For you, buying a new home may mean selling a home. The Providence Group has the qualified agents that bring local knowledge and marketing skills to each and every listing for those looking to buy, sell or both.

The easiest and most reliable way to improve the appeal of your home is to enlist a quality home service professional. The right professional can help you get everything in order - from repainting the kitchen to providing a thorough cleaning - so you can stay focused on more important things. We are often asked to refer professional trades and services to our clients.  Our Business Directory page refers only the best professionals that we or our clients received superb service from.

As a homeowner, you can play an important part in the timely sale of your property. When you take the following steps, you will help us sell your home faster, at the best possible price. For your convenience we've supplied a Home Enhancement Checklist (.pdf) that you can print out and take to your favorite home improvement store.

Make the Most of that First Impression

A well manicured lawn, neatly trimmed shrubs and a clutter-free porch welcome prospects. So does a freshly painted - or at least freshly scrubbed - front door. If it's autumn, rake the leaves. If it's winter, shovel the walkways. The fewer obstacles between prospects and the true appeal of your home, the better.

Invest a Few Hours for Future Dividends

Here is your chance to clean up in real estate. Clean up the living room, the bathroom, and the kitchen. Dust the baseboards, wipe the fan blades and AC vents.  If your woodwork is scuffed or the paint is fading, consider some minor redecoration. Fresh wallpaper adds charm and value to your property. If you are worried about time, hire professional cleaners or painters to get your house ready. Remember, prospects would rather see how great your home really looks than hear how great it could look "with a little work."

Think Smell

The sense of smell plays as important a role as how the home appears.  Nothing ruins a sale faster than an obnoxious aroma permeating the walls of a home.  By the same token, few things are as pleasant as walking into a home that smells fresh and clean. If you smoke, consider taking it outside. Invest in a couple of bottles of Lysol and potpourri.  The next time you vacuum the rugs and carpets, use a carpet deodorizer to lift embedded smells.

Declutter and De-Personalize

Let the buyers see the house, not the home you live in.  Declutter your counters, tables, and mantles.  Declutter your collections, the magnets on the refrigerator.  Try to remove family photographs from the walls - buyers are easily distracted by personal effects.

Check Faucets and Bulbs

Dripping water rattles the nerves, discolors sinks, and suggests faulty or worn out plumbing. Burned out bulbs indicate that the seller is too lazy to fix somthing as minor as a light bulb (so what does he do when there is a major repair that needs to be done?).  Faulty wiring leave prospects in the dark. Do not let little problems detract from what's right with your home.

Don't Shut Out a Sale

If cabinets or closet doors stick in your home, you can be sure they will also stick in a prospect's mind. Don't try to explain away sticky situations when you can easily plane them away. Take a few seconds to oil the hinges or WD-40 the lock.  A little effort on your part can smooth the way toward a closing.

Think Safety

Homeowners learn to live with all kinds of self set booby traps: roller skates on the stairs, festooned extension cords, slippery throw rugs and low hanging overhead lights.  Take two suitcases and walk throughout your home.  If you bump into something, try removing any extra furniture.  Make your residence as non-perilous as possible for uninitiated visitors.

Make Room for Space

Remember, potential buyers are looking for more than just comfortable living space. They are looking for storage space, too. Make certain your attic and basement are clean and free of unnecessary items.

Consider Your Closets

The better organized a closet, the larger it appears. Now is the time to box up those unwanted clothes and donate them to charity.

Make Your Bathroom Sparkle

Bathrooms sell homes so let them shine.  Scrub away the water deposits from the shower heads and faucets.  Check and repair damaged or unsightly caulking in the tubs and showers. For added allure, display your best towels, mats, and shower curtains.

Create Dream Bedrooms

Wake up prospects to the cozy comforts of your bedrooms. For a spacious look, get rid of excess furniture. Colorful bedspreads and fresh curtains are a must.  Add fresh flowers.

Open up in the Daytime

Let the sun shine in! Pull back your curtains and drapes so prospects can see how bright and cheery your home is.

Lighten up at Night

Turn on the excitement by turning on all your lights - both inside and outside - when showing your home in the evening. Lights add color and warmth, and make prospects feel welcome.

Avoid Crowd Scenes

Potential buyers often feel like intruders when they enter a home filled with people. Rather than giving your house the attention it deserves, they are likely to hurry through. Keep the company present to a minimum.

Watch Your Pets

Many buyers have allergies to cats and dogs.  Pet hair can trigger sneezing and turn away a prospective buyer.  Consider steam cleaning the carpets and frequently vacuuming to keep the dander down.  Dogs and cats are great companions, but not when you are showing your home. Pets have a talent for getting underfoot. So do everybody a favor: Keep Kitty and Spot outside, send them to friends, or at least out of the way.

Think Volume

Rock-and-roll will never die, but it might kill a real estate transaction. When it is time to show your home, it is time to turn down the stereo or TV.

Relax

Be friendly, but don't try to force conversation. Prospects want to view your home with a minimum of distraction.

Don't Apologize

No matter how humble your abode, never apologize for its shortcomings. If a prospect volunteers a derogatory comment about your home's appearance, let your experienced Providence Group associate handle the situation.

Keep a Low Profile

Nobody knows your home as well as you do. But as a Providence Group associate we know buyers - what they need and what they want. We will have an easier time articulating the virtues of your home if you stay in the background.

Don't Turn Your Home into a Second-Hand Store

When prospects come to view your home, don't distract them with offers to sell those furnishings you no longer need. You may lose the biggest sale of all.

Defer to Experience - It's the Experience®

When prospects want to talk price, terms, or other real estate matters, let them speak to your Providence Group associate, who is your expert.

Help Us Help You

As your Providence Group associates, we will have an easier time selling your home if showings are scheduled through our office. You will appreciate the results and avoid the hassles!