REAL ESTATE
Think You’re Ready to Sell? Consider These Key Home Updates BY FLO ABKE, GRI
W
hether it’s a strong seller’s market or a strong buyer’s market, homes that look good and are well maintained will always sell faster and for more money. Homes that are not clean and/or not properly maintained are never as popular with buyers.
Neutral paint colors and updated clean ϐloors, including reϐinished hardwood, pre-cut vinyl plank ϐlooring or new carpet, are very important features to most buyers. Many buyers want to move into their new home on the day of closing. If they buy a home that has been recently painted and includes attractive clean ϐlooring, they can move right in. Buyers who have children, work long hours or are pursuing advanced college degrees, for example, are among those who are looking for the simplest move possible. For these buyers, move-in condition is a must because they often do not have the time or resources to remodel a home.
Clean homes that include neutrally painted walls, attractive ϐlooring and a nicely manicured exterior will grab the potential buyer’s attention much faster than an unattractive, unmaintained home. A St. Clair Shores native, Broker/Realtor Flo Abke, GRI, is part of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Kee Realty team in St. Clair Shores. She is a member of Grosse Pointe Board of Realtors, Women’s Council of Realtors, Michigan Association of Realtors and National Association of Realtors. Flo has achieved a multi-million-dollar yearly sales level since 1994. She is also a junior sectional judge for United States Figure Skating.
Depending on the season, the exterior of your home may need attention as well. If it’s fall or winter, it’s a little easier to get away with a less attractive exterior. However, if it’s spring or summer, you need to make sure the bushes are trimmed, and the lawn is edged. Homes with attractive ϐlowers pop nicely in pictures. Online photos are very important. If potential buyers like what they see online, they are more likely to come and view the home with a positive attitude.
the shores 35
