven by again. Turns out they are looking for a mother / daughter and are trying to figure out how to make my house work. Although I highly doubt it will unless they put the baby in the front bedroom; to hear it went well was awesome!

I'm including a link to the pics I've taken so that the realtor can pick what she wants if my shots are better than hers. There are almost 50 shots, some aren't perfect due to stupid things like the trash can, but you'll get an idea of what I've done. I hope to steam the older carpet in the dining room / hall area to try to get the coffee stain out. The kitchen cabinets look much better in person & I'd love to close the curtains on the laundry but feel it should show the area w/ storage since we don't have a basement. I will probably have her update the house front pics as more flowers bloom.

We have another set showing Tuesday. My realtor is convinced she will sell it then since the guy has called 3 times before all of the pictures went up. If we sell this fast I will be shocked.

Here is a link that might be useful: House pics

BTW, this is the description I wrote, tweaking what the realtor did. Hubby doesn't like some of it. If anyone feels they could make it better - feel free.
The last time the house was for sale in 99, everyone said the house was way bigger than it looked from the street & the rooms are large.

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Country Lakes - L shaped ranch with 4 bedrooms and 2 full baths; this home's size is decieving from the street. It features magnificent landscaping and fully fenced yard; this is truly a horticultural delight!

Enter this home into your large 4 car paved driveway. Walk up the lighted E.P. Henry walkway into your formal dining room with bay window. The large living room has sliders that open to the E.P. Henry patio / back yard retreat. Recently finished master suite with bay window has new carpeting and updated bathroom.

Home is freshly painted, roof, and central AC are three years old. Men will love the standing room "crawl space" with access from inside the house. There is extra paved parking for their boat.

Loaded with storage, there is an 8x10 vinyl storage shed on concrete pad, the L shaped attic is fully floored, and bedrooms have large closets.

Not a drive-by! This home is a must see!

The appointment today ended up canceling. I had my realtor come by and put the info box up & lockbox on.

I was impressed with the feedback I got from the walk through Saturday, my agent emailed me the form from the buyers agent. I was able to see that my house showed well; realtor also noted that the house should go fast. There was a section for buyer having an interest in the house - to which they said no, buyer looking for a mother / daughter or a house that can be converted.

I found out today that the people from Saturday really like the house even though it isn't what they were looking for. They are trying to figure out how to adjust the house to their needs. My agent is going to call them back and have them walk it again, to see exactly what kind of living space they need and how much they want to spend on it to see if it's worth it for them.

From what I heard, there is nothing as good as our house with this amount of space for the price they want to pay.

Roselvr, you're house looks very nice, inside and out. Hope you sell quickly!

Your hard work really shows. It is warm and inviting, yet spacious. Very nice. Best wishes for an easy sale!

Roselvr, since i know you have been preparing for weeks, I feel you would only want honest feedback. I know you love roses, and your house might be like that all the time, but it just gives the appearance of being "too staged". I counted 9 or 10 different vases of artificial and some real flowers. Its too much. They are on the tables, the walls, the corners, the shelves the counter tops. You may want to take some of them away for showings. I am very good at looking "beyond" and I found myself very distracted by the flowers each room because they just seemed to be everywhere. Also, do you still have the shutters from the front of the house on the garage window? You can see where they were as the siding is discolored. It would give a more finished presentation.

The yard looks great with all your landscaping. I especially love the "RE/MAX sign on the lawn!" :)

GOOD LUCK TO YOU!

Roselvr - I have to agree with Linda. While your house is spotless, it does look a bit "staged" and there are too many vases with flowers.

If anything, I suggest you get rid of any flowers that are not real. Are those fake flowers by the computer? From the photos, they don't look real.

Also, in the LR, you have a lovely rose bush in a pot, but it is too small for that corner. Do you have any large potted plants or trees you can put there? Can you purchase a couple larger silk trees from Costco? It seems in the LR and one other room, the two potted rose bushes are dwarfed and look out of place in their locations. I think some plant fillers more appropriate to the size would work better.

