How to Sell an Old House

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Stand on the street and check your home for “curb appeal”.

   Curb appeal is basically how your house presents to someone looking at it from the street, and while they enter your property.
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   Step 2: Spend a small amount of money to make sure the driveway is free of weeds and grease and ensure that the garage or carport is presentable.

   Repaint the house and its roof if necessary. , These often make the older home attractive to buyers.
   
   They should be in the best of condition, well painted, clear to the eye and screwed in/nailed on/glued in place, etc. as required.
   
   These feature pieces will go a long way to selling your old house.
   
   Accentuate architectural details as much as possible.
   
   Use contrasting paint colors, coordinated colors and mute background colors for the items behind the features. , Cut away bushes or branches that might be hiding this feature and replace any broken elements in the stained glass itself.
   
   People love stained glass in old houses. , Does it need new tiles, new shingles or a new paint? Do not neglect this, as it is a very large feature of the house and buyers dread the thought of roof problems, especially in an old house.
   
   Ensure that it looks just perfect. , Produce a booklet that explains this.
   
   Buyers will love the fact that the house has a special history behind it.
   
   This house "personality" may be what sells your old house over some other one in the same street. , You do not need to spend thousands landscaping, just make sure it isn’t overgrown, that the trees and shrubs are trimmed and the lawn is cut.
   
   Brighten up the flowerbeds with pretty flowers and shrubs. , Consult a pool expert if necessary.
   
   There is nothing more off-putting than a pool that looks like pea soup. , The front door gives a vital first impression while the buyer waits for you to answer the bell.
   
   Make sure it is scrubbed clean.
   
   If necessary, paint it. , Sweep away leaves, dust piles and anything else that suggests uncleanliness. , from the hall entry.
   
   It should be easy to enter the house.
   
   Do not have anything that makes the entry area seem dark. , Have a bright, shining new one.
   
   Also, any mats or carpet around the hall entry should be new and clean. , It should not glare but it should be bright. , Kitchens, along with bathrooms, make or break house sales.
   
   People want to see nice ones, they want to imagine themselves in that kitchen, cooking up a feast.
   
   If it's looks old and tired, and comes with the old house's original appliances, the value of your house will plummet. , Kitchens with plenty of cupboards and space for a fridge, freezer, washing machine and tumble dryer are a great asset.
   
   Most families have a fridge and a freezer and this should be taken into consideration.
   
   You could remove a few cupboards next to the fridge to make room, provided you have enough storage space.
   
   If space is tight there are other tricks to give the appearance of space. , A warm yellow is a great colour for the kitchen – it gives a bright sunny feeling.
   
   Put a colourful pot plant on the windowsill and a vase of flowers on the table or counter for a cheery, homely look. , This means utensils, pots and pans, children's drawings, fridge magnets and washing up dishes.
   
   All tea towels should be fresh and clean; ditto for the hand sponges and cleaning cloths. , People love the idea of working with food in a bright and airy kitchen. , Clean the floor really well, so that it is absolutely spotless. , These really stand out in an old kitchen and while they're not expensive to replace, if they're not fixed, they can reduce the appeal of the kitchen.
   
   If you have worn doors on the kitchen cabinet but cannot afford to replace the whole cabinetry, try replacing the doors and knobs, or having the existing doors refinished. , Along with the kitchen, this is the other room that often determines the house sale.
   
   It can never be too clean, so concentrate a lot of cleaning and painting effort on this room. , Chipped, worn and cracked tiles should all be replaced.
   
   If the shower uses a shower curtain, put in a brand new one. , This is one quirk that is often found in older homes and it is really off-putting to potential buyers.
   
   Pull it up and have the floor tiled. , Tiles can be painted over quite easily – ask at your local hardware for the best paint for the job. ,,,, Less is always more.
   
   You may even want to consider getting in stage furniture if your own furniture is looking shabby and worn.
   
   Furniture lined around walls makes a room seem smaller and cramped. , Remove clutter from the area and shift furniture away.
   
   Clean the windows well.
   
   Pull back the curtains and lift the blinds to let in the light. , Remove excess books from the room; this is not the time to prove intellectual prowess. , from the walls.
   
   These are too personal and can hamper the buyers' ability to visualize themselves in your house. , Remove all odors of mildew and "oldness". , Make the bedroom seem as large as possible. , Dark, old bedrooms will discourage potential buyers. , Use fresh, or even new, bed linen.
   
