THIS ISSUE: Coupons! / Winter Curb Appeal / Inexpensive Improvements ARCHIVES: www.privatelist.com/newsletter.htm COUPONS! Testing is virtually complete for new programming which will allow us to display COUPONS from firms providing services related to your private sale or purchase! For an illustration of how easily you’ll be able to access genuine savings on appraisals, home inspections, moving charges, legal services and so on, just click the “COUPON SAVINGS!” link on this sample listings page. We’ve recently begun contacting likely participants and soliciting their offers; if you know of any firm that might be interested in promoting their service to the thousands of visitors PrivateList attracts each month, let us know and we’ll do the follow-up! WINTER CURB APPEAL A pristine blanket of pure white can be a more attractive setting for your home than the still-barren trees and winter debris that characterizes March. And every year, some buyers - anticipating higher prices during the spring rush - begin house-cruising as early as the second week in January. So if your house is currently on the market, keep your walks cleared - front and back. It’s not just a matter of curb appeal - it may save you from litigation! Make sure your for sale sign is not submerged in the white stuff, either. Go easy when the snow is heavy, bend your knees and take a tip from weight-lifters: don’t hold your breath while you’re lifting (which can send your blood pressure through the roof). INEXPENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS Now is the time that many homeowners start drawing up lists of improvements to make to their properties in preparation for the spring selling season. If you’re in that situation, be careful to distinguish between repairs (your first priority, though one for which you should not expect to be reimbursed), renovations (best avoided just prior to selling: better to let the purchasers decide what to upgrade and when) and improvements (small items which won’t cost too much but which will contribute a lot to the immediate appeal of the house). Here are some examples of the latter category. Most cost less than $100 if you shop around, and some you can take with you once you sell:
Of course, these items go hand-in-hand with a thorough cleaning and uncluttering of the house: for more on that topic, see the first article in our Timely Tips section. FRIENDLY REMINDERS . . . Are the thousands of dollars you'll save by selling privately worth, say, an hour each week-end, spent reviewing your progress to date and mapping out your continuing campaign? It's important to maintain an active marketing focus until your property is sold. Therefore, each e-mail version of this newsletter ends with a series of reminders, tips and tools that lead to a sale! To access these resources, press here.
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