6 Important Things to Avoid When Planning to Sell Your House

It seems like everywhere we look there is a “How to Sell Property” article or video. But rarely is there a what to avoid or not to do when you want to sell your house. Should I upgrade the kitchen? Remove old carpet? Hire a real estate agent? These are the questions the Local Records Office in Bellflower, California has researched and listed. Don’t waste your money on renovations that will not help raise the property value. Instead, focus on the low-cost tips that buyers are looking for.

1. Avoid Having Carpet in the Bathroom

If you want to sell a house and it has carpet in the bathroom please remove it as soon as possible. The carpet in the bathroom is a big NO. A bathroom is a place where water constantly falls on the ground and moister collects from the hot showers the residents take. If water is falling on the carpet and moister is constantly building up you will have a mold and water damage problem.

Old carpet causes a smelly unpleasant odor and it’s usually an eyesore to most. The carpet belongs in the bedroom and living room and that’s it.

2. Avoid Bad Pet Odor

Pets have a strong smell that many pet owners get used to over time and think that it doesn’t smell. Having a strong pet odor in the house could be a problem because many people are allergic to cat and dog hair. Vacuuming and disinfecting the house should help with the strong pet odor.

Baking soda is known to remove odor fast, another good idea would be removing all litter boxes and chew toys. Using a good floor cleaner like Pine-Sol will help get rid of the wet-dog smell but keep in mind that you might have to mop the floor a few times. Opening all the windows in the home will help dry the floor while getting rid of the smell.

3. Avoid Overgrown Landscape

A house with a recently cut landscape is like a fresh haircut, it looks good. When buyers first pull-up to your home the first thing they will see is the landscape. The landscape could be a deal-breaker. An overgrown front yard could make sellers turn around. Make sure to mow the lawn, cut overgrown weeds, and water the grass. If the yard is dry and dead you could buy grass sod.

Grass sod is tile-like grown grass that has been cut from the roofs and is placed on top of the old and dried yard. If you can’t get your hands on a lawnmower try to purchase or rent a grass trimmer. By trimming the edges the lawn will look a lot cleaner. Some people even manage to cut overgrown grass with a grass trimmer.

4. Avoid Bright Color Paint

If your living room is painted sky blue, the kitchen is black and your bathroom is lime green you will definitely have a hard time selling your home. Find light colors like white and light yellow. People find low light colors to be easier to the eye and it’s much easier to paint over it if the seller wants a room for the children. Hiring a small company that is eager to grown will do the work for a low cost.

In other words, there isn’t anything worst than having a bright-colored house that can be seen from miles away. It doesn’t only look cheap but it sends buyers running for the hills.

5. Avoid Carpet Stains

This one should be number one. Having a dirty carpet in the living room will cause buyers to offer less because they will think “another expense.” If you can’t afford to replace the carpet go to your local hardware store and rent a heavy-duty carpet cleaner unit. These are units are easy to use that most people get a hang of it on the first try.

When you clean your carpet make sure to clean the entire house not just a room or two. Just because you don’t have pets doesn’t mean you don’t have to deep clean your carpet. Carpet stains will make any room look dirty and smelly. If the carpet is coming to loose from the edges get a few one-inch nails and nail them to the floor liner.

6. Avoid Water Damage

Depending on where the Water damage is located it can be a serious problem that could cost thousands of dollars. Water damage can cause severe damage to the foundation and the roof. Other types of water damage can easily be repaired for a few dollars.

If the damage is on a drywall wall the drywall can be cut and repaired. But if the damage is on the floor and has been going on for months or even years the repair will most like cost more. Serious water damage usually happens in the basement. The boiler starts to leak onto the floor and walls causing corrosion and mold. The problem is usually not noticed until years later.