Preparing my home for sale in Florence Park AND am I a difficult Seller for THIS Realtor to work with?
Those that follow my blog know that I’m preparing my home for sale in Florence Park. My husband laughed today, “You need to blog about this - I think you’re being a difficult Seller!” He’s funny -ha ha.
- Buff the hardwoods or completely refinish them?
- Spend a thousand dollars on new light fixtures, ceiling fans and door knobs, but skip painting the closet interiors?
- What to do about the patio that didn’t fare well through our last snow/ice storm?
I did learn a cool trick from my preferred home stager, Peggy Givens, owner of Staging Tulsa. I have a perfectly beautiful glass storm door that I purchased ten years ago and we’re unable to locate a handle to replace the worn brass handle. Peggy’s solution? “Remove the hardware, go over it with fine steel wool, clean it, then paint it with rubbed bronze metal paint.” Whodda thunk. It looks beautiful. I decided to paint the old, worn brass mailbox and return the new one I already purchased. [Please note home Sellers that THIS Realtor would NEVER think of selling her own home without the services of a professional home stager.]
After spending the last seven years in real estate, of course I have access to the best vendors . . . you can find them listed on my “Preferred Vendor list" always available on my web site as a resource for my community and clients. Jane Halliwell of Prime Painting & Restoration was the obvious choice to do all my painting.
Of course, Gil DeLozier will refinish my hardwoods - his family has been restoring hardwood floors in the finest homes of midtown Tulsa for almost 100 years. Local arborist, Greg Cole trimmed my trees. My life-saver and repair specialist, Gary Ellis, will do all the odd-jobs that nobody else wants to do - and he’ll do them as if my home were his home. Of course, I have my fav plumbers, electricians, etc. to install the new sink, new range, new shower head and lighting fixtures.
I will have Atkinson’s pre-inspect my home and will purchase an American Home Shiel
d (AHS) residential service agreement (home warranty) for the new owner’s comfort and protection. Roof bidding is still going on if you want in on that!
Lastly, my fav Lender: Juliana James-Thomas, 1st Capital Mortgage is going to provide mortgage payment information on the back of my flyers - this woman is the sharpest Lender I’ve met - years in the business and she has a heart of GOLD.
Preparing my home for sale in Florence Park
Several neighbors have noticed that my renters have moved and see that I’m preparing my home for sale in Florence Park - of course they have suggestions. I will definitely call on my neighbor Harriet for landscaping suggestions. Pat has suggestions about the shutters. Carol and Arleta will have suggestions about SOMETHING.
Nice to know I’m not selling my dream home alone - it’s my neighbors, my friends, cooperating REALTORS, my dear vendors and my family - we’re all preparing my home for sale in Florence Park together. What a great team!!
Oh, and I’ll be posting photos as soon as it’s ready. Honestly, you will WANT to buy it! Did I mention that I have a 2-car garage AND an inside utility?
Lori is a residential Realtor with Chinowth & Cohen Realtors serving the greater Tulsa area, including midtown Tulsa, downtown Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Owasso, Bixby, Sand Spring and Jenks, Oklahoma. Please visit Lori’s web site, LoriCain.com or call 918-852-5036.
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Please visit my web site if you are shopping for Tulsa homes for sale in Midtown Tulsa OK or call 918-852-5036 if you need more information about Midtown Tulsa Real Estate.
In addition to my advanced grasp of the internet to market your Tulsa home for sale, I include a home staging consultation with every listing AND professional photography - at no aditional cost to you!
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Lori is a residential Realtor with Chinowth & Cohen Realtors serving the greater Tulsa area and specializing in downtown Tulsa and midtown Tulsa real estate.
Hi Lori ~ You're doing everything RIGHT to get your home sold quickly by assembling such a great team. Good luck and we can't wait to see photos!
Thanks Maureen! I took my camera to the house with me today, but got so busy working on improvements that I forget to take photos! Duh! Photos coming soon!!!
Love to see the photos.....painting outdated hardware is a great solution. I spray painted my AC vent covers to an Oil Rubbed Bronze finish....they look terrific and I saved a lot of money too!!!
Lori, I wish I were the Realtor listing your home. You are doing everything possible to make sure that your home stands out among the competition, and I bet you'll get lots of activity. I don't know why you added the subtitle "Am I a Difficult Seller for this Realtor to work with?" I don't see anything difficult in your actions at all - I would just remove that phrase!
