Offering to coordinate third-party services is essential

When faced with selling your home, you will suddenly be in need of many services. I provide my clients with a resource list of contractors and services that takes away a great deal of stress on behalf of the seller.

A seller wants to prepare their property for sale so it looks its very best and thus will yield the maximum selling price. Most likely these services will be needed for most properties:

Landscaping service for overgrown trees and shrubbery, new rock or bark around trees and bushes, sod for bare and worn spots, etc.

Although most people can paint themselves, hiring a professional painter guarantees that the job is done professionally and completed on time. Sellers have a tendency to put off painting until the last minute and then it's too late. If the seller has painting little Debbie's room pink with flowers, it's probably time to repaint the room a subtle and neutral beige. Repaint all bright colors with neutral colors.

The carpet may need to be replaced or at the very least shampooed. This is especially true if the seller has animals. Sellers tend to become blind to pet odors.

Getting rid of clutter and trash is a number one priority. Hiring a contractor that specializes in trash removal especially of large items like a non-working appliance or exercise equipment is a must to make the space look as large as possible.

As well, cleaning the garage is also important. Most sellers use the garage to store all of the things they have removed from the home so the home shows better, but then the garage looks like a train wreck. Every time a person moves they should dispose of boxes of junk that haven't been opened since their last move. Not memories like photos or important documents, but boxes full of old cassette tapes that will never be listened to again. This process is especially important if the seller is downsizing.

Unless the seller is handy, hiring a handyman is essential. Every home needs something to be fixed even if it's just a little caulk around a sink or a new light fixture to be installed.

I represent the occasional out-of-state seller who is not available to fix up their investment property prior to listing. Having a Realtor who is willing and able to handle all of the maintenance and repair tasks of the home is very important to this seller. This is also true of the probate sale where the family left behind by the passing of Grandma has to deal with selling her property located out-of-state. Offering my assistance with these tasks are usually the reason these sellers list with me versus some other broker. You get what you pay for and I provide services that for most sellers are priceless.