I think those rose pots would be lovely on your outside patio.

Oh - and the microwave on an angle - can you straighten it? Nothing screams "lack of counter space" to me than an appliance at an angle.

Oh - and about your description - What is EP Henry? You mention twice in the description about a patio and walkway. Is EP Henry a local paving store? I don't think you need to give the brand name of whatever it is. It will confuse many buyers, especially those that are not from your area.

You mentioned magnificent landscaping and then repeat it with "horticultural delight". Choose one or the other, you don't need both.

Is your brand of patio and walkway really that much of a selling feature? Are there any other features you could advertise? It looks like you have a huge lot - that should be mentioned.

Is there a basement? Is it developed?

I was also wondering who the heck E.P. Henry and what he has to do with your driveway and patio. And I found the comments about the crawlspace and extra paved space sexist. Women can appreciate those things too!

I saw your house on realtor.com and on the realtor's site. I think the pictures on realtor.com look like nice choices, although I would have put in one of a bedroom or bath instead of two from the front.

The description on the realtor's site seems a little overblown and wordy. And I'm another one who has no idea what an EP Henry walkway or patio is. Is it interlocking pavers?

The house looks clean and well-cared for, so you're ahead of much of the crowd! Good luck.

I would leave in the E.P Henry comment. It obviously makes people curious to see what you are talking about. :)

roselvr,

You've worked hard & it shows. The house & gardens look immaculate. If we have a link to the home on realtor.com I seem unable to remember where it is? :(

I gotta say though...I agree with the men/boat comment. Since I live in a boating community & we are also boaters, I can say with certainty that many, many woman own boats & would take offense at your inference that it's a "guy" thing.

The other aspect of this entire sentence in your description is the implication that it will be a traditional couple that purchases your home. You can't be sure of that. In today's world, single woman are buying homes in record numbers. I believe you are turning them away from your property...not good. Change it!

The E.P. Henry thing...yes, they are quality pavers but the company's name isn't going to mean much to people. That's something an agent could mention as they are walking up your front walkway for a tour. In context, it will have much more impact where the Realtor is on-site to explain that E.P. Henry's products are well respected. Leave it out of your description though.

Flowers - there's lots of floral stuff happening. Between the window treatments, wreaths, pictures, throw pillows, potted roses, & arrangements, it's a bit overpowering. As a Master Gardener with UNH Cooperative Extension, I don't think I've ever said, "Too many flowers!" :) I recommend removing ALL of the artifical & just having a bouquet of fresh flowers on the dining room table.

What's happening with the refrigerator? I can see a place for it in the kitchen photos...but no frig.

Neat, clean, spacious, easy-living, convenient, & great site is going to sell your house.

Wishing you fair winds & safe harbor,
Tricia

The description was something I worked on one morning and am now at the point where I'm stuck and can't figure out wording to change it. I have to be in the mood to sit and type something out, which is why I posted it, hoping someone would take it on. I never thought of the man / crawl space / boat thing, but will keep it in mind if I do get the chance to rewrite. With school in it's last few days & graduation I'm not sure I will have time. I also had something else fall in my lap that needs my attention more.

The features I included are things that need to be spelled out (except the name of the pavers) because, being surrounded by lakes, most houses don't have boat parking. It's common to see boats on the front lawn :( - also being close to the lakes, many houses do not have basements; so the space where the water heater, softener and what ever else is down there is, is a major plus. If anyone's ever worked on a house with only a crawl that has outside access, it's the pits, especially in the winter when you have to dig it out to access the stuff.

I agree about a larger green plant and have been shopping for one since February but have been unable to find them. Until this morning I never thought to look at Depot. I'm not a member of Costco any more; BJ's doesn't have it. I've been to every major store.

