RiverBend Estates is a growing active adult community located in Oxford, Connecticut.  One of our biggest obstacles in this downward market is that many prospective active adults who want to be at RiverBend or another active adult community is faced with the challenge of not being able to sell their home. We have listed some important factors to consider when selling your home.

1.  Pricing your home correctly is probably the most important factor-  If you have a home in your neighborhood priced less than yours in today’s market there is a good chance that house will sell before yours.  Many realtors feel that you should price according to the market and not your heart

2. Disassociate Yourself with Your Home- Make the mental decision to” let go” of your emotions and focus on the fact that soon this house will no longer be yours.  Think of your new life, a maintenance free lifestyle in an active adult community.

3. De-Personalize- Pack up your personal photographs and family heirlooms.  You want buyers to imagine their own photos on the walls.

4. De-Clutter- People collect an amazing amount of clutter.  Consider this: If you haven’t used it in over a year you probably don’t need it.

5. Rearrange Bedroom Closets and Kitchen Cabinets- Alphabetize spice jars.  Neatly stack dishes.   Turn coffee cup handles facing the same way. Hang shirts together, buttoned and facing the same direction.  Line up shoes.

6. Rent a Storage Unit- Almost every home shows better with less furniture.  Remove pieces of furniture that block walkways.  Remove extra leaves from your dining room table to make the room appear larger.  Leave just enough furniture in each room to show what the room is being used for.

7. Remove/Replace Favorite Items- If you want to take window coverings, built-in appliances or fixtures with you, remove them now and replace with new ones.

8. Make Minor Repairs- Replace cracked floor or counter tiles.  Patch holes in walls.  Fix leaky faucets.  Fix doors that don’t close properly.  Consider painting your walls a neutral color.  Replace burned –out light bulbs.  If you’ve considered replacing a worn bedspread do so now.

9. Make the House Sparkle- Wash windows inside and out.   Rent a pressure washer and spray down sidewalks and exteriors.  Clean out cobwebs.  Re-Caulk tubs, showers and sinks.  Polish chrome faucets and mirrors.  Clean out the refrigerator.  Vacuum daily. Wax Floors.  Dust Furniture, Ceiling Fan Blades and Light Fixtures.  Bleach grout.  Replace worn rugs.  Hang up fresh towels.  Clean and air out must smelling areas.

10. Scrutinize- Go outside and open your front door.  Stand there.  Do you want to go inside?  Does the house welcome you?  Linger in the doorway of every single room and imagine how your house will look to a buyer.  Make sure window coverings hang level. Tune into the room’s statement and its emotional pull.  Does it have impact and pizzazz?

11. Check Curb Appeal- If a buyer won’t get out of her agent’s car because she doesn’t like the exterior of your home, you will never get her inside.  Keep the sidewalks cleared.  Mow the lawn.  Paint faded window trim.  Plant yellow flowers (yellow evokes a buying motion).  Trim your bushes.  Make sure visitors can read your house numbers.

We hope that you find these tips helpful and find a buyer quickly so you can move into your dream home in an active adult community.