Keep Your Alexandria Home Safe for You and Potential Buyers
Posted by David Zadareky on Friday, June 24th, 2011 at 11:02pm.
As I discussed in the previous blog, "Getting Your Alexandria House Into Selling Condition," most sellers don’t realize the work needed to entice prospective buyers in our Alexandria area. Often forgotten is making your home safe as well as presentable to buyers. These tips can help you avoid liability if someone gets hurt viewing your property.
To start, do an evaluation assessment of the outside property. Are the steps to the entrance of the home flawless and not cracked? If steps are loose, fix them; if slippery, put down rubber mats. Block off any potentially dangerous yard areas and be sure you’ve childproofed decks and pools.
On the inside, cover any exposed wires and replace any fixture or wiring that’s unsafe. Move long electrical cords or phone cords out of the way and take up slippery throw rugs to prevent a tripping hazard. Fix or replace any wall-to-wall carpet that’s loose and pick up clutter. Handrails should be secure for those adults who need to use them for additional stability.
Some buyers bring their children to a showing, so be sure to lock up medicines, cleaning supplies, or household chemicals. Pets should be in an enclosure where they can’t run up and greet visitors, particularly kids.
The other side of the coin is ensuring that you and your possessions are also safe during a showing. Sadly, there are unscrupulous people who will want to see your Alexandria home to steal from you right then or to scope out the house so they can break in and steal from you later. Here are a few precautions you can take.
- Don’t display valuables. Keep them locked away.
- Lock up money, credit cards and checkbooks.
- Keep all high-priced (and highly desired) medications locked in a separate cabinet.
- Remove expensive clothing from closets.
- Have all guests sign a register. It might make a thief think again about robbing you.
- Don’t discuss your personal habits or schedule with visitors.
- Escort the potential buyers around or at least keep them in sight at all times.
- Have friends or relatives keep you company during the showing, or consider hiring a private security guard.
Following these suggestions will make your home more attractive and inviting to the prospective buyer(s), keep it safer for you and your belongings, and ultimately make selling your home a successful endeavor.
Along with these steps, the right Realtor® can make the sale happen. If you’re in the market to make a move in Northern Virginia, you owe it to yourself to work with an exceptional real estate team committed to Going Beyond Your Expectations. That team is RE/MAX Evolution & David Zadareky.
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