When it came time for Tom and Sissy Aberg to sell the home they’d live in for 15 years, they didn’t exactly know what they were doing. They’d never sold a house before.
And though the couple gives much of the credit for the sale of their home to the house itself, built in 1936 with an “artful craftsmanship,” their real estate agent, John Whiteside, says the Abergs went out of their way to make the home attractive and livable-looking for showings.
Most of us have heard the standard tricks for selling a home more quickly. Put on some soft, appealing music for showings. Bake cookies. Light candles. Make it sparkle. And those are good tips.
But there are several factors to be taken into account when it comes to selling in our neighborhood – where the average home is more than 50 years old – that people in Plano and Frisco don’t have to worry about (and aren’t able to take advantage of).
First, the challenges:
Small closets, small bathrooms, small kitchens. Unless you’ve done some serious renovation, chances are your house has closets that aren’t fit to house the wardrobe of a seven-year-old these days. So even if it’s inconvenient, take everything in those peanut-sized spaces that isn’t used on a regular basis, and put it somewhere that people won’t see. Put shampoo bottles and toothbrushes into cupboards. Clear kitchen counters as much as possible.
Lighting. Many of our neighborhood’s older homes have poor natural lighting, because either the windows don’t face the right direction to take in sunlight or mature trees block it out.
“When it was overcast out, I made sure our house was well lit,” Sissy says. “You don’t want it to look dark.”
On warmer days, Tom Aberg says, open the windows, if you can.
“A lot of old Lakewood homes have casement windows that are painted shut. Our window had panels you could open, so we’d leave one of those open, and people would notice that and remark on it.”
Original fixtures. A good rule of thumb is, if you want to take it with you, get it out of sight during showings. Sissy Aberg said she wanted to take a couple of antique light fixtures with them when they moved, but also thought the fixtures would help sell the home.
“Sure enough,” she says, “when our house was sold, the man who bought it told me the first thing he wanted was that living room, light fixture.”
Unexpected surprises. Often in older homes, things can come out during the inspection process that can be deal-breakers – structural problems, termite damage and other issues.
“It can scare a buyer off if there’s too much of that stuff,” Sissy says.
So the Abergs recommend spending the extra money to hire an inspector six months or so before the house goes on the market, and then taking care of any problems that come up. But beware – the inspection process isn’t a science, and five different inspectors may find five different problems. Hire someone you trust, and then prioritize what needs to be addressed.
Also, on your own, look for those things you’ve learned to live with, like that bathroom tile that pops out occasionally. Chances are, you don’t even notice it anymore, but a potential buyer will.
Now, the pros to selling an old home:
Unique architectural elements. So your older home creaks and groans a bit more. It’s also much more likely to have a beautiful fireplace, stunning woodwork or ironwork, and/or gorgeWhen it came time for Tom and Sissy Aberg to sell the home they’d live in for 15 years, they didn’t exactly know what they were doing. They’d never sold a house before.
And though the couple gives much of the credit for the sale of their home to the house itself, built in 1936 with an “artful craftsmanship,” their real estate agent, John Whiteside, says the Abergs went out of their way to make the home attractive and livable-looking for showings.
Most of us have heard the standard tricks for selling a home more quickly. Put on some soft, appealing music for showings. Bake cookies. Light candles. Make it sparkle. And those are good tips.
But there are several factors to be taken into account when it comes to selling in our neighborhood – where the average home is more than 50 years old – that people in Plano and Frisco don’t have to worry about (and aren’t able to take advantage of).
First, the challenges:
Small closets, small bathrooms, small kitchens.
ous cathedral or stained glass windows. If you have any of these in your home, put them on display. Keep the woodwork polished (including hardwood floors) and the windows sparkling.
Mature landscapes. One of the reasons people love our neighborhood is because of the trees. Keep them healthy and don’t let leaves pile up when your house is on the market; they will only remind people that large, mature trees mean a lot of yard work.
Above all, however, remember that selling a home is going to be stressful.
“It’s an intense period in your life where people start nitpicking at the house you love,” Tom says.
Sissy agrees: “It’s an emotional roller coaster. I liken it to putting together a big wedding.”
SOURCES
3M Custom Fence 469-774-5792
Abatis Fence and Carpentry 214-893-3648
Chamness Service 214-328-0938
Ellen Terry Realtors 214-522-3838
Elite Remodeling 972-334-9800
Faz Home Repair 214-794-7566
Fine European Craftsmanship 214-421-4433
Gary Pilant, Remax Realtors 214-868-2992
Gary Campbell 214-321-5943
Horn Brothers Roofing 214-328-6956/469-831-4492
Hunter Plumbing 214-324-2733
Integrity 214-521-0925 ~ J&M Fence 972-222-3439
J.J. McGlothlin Distributors 214-821-2062
Kevin David Paint 214-334-3723
Kirkpatrick Home Service 214-324-3317
Randall Hall Remodeling 214-341-3365
Rooftops 214-828-0770
Skillful Improvements 972-279-0119
Southwest Carpet Cleaning 214-535-5314
Ted Thompson, Virginia Cook, Realtors 972-214-755-4372
Teter’s Faucet Parts 214-823-2153
The Burke Company 214-887-0005
The Pool Lady 214-553-1974
Topwater Plumbing 972-279-9695
White Rock Floors 214-341-1667
White Rock Paint & Remodel 214-321-5280
