The
ad
looks
too
good
to
be
true
-- a
home
with
all
the
prerequisites
you
want
is
on
the
market
in a
fabulous
neighborhood.
The
community
is
near
work,
the
schools
are
great,
there
are
lots
of
activities
nearby
--
and
the
asking
price
is
competitive.
When
the
prospective
buyers
approach
the
newly
listed
home,
hopes
plummet
--
the
place
is
vacant.
Unfortunately,
a
home
which
is
merely
"lived-in"
when
furnished
and
occupied
may
look
bare
and
blemished
when
empty.
But
the
good
news
is
that
selling
a
vacant
home
isn't
an
impossible
task,
especially
if
you
follow
these
pointers:
Remember
first
impressions.
Regardless
of
whether
your
home
is
vacant
or
not,
its
appeal
from
the
street
is
crucial
in
making
a
positive
impact
with
potential
buyers.
Paint
or
fix
up
the
front
entrance
as
required.
If
you
have
a
lawn,
keep
it
mowed.
Hire
a
neighborhood
teen
or
local
landscape
service
to
keep
it
maintained.
If
you
have
an
automated
irrigation
or
sprinkler
system,
you'll
want
to
leave
it
on,
or
ask
a
neighbor
to
water
for
you.
This
is
especially
crucial
in
regions
with
scorching
summers.
If
your
house
is
on
the
market
in
fall,
be
sure
you
or
someone
you
hire
keeps
leaves
cleaned
up.
Likewise,
if
it's
winter
and
you
live
in a
snowy
area,
be
sure
driveways
and
entrances
are
cleared.
Spruce
up
landscaping
before
you
leave.
Plant
some
new
shrubs,
lay
down
some
fresh
ground
cover,
or
brighten
it
up
with
some
colorful
annuals.
Go
through
every
room
of
your
house,
paintbrush
in
hand,
and
touch
up
any
walls
that
have
been
scuffed
or
marked
up.
After
moving
furniture
out,
you're
sure
to
find
a
slew
of
such
marks.
|
 |
|
|
Walls
painted
in
bold,
bright
colors
are
wonderful
attention-getters
when
complemented
by
furniture,
rugs,
and
accessories.
However,
in
an
empty
room,
these
bold
colors
may
put
buyers
off.
You
may
want
to
consider
painting
neutral
colors
throughout
the
house
before
you
sell.
Get
carpets
professionally
cleaned
once
everything
is
moved
out.
If
the
floors
aren't
taken
care
of,
the
prospective
home
buyer
may
wonder
what
else
isn't?
Clean
your
house
thoroughly
in
every
nook
and
cranny
--
including
windows
and
fireplaces
--
before
you
let
potential
buyers
look
at
it.
If
at
all
possible,
try
to
leave
some
furniture
in
the
house.
This
will
give
prospective
buyers
a
sense
of
size
and
proportion
--
and
a
place
to
sit
down.
Empty
rooms
tend
to
look
smaller
than
they
actually
are.
Don't
set
your
deserted
house
up
for
potential
break-ins.
You
may
want
to
invest
in
exterior
sensor
lights
that
automatically
turn
on
when
it
gets
dark
and
turn
off
at
sunrise.
Make
sure
you
cancel
your
newspaper
subscription
and
forward
your
mail.
If
you
have
a
security
alarm,
use
it
--
just
be
sure
you
leave
your
entrance
code
with
your
real
estate
broker.
Be
sure
you
review
the
provisions
of
your
homeowners
insurance.
Many
companies
have
a
cap
on
how
long
coverage
will
last
while
the
property
is
vacant.
As
you
prepare
a
vacant
home
for
sale,
also
consider
this
idea:
Some
buyers
like
the
flexibility
that
comes
with
buying
a
vacant
house.
They
can
move
in
as
soon
or
as
late
as
they'd
like,
and
they
don't
have
to
worry
about
floors
getting
soiled
and
walls
getting
banged
up
when
you
move
out.
|
