How to Sell Your Home When Living with Pets

To my surprise, not everyone loves dogs and cats, and over the years of selling houses in the Northeast Ohio area, I’ve learned that our beloved pets can be a complete turn off to people looking to buy a house. So, when our pet lovin’ clients are ready to sell their house, we have them take some extra steps to make sure the house is appealing to a home buyer.

• Scoop the poop from the yard.

• Clean out the litter box. 

• When possible, take the animals with you during showing times. 

• And, take their dishes too (sometimes just the site of animal items will invoke ‘the house smells of ‘ and send a buyer running) 

• Have the house professionally cleaned and deodorized (we once had to have our client repaint their family room because their dog would lay and rub against the walls and leave an oily film on the wall causing a dog odor). 

• Have a friend who would tell you the truth and that has a great nose, come over for a sniff test. 

• Vacuum daily to pick up the pet hair. 

• Have the carpets cleaned 

• Whatever you do, Don’t use one of those plugins, or the like to try to cover up pet smells, it really turns a buyer off. We’ve had some buyers refuse to look around a house because the smell is sickening. 

• For stubborn pet odors, we have purchased an ionizer for our clients to use. 

• Don’t leave your pets in a specific room where people can’t get in to see it. More times than I can count, homeowners have left their pets in the laundry room, garage, bedroom, basement, with a note stating not to open the door, which means a Mayfield Heights OH home buyer cannot see in the room, leaving the room to their imagination (and that is just not good, turns out, most buyers will think the worst and turn away from the house). 

• If you cannot take your pets with you during showing times, crate your pets so your potential home buyer can see in every room.

• Odors of any kind have a negative impact on people, and pet odors are at the top of the list of why a home buyer won’t buy a Mayfield Heights house.
  Getting your house sold often involves eliminating the roadblocks that will keep a person from buying. Keep in mind your house has only one time to be a new listing, and one chance of making a great 1st impression, so take your time in getting the house ready for sale. Doing so will pay off for you in the long run, both monetarily and in the time it takes to sell the house.
  With me as your Mayfield Heights OH real estate agent, you can have expert guidance you can count on. Find out how I can help you, call me, Christine Pappas, at 216-956-7635 today!
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• In case you can not view this video here, please click the link below to view How to Sell Your Home When Living with Pets on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/_lYAGtZn3EA

Must Know! Kitchen Upgrades Which Don't Pay Off

Planning to improve your kitchen?

An impressive kitchen is among the must-have features for many buyers. The kitchen is the heart of the home and is one of the favorite gathering places for family and friends.

If you are looking to sell your Mayfield Heights home soon or sometime in the future, you’ve probably considered kitchen renovations. Not only will it boost your home’s resale value, it also makes your home highly appealing to buyers so it will sell fast.

Or so you thought.

Not all kitchen improvements are equal and can increase your home’s ROI. In fact, some upgrades can hurt your home’s value.

Kitchen upgrades to avoid

Here are five kitchen improvements you should never include on your upgrade list.

1. Major kitchen renovation. Unless your kitchen is severely outdated and all the appliances are broken, there is no reason to turn it all upside down and replace everything. You don’t need a major renovation. Some simple upgrades will do.

A major improvement will set you back at $62,158. It’s ROI? 65.3% according to remodeling.hw.net. On the other hand, a minor kitchen facelift will cost you $20,830. It’s return is 80.2%.

A kitchen facelift has a higher return that a complete makeover.

2. All high-end appliances. You’ve probably seen Flip or Flop episodes where old appliances are thrown out and replaced with expensive, high-end ones. Don’t think you need to do the same for your kitchen.

If yours are still working fine and are just a few years old, keep it. Appliances have life expectancies. The dishwasher last for nine years, the refrigerator for 13 years, the microwave oven for nine years, etc.

If you are to replace appliances, choose energy efficient ones. Buyers love them because they can lower energy cost in the long run.

3. Inconvenient islands. A kitchen island is great because it offers much potential for efficiency, function, and storage. It adds countertop space. It is also a beautiful place to entertain friends. And it boosts a home’s value.

But if the island crowds the the workspace and hinders rather than improves the flow of movement, you don’t need to install one. Opt for a breakfast bar instead.

4. Marble countertops. Marble is fashionable and beautiful, but you don’t necessarily need one for your kitchen’s counter.

For one, it is high maintenance. Spills of wine and other colored liquids can quickly seep through the rock. It is also prone to scratches.

If you hate seeing stains and scratches on your counter, marble is not a good choice. It is also expensive. A high-end marble countertop may raise your home’s value several thousands above the average listing price in your neighborhood, which will definitely affect the home’s selling price and stay on the market.

5. Fun and quirky kitchen style. While your quirky kitchen reflects your fun personality, it may not necessarily be suited to the taste and style of the buyer. If you are to give your kitchen a facelift, choose to go for a classic and timeless appeal. Think of kitchen showrooms you see on television.

When you are improving your kitchen for resale, remember that your improvement cost should only be within a specific range. If the price of your Mayfield Heights home for sale increases, you’ll lose potential buyers.

Keep in mind that the kitchen should be done to suit the buyer’s taste and not your preference.

Are you selling your home? Call or text me, Christine Pappas, at 216-956-7635. Allow my skills and experiences to work for your real estate needs.

In case you can not view this video here, please click the link below to view Must Know! Kitchen Upgrades Which Don't Pay Off on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/j0EWrkaaWE4