The living room has more stuff in storage that we are debating bringing back. It will take a few hours to dig it out. The right corner actually has my vac which is covered with a doll I made. I grabbed the potted rose from the dining room for the pic. The 3 silk plants were purchased locally the day the realtor came to take the pics because it needed something & living where I do, we don't have many stores. Walmart is 30 minutes away.

The realtor doesn't have the office pic up, I hoped she would but chose other shots instead. The master wasn't ready when she came and I haven't had time to get back there to take pics. Our realtor doesn't like to post bathroom or bedroom pics, something about personal spaces, but we'll try to get a master shot in.

I live in the pines. A day of shopping means leaving at 8 and coming back at 3. I've done more trips then my body can stand. I will be going out today to do returns, not sure my back can handle looking for more props.

Tricia, the fridge is not in the picture. In the pic, you see the built in freezer; the fridge in to the left of that. If we were staying, I would redo the cabinets, putting a pantry type one where the cookbook shelf is. The trash usually sits there, I took it out for the pic.

I haven't posted the realtor.com link. IMO the pics were too low resolution and look grainy. I have to sift through the shots I have and send the originals to the realtor. She may end up posting the pics she took. She was having computer issues which is why she used mine. I'm so anal after reading here, I took my own shots just in case I didn't like the ones that were taken. Since mine were edited 1st, she went with it.

If we can look at the listing, I'll take a shot at writing a description for you. I need to see all the listing info before I could write anything.

You don't need MORE props...pull a few of the ones you've already got. It's probably not even a big deal. I was mostly thinking about men that may be cruising along realtor.com & see your place with all the florals. My DH would, probably, keep on cruising...

Tricia

I know you didn't post a link to realtor.com but your house was easy to find - one of your photos has your agent's name and phone number on the For Sale sign - a little googling and the MLS # comes up, then I just went to realtor.com ...

I didn't think the photos were bad there. They wouldn't cause me to NOT look at your house. I didn't look at the extra photos on your agent's site because I'd have to register and I don't need more junk email.

I know you didn't post a link to realtor.com but your house was easy to find - one of your photos has your agent's name and phone number on the For Sale sign - a little googling and the MLS # comes up, then I just went to realtor.com ...

You have good eyes lol

Another day of going shopping and returning with nothing. I did get a new dish drainer which is usually by the microwave.

The description isn't on realtor.com, not sure what she's able to add to that. She hasn't changed the parking spaces, supposed to be 4, not including the boat. This is the 1st I've looked at it. I don't know if she can edit the crawl space description.

The photos she has up, you can't see a lot of flowers; which I'm really not worried about. The house just went active; we weren't letting people through until last week due to the master construction. If the house sits, I'll consider removing some of them and reshooting the pics.

I know the house is better in a lot of ways then the other houses (for sale) I've driven by around here; and doubt that the few florals I have as decoration would discourage a man from checking the house out. When they see the competition and realize the amount of work at those houses, they will realize my curtains can come down and won't be in the house when they move in. I only have the floral curtains in a few rooms. There is no work to do compared to the others which I'm sure need paint to say the least.

In this area, people don't care. As I've mentioned before; the house next door was filthy and not freshly painted; master bedroom was under construction (no flooring / sheetrocked walls) and it sold. So far it's taken 4 months of work and they still don't sleep there.

When the agent was here yesterday, I told her I was considering walking the competition; she said ok if I decide to do that. I'm sure she'd like to see what's out there too. The ones that aren't a dive aren't in this price range from what I've viewed online. I could be wrong, but doubt it.

Some of you may remember I came here when trying to buy my dad's house in January. We weren't looking to sell, nor do we have to. I had this crazy idea in my head to get out of here; so we decided to see if we could. I'm not actively looking for houses, saw maybe 7 & wasn't impressed. We decided we're going to look for property & build, which is going to take a while. We never dreamed that getting the master done would take this long. Our contractor kind of screwed us a few times by not coming back. Had he come back, we would have listed a while ago; although I wouldn't have done all of the painting that I did.

Here is a link that might be useful: realtor.com