Cosmetic Changes

When a home goes on the market, it should look great. Often there are improvements that must be made before a house is ready to show well. When you are preparing to list your home, it is strongly recommended that you go through each room with a critical eye.

What are you looking for? Start with the ceiling, and look for any cracks or water stains, then inspect the condition of the paint and wallpaper. Make sure that the windows are clean and window treatments are attractive. All of the closets and storage spaces should be neat and organized (a cluttered closet looks smaller!). If the rooms seem crowded with too much furniture, you can create a more spacious look by storing your "overflow".

A well-maintained house tends to sell much more quickly than one where buyers must use a lot of imagination to see it in a positive light. The condition of your house will help to determine the selling price. The better the house looks, the better your chances of selling it at the best price. A real estate agent can help you by recommending the repairs and cleaning that will increase your home's marketability.

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Real Estate Tips

Disclosure Laws >Disclaimer Clauses

Before the professional inspects the home that you are buying, you will be asked to sign an acknowledgment of the scope of the inspection. This document will probably include a disclaimer clause designed to relieve the company of responsibility if they should miss a defect. What happens if a defect is missed during an inspection?

The disclaimer clause may get the inspection company off the hook for a defect if there is no visual indication of a problem. If the inspector clearly indicated that he was not checking for that problem--many inspectors do not check for dry rot or inspect roofs--then the recourse will be limited. If negligence is involved, or if the defect should have been obvious to a professional inspector, the disclaimer is not likely to protect the inspector. If you find an undiscovered defect, discuss the matter with the inspector. Depending on the situation, the responsibility for remedying the problem may rest with you, the sellers, and/or the inspector.

	See All Tips In The "Disclosure Laws" Category >
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Real Estate Trivia

Q	What is considered to be one of the soundest long-term investments?
A	Real estate has a long-term record of strong investment return and is a driving force of the national economy.
See More Real Estate Trivia >

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Jim Lark Latter and Blum 1151 N. Causeway Blvd. Mandeville, LA 70471 985-626-9920 Fax: 985-626-4112 jlark@airmail.net mglass@stirlingprop.com Helping Families Find Homes and Homes Find Families. www.jimlarkproperties.com is brought to you by Jim Lark, real estate for Mandeville, Covington and Madisonville, Louisiana Read Jim Lark's Privacy Guarantee, Terms of Service, and Free & Without Obligation Pledge

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