City of Pekin Home

Selling a Home

Preparing your home for sale is more than just planting a sign in the front yard.  You have to appeal to your buyer in order to get the best price for your home.  Below we’ve supplied you with a few tips that will enhance the sale of your home:

#1 Check Your Curb Appeal.

Make sure your home won’t get a simple drive by. Entice prospective buyers to get out of their car by keeping the sidewalks cleared, lawn mowed and bushes trimmed. Also be sure to paint any faded trim and that your house number is clearly visible from the street. Another tip to entice buyers is to plant a few flowers in front.  Yellow marigolds are a great option as they are relatively inexpensive and their color has been known to evoke a buying emotion.

#2 De-Personalize and De-Clutter

Pictures of your kids and family heirlooms are great ways to make your house feel like a home, but not when you’re trying to sell your house. You want buyers to picture themselves living there, not trying to figure out what kind of people live in the house. It's also important to pack up any "extras" you have lying around the house. This will help your space appear larger and give you a head-start on the packing process as well!

#3 Make Minor Repairs

Fixing a leaky faucet, replacing a cracked tile and light bulbs and giving your walls a fresh, neutral color of paint can go a long way toward increasing your property's appeal to buyers. Just a few dollars upfront may translate into thousands of dollars at closing.

#4 CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN!

Wash your windows, clean your carpet, bleach dingy grout, and give the outside of your home a good spray down with a pressure washer. Make your house shine so buyers don't get caught up with all the work they’ll need to do before moving in.

#5 Price Your House Right

Interview real estate agents to find out what they’ll do to sell your home. Also look at area comps to make sure your house is priced well for the market. Don't select your agent solely based on suggested sale price. Oftentimes, homes that are overpriced sell for less than market value.