BYW, I flagged your post for a feature, because I think it has a lot of good information. Great post! You really incorporated everything we learned in our webinar last week!
Kathy - that tip saved me a LOT of money and it looks great!
Thank you, Melissa!!! The 2nd part of the title is my husband making fun of me for wanting to skimp in some areas after spending so much time/money in other areas. When I list homes, I give my Sellers a long "to do" list, and he asked me if my new motto would be "Do as I say - Not as I do."
I'm running by the house before my continuing ed class today, so promise to post some photos tonight!
I must say Lori, you're a home seller's marketing dream! When you sell a house, you SELL a house.
It's Realtors like you who make me look good. When the house sells fast, it keeps my home staging stats high.
This house will sell fast because you are doing EVERYTHING on your Realtor's list, plus what's on your stagers improvement list (me). Thanks Lori.
Peggy
Peggy, I can't wait to see it all come together. Did you take any "before" photos? I'm going to try to swing by before my continuing ed class today. Can't wait to see it STAGED!
Lori, It's important to have a good team of inspectors, stagers, handyman etc. Like I often tell my first time homebuyers, I'm the hub of the wagon wheel and my lenders, closers, painter are the spokes. It takes all of us working together to move ahead as one!
Rich - it's teamwork, indeed, that makes this all work. My "preferred vendors" have helped keep transactions together that would have otherwise failed. I like your analogy of the wheel and spokes!
Hi Lori! OH, how I wish you were a seller here and would allow me to list your home--you're not difficult, you're ONE SMART SELLER! Best of luck!
Debe - thanks for your vote of confidence. Let's hope I don't price my home too high! :-)
Lori,
Is this a rent home or the home that you live in? It would be so difficult for me to turn over the home that I live in to someone else to market... you are doing the right thing!
Judi - I bought this house in 1998 - it was my dream home. I married in 2005 and moved to my husband's home, so have rented this out since. Now, I'm selling it.
I AM going to list the house. My husband simply kids me because since I am the Realtor AND the Seller, I've had some interesting conversations with myself. :-)
So anxious to get to meet you at RainCamp in Dallas next month!! WOO-HOOO!!
Judi - I bought this house in 1998 - it was my dream home. I married in 2005 and moved to my husband's home, so have rented this out since. Now, I'm selling it.
I AM going to list the house. My husband simply kids me because since I am the Realtor AND the Seller, I've had some interesting conversations with myself. :-)
So anxious to get to meet you at RainCamp in Dallas next month!! WOO-HOOO!!
Lori, This is a great post! Any sale that has involved Claude and I as the "sellers" brings home the reality of what we do for our clients, and how our clients work with us...this includes the lending and closing process as well. You'd think being in the business, this would be just a point and shoot situation!
Jane, it's actually a humbling experience and one I hope Listing Realtors experience from time to time. I am pretty inflexible with my Sellers, so it's been interesting to see the choices I make as I choose my investments. Will keep you all updated! I'm sure I'll be posting a pretty spectacular listing post when it's ready!
And thanks for sharing your LP with me via the other Jane!
Lori, as everyone commented about, you are a dream seller. You may think you are being difficult because you want to get everything right. Not the norm. I'm with Debe. I wish I were selling your house.
LA Jane - it would be tough to choose between you, Jane Cross, Rich, Melissa, Judi and Debe!
But I will send you all referrals when able!!
Um, I will give you a 50% referral fee!!!!!
Never heard of that paint. I'd love to have you post a photo of the finished handle Lori.
Jane - a simple manicure/pedicure will do -- of course, the salon of my choice is out of state. :-)
Tammy - will definitely get info off can and send to you - worked miracles!
Will you all be at RainCamp in Dallas?
Lori--Love reading your posts and this one tops the list so far. Good luck getting your house ready to list.
How did you fare during the recent snow storm? I kept thinking of you every time the weather channel mentioned OK. Be safe and think Spring!
Mary, it's darn cold in Tulsa. Not the worse ice storm we've had though. I actually showed a house Friday and got out in the snow/ice today. Am showing a house tomorrow. Driving is not too bad because 90% of people are staying home. :-)
Glad you liked the post. Hope to be posting the actual listing soon, but the weather is postponing the new roof and some carpentry work. Thanks for stopping by!!