Is there ever a question you CAN’T ask a Realtor? Never. When it’s your future and your money at stake, you owe it to yourself to pose any questions that eat at your gut, so ask away. With the help of ImagineYourHouse.com's Lynna Pineda, we’ll answer a few common ones for you, but we think you’ll get the idea. Do I really need to replace my carpeting before the first open house? If it’s worn, smelly, discolored or worn out and YOU were a potential buyer walking through your house for the first time, how would you react? Buyers think about two things when they tour a property that has not been updated or repaired: time and money. We are smokers. Do we really have to worry about what our home smells like? Looking at online photos of your home show one thing. Walking through the front door and smelling the smoke that has permeated your flooring, drapery, cabinets and even furniture are an entirely different experience. Many a buyer will turn on their heels right there in your entryway and head for the next listing. So yes. Be concerned. Be very concerned. Is it okay to decorate my home for the holidays while it’s on the market? Absolutely. ’Tis the season. But if you are prone to filling every nook and cranny with happy Santas, hanging stars and extra Christmas trees, this is the time to scale back. You’ll obscure spaces that might otherwise be considered spacious. Does having a dog make my house harder to sell? Not if you’ve already dealt with and remediated (1) doggie odors (2) doggie damage and (3) your furry friend’s tendency to bark or scare homebuyers. Can I keep my displays of vintage guns, religious paintings, and my grandmother’s doll collection while my house is on the market? If you hope to get the highest prices and sell your home in the shortest length of time, remove as many of these things as possible so the widest range of buyers walking through there will not be distracted. It’s a great idea to pack them up early and have them waiting to grace the interior of your next home. Source: Imagineyourhouse.com, , TBWS
