Ten Ways to Sell Your House Fast

Sometimes selling your house can be a devastating experience.

If your house sits on the market for a long time, I would venture to say with conviction that your stress level will be at an extremely uncomfortable level.

With just a bit of planning, however, your house can say, “Buy me!” to buyers, and before you know it, you’ll be looking back on a smooth, pleasantly quick selling experience.

Here’s 10 simple ways to do just that:

1. De-Clutter

Yes, some buyers are themselves clutter-bugs. But, paradoxically, they want to buy a house that is definitely uncluttered. One, they can see the “bones” of the house better. Two, an uncluttered house gives a message of being cared for. So rent a storage unit if you have to, pack away many of your belongings, give away, donate - whatever. Get rid of clutter.

2. Eliminate Cracks

Cracks anywhere spell a dead sale to most buyers. Search out and fix all cracks. Walls, ceilings, foundations, driveways, chimneys, fireplaces, tiles - wherever - hunt them down and get rid of them.

3. Add Color

No, I don’t mean blue walls or red carpet. In fact, if you have blue walls, you might seriously consider painting them that popular neutral shade you hear about. We all vary so much in our color likes and dislikes - let the new buyers add their own.

But I do mean flowers. Inside and out, flowers and plants add a feeling of relaxation and graciousness even to non-gardeners.

4. Mirror Magic

Mirrors truly do work magic in opening up and adding light to rooms. Especially small rooms can benefit from a nicely placed mirror.

5. Add a Room

You might be thinking I’m crazy. Who wants to spend that kind of money when they’re just preparing their house to sell? But some extra rooms are easily created just by buying a floor to ceiling room divider. If you have a fairly large living room, you can put in a room divider and presto! You now have a family room to boot!

6. Build More Storage

One of the biggest complaints Realtors hear from buyers is, “There’s not enough storage.” Look around your rooms and see if you can add some shelf units. Does your kitchen have an unused corner where a pantry would fit? If you have a basement, adding some storage could be a simple task.

7. New Knobs

New knobs on kitchen and bathroom cabinets are a quick way to spruce things up.

8. Kill that Odor

Nothing turns buyers away quicker than unpleasant smells. And you can bet that unpleasant odors are usually also unhealthy odors. So be savvy to how your house smells and do what it takes to make your house and grounds smell fresh and clean.

9. Property Information

Create a packet of information about your property and place it where buyers can easily see it. Corners, property lines, appliance manuals, neighborhood information, schools, shopping etc. Help prospective buyers become familiar and knowledgeable about your property and neighborhood, and they’ll start feeling as though they belong there.

10. Set the Stage

Visit some model homes in the area and take some hints on how they are decorated. The professionals who prepare the model homes know what to do to make them inviting and get the buying juice flowing

There you have 10 simple hints and techniques that can help your house sell quickly.

About the Author

? Jeanina Bartling is a published author of inspirational articles and stories for adults and children. A retired California Realtor, she has now written How to Decorate Your House to Sell Fast and for Top Dollar, available at www.besure-sellhousefast.com

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Health Magazine

What kills the HIV-1 (and virtually any other) virus? The answer may surprise you: Silver. In a landmark study, the Journal of Nanotechnology has published research that found silver nanoparticles (microscopic particles) kill HIV-1 and are likely to kill nearly any other virus out there. The first study to ever explore the medicinal benefits of silver nanoparticles, it was conducted by the University of Texas and Mexico University…

During the study, researchers incubated the HIV-1 virus at 37?C, and then introduced it to silver nanoparticles. Surprisingly, the silver particles killed 100% of the virus within 3 hours. (For you scientists: The researchers believe that the silver particles bonded through glycoprotein knobs on the virus with spacing of about 22 nanometers in length.)

A separate study conducted in 1991 by the Colloidal Science Laboratory in Wesampton, NJ found conclusively that, if ingested, nanometer-sized particles of colloidal silver do enter the bloodstream through absorption through the gastrointestinal tract.

When taken together, these two studies suggest something remarkable: Colloidal silver may literally be the “silver bullet” needed to kill bacteria and viruses that are growing ever more resistant to conventional treatments. Researchers of the more recent study said that they had already begun experiments using silver nanoparticles to kill what is known as the “super bug” (Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus). Already used as a topical antibiotic in the medical industry, silver may now come under consideration as an alternative to drugs when it comes to fighting previously untreatable viruses such as the Tamiflu resistant avian flu.

These new findings shift the question from the bioavailability of colloidal silver to one that focuses on the quality and integrity of the various colloidal silver products available on the market today. Presumably, a high-quality colloidal silver product could produce some significant health benefits.

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Fixer-Uppers: What To Fix

You’ve bought a house, a fixer-upper you can make some money on. What improvements and repairs should you make? First of all, you need to know this before you buy, as I explained in another article. Before and after you buy, though, you need to have some simple rules with which to start analyzing possible fixes.

Return On Investment

A young couple was very disappointed when I told them there house was worth $110,000. “We just put $40,000 into remodeling the kitchen!” they told me. I looked at the kitchen. It was nice. They had added $10,000 in value to the house by spending $40,000. This is a classic example of a bad return on investment.

With fixer-uppers, you have do things which give the most “bang for the buck.” Aim for a three-to-one return on improvements. If you’re going to resurface the driveway for $1000, it better raise the value of the home by $3,000. Even when you’re just guessing, keep this three-to-one formula in your head, if you want to invest safely.

How To Fix A Fixer-Upper

With things like new curtains, you can’t really estimate the increase in value. What you can do, though, is group together the many small repairs and improvements you are considering, and imagine how the house will look when you are done. Then you can estimate whether you will have increased the value enough to justify the cost.

It often is in the small details that you’ll get the best return on investment, so look at these first. A new mailbox, flowers on the porch, a raked yard and trimmed trees - $30 total if you do the work yourself - can make a big difference in the first impression potential buyers have. First impressions are important.

Other small investments that pay big include shiny new switch covers (less than $1 each), shelves, a birdhouse, new doorknobs, new light fixtures, curtains, new rocks or wood chips on outdoor paths, new faucets, new woodstain on decks, and general cleaning. Stand in front of the house and imagine what it might look like with various small improvements (flowers, wood-rail fence, birdbath, etc.).

The Big Fixes

Obviously, there are things that just have to be repaired. The basic systems must function. Improvements, though, should be subject to the three-to-one rule. You may have to get creative here. An investor friend of mine once had a wall put up, and for less than $1000 created a new bedroom, probably raising the value of the house by $8,000. Now that’s a good return on investment.

Bathrooms and kitchens are important. A $1000 updating of a bathroom can add $4000 in value to a home. Spend $2000 wisely in the kitchen (New fridge, re-finish the cupboards, add a garbage disposal, etc.), and you can add $8000 to the sales price of the house. Look for changes which are most universally valued (don’t paint the kitchen pink because YOU like that color), and be sure you get a decent return on investment.

Depending on the fixer-upper, there are many potential improvements that can be worth doing. These include adding a carport, new doors, fences, gazebos, sheds, painting, carpet, benches, a new closet, a new toilet, a new stove, a shower/tub surround, and trees or bushes. The bottom line is the bottom line: be sure anything you do returns more than you spend, preferably three times as much.

About the Author:

Steve Gillman has invested in real estate for years. To learn more, and to see a photo of a beautiful house he and his wife bought for $17,500, visit http://www.HousesUnderFiftyThousand.com