   This will encourage buyers to see themselves and their family sleeping in those rooms. , Buyers will feel more welcome when you turn on your lights for an evening inspection. ,, A clean house will win over many a potential buyer.
   
   Things that put people off include:
   Cobwebs, mold, dirt, insect speck marks, grubby walls, unidentifiable squished things, children's boogie collections on the wall, moss, paint splatters, carpet burns, etc. , Most of all, do not crowd the walls.
   
   Also, leave out too many personal photos, so that buyers can imagine themselves in your house instead.
   
   Choose a few excellent pieces to hang on the walls, ones that complement the house.
   
   Pack the rest away. , The lovely aromas will make people feel right at home––soon to be their new home! , Put away dog and cat beds, bowls, toys, sleeping areas, etc.
   
   Not everyone likes pets, and even those who do, may disapprove of your choices as to where the pets were kept.
   
   Have a friend or relative care for the pets during house inspections. , Every room in the house should be easy to access.
   
   If it looks as old as the house, consider using staged furniture instead.
   
   While buyers might be looking for an old house, they still want a modern lifestyle in that old house.
   
   Staged furniture is about selling a "lifestyle"
   
   along with the house.
   
   If you're missing vital elements, such as a dining table, then do use staged furniture, to evoke the lifestyle the buyers can expect within the house. , However, stick to one scent per space, otherwise it risks being overwhelming.
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   Step 3: Check the architectural details.

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   Step 4: Ensure that all stained glass shows clearly.

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   Step 5: Check the roof.

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   Step 6: Research the history of the house.

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   Step 7: Spend a bit of time and effort on the garden.

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   Step 8: If you have a pool make sure it’s sparkling.

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   Step 9: Spruce up the front door.

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    Step 10: Remove all cobwebs from the entrance area.

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    Step 11: Remove piles of clothes

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    Step 12: Fix up the front doormat.

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    Step 13: Have enough lighting.

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    Step 14: Fix the kitchen as much as you can within your budget.

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    Step 15: Ensure sufficient storage space in the kitchen.

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    Step 16: Replacing old flooring with linoleum or light tiles makes the kitchen look bigger and brighter.

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    Step 17: Remove all inessential clutter from the kitchen.

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    Step 18: Get as much light as possible into the kitchen.

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    Step 19: Replace worn floors.

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    Step 20: Replace worn handles

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    Step 21: taps/faucets

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    Step 22: fittings.

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    Step 23: Ensure that the bathroom looks first rate.

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    Step 24: Re-enamel the bath and basin if they are in bad condition.

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    Step 25: If the bathroom has carpet

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    Step 26: get rid of it.

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    Step 27: If you have an old-fashioned bathroom with psychedelic tiles that should have been replaced years ago

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    Step 28: don’t despair.

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    Step 29: Buy some crisp new towels and face cloths

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    Step 30: a new soap dish

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    Step 31: a few fragrant soaps and a flowering pot plant.

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    Step 32: Shop around for an unusual mirror- it will add style and space to your bathroom.

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    Step 33: Fit a new blind to the window to add a modern look to the room.

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    Step 34: Reduce the amount of furniture in the room.

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    Step 35: Allow the windows to show clearly.

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    Step 36: Check that the bookshelves and trinket shelves are neat

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    Step 37: dusted and tidy.

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    Step 38: Remove family photos

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    Step 39: certificates

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    Step 40: degrees

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    Step 41: Ensure that the room smells and looks clean.

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    Step 42: Remove unnecessary furniture and all clutter.

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    Step 43: Introduce plenty of light.

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    Step 44: Always make the beds.

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    Step 45: Don’t forget to have all light sockets fitted with bulbs.

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    Step 46: Scrub cupboards

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    Step 47: wash windows and get in the carpet cleaners.

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    Step 48: Break out the elbow grease.

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    Step 49: Reduce the amount of photos and pictures on the walls.

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    Step 50: Bake a loaf of bread and brew some coffee just before your house inspections.

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    Step 51: Remove any evidence of pets.

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    Step 52: Make sure that furniture is neither cluttered nor in the way.

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    Step 53: Use scents in areas such as bedrooms and the bathroom

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    Step 54: to sweeten the experience.

Detailed Guide

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