Cobb Real Estate Blog

Now that the weather is starting to cool, college and professional’s alike are playing football and kids are taking tests, the real estate market tends to slow down. You can still sell your home in the fall, it’s not as difficult as you might think. An article published at RealtyTimes.com, by Michelle Dawson, gives 10 tips to sell your home in the fall.

• Curb appeal. Fall can make or break you when it comes to curb appeal and the all-important “first impression.” Leaves turning shades of crimson and gold can add extra appeal to the total look of your home’s exterior. On the other hand, leaves strewn about your front yard can decrease your home’s visual appeal during that first impression.
• Celebrating the season. Add a fall wreath to the front door. Have a few huge pumpkins and fall display in your front area to welcome visitors (would-be buyers).
• Scents of the season. If you’re a smoker or have pets, make sure the nose doesn’t know. Eliminate all such offensive odors. If you’re holding an open house, or know you’ll have a lot of potential buyers looking on a particular day, bake an apple pie. Nothing is more inviting than the scent of apples and cinnamon wafting through the air.
• Hiring a home inspector. Once a buyer makes an offer, they will hire someone to conduct an in-depth inspection of the house. Some sellers like to do this before they put their house on the market so there are no surprises down the road. If anything comes up during the seller’s inspection, the seller can get it taken care of before putting the house on the market. The American Society of Home Inspectors says a typical home inspection includes drainage conditions, exterior surfaces, decks, chimney, the roof, windows, doors, plumbing fixtures, furnace, air conditioner, insulation, ventilation, electrical, heating, and plumbing systems.
• Allowances. If you have carpet, wood floors or cabinets that have seen better days, consider offering an allowance right off the bat. You’ll want to discuss this with your real estate professional. There are pros and cons — you don’t get to have that “wow” first impression if you put in those floors or cabinets yourself before you sell. But you might be short on time and don’t want to run into the holidays — plus buyers may like the idea of picking out their own flooring.

Follow the link above to see the other tips and, as always, feel free to contact me at any time with questions about your Cobb County real estate needs.