Selling a home in the Atlanta Area

Never has Atlanta residential real estate been so complicated. Today, it takes much more than a "For Sale" sign and a classified ad to sell property quickly--and at a rewarding price.

CUT TIME & BOOST VALUE
That's why Dan Kelch is so important to your home sale success.
His 16 years of experience, market knowledge, and bargaining and negotiating skills can not only cut the time it takes to sell, but assure you of walking away with more money in your pocket as well.

PREPARE FOR SALE
"To attract as many qualifying buyers as possible," Dan says, "it's important to present your property in the best possible light. By PREPARING it for sale. So look at your home as though YOU were the prospective buyer. If it doesn't look as clean, appealing, uncluttered and well maintained as possible--get busy!"

HOME-FREE CHECKLIST
It's hard to remember everything as you get your home dressed up for buyers' inspections, but with Dan Kelch's time-tested "check list," you should be home free! If you have a computer and printer, produce a hard copy of this page for constant reference. If not, email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and he'll send you a copy FREE OF CHARGE.

MASTER BEDROOMS
	This is the second most important-to-be-appealing room in a home (after the kitchen, before the family room and garage). Define areas: sleeping, dressing, and sitting by furniture arrangement. Try to have bedroom look as simply furnished as possible. Be sure all clothes are hanging up, not laying out in the room. Make closets more appealing by storing off-season clothes somewhere else. Go ahead and pack them up since you're moving anyway!
KITCHEN	Professionally clean oven and stove. Replace broken appliances and repair squeaks, drips or binds in cabinet drawers. Clean all appliances inside and out until they are spotless. Wax and polish floors. Discard old food and leftovers from refrigerator. Clean refrigerator front of messages, pictures, and magnets. Clear all magazines, small appliances, and cookware from countertops. If an item hasn't been used for months...put it away!
DINING ROOM	Use bright light bulbs in foyer light fixture. Turn on all lights in home in the evening to welcome potential buyers. Fill the house with the pleasant aroma of cinnamon or other fresh scent. Spotlessly clean woodwork, carpeting and windows throughout the house. Clear window ledges of all objects to give a nice glimpse inside and out. Repaint walls if necessary in neutral color such as antique white.
GARAGE	The perfect garage contains only cars. But if this is not possible, clean up, fix up, sell or toss out unneeded items. (This may be your only opportunity!) Clean and seal cement floors. Neatly stack tools and clean up work bench and tidy up storage shelf areas.
BASEMENT	A finished basement is great! Just follow the same guidelines given for preparing the family room. If unfinished, make sure concrete floor is well swept and clean. Clean water heater, change filters, and put strong light bulbs in fixtures.
CHILDREN'S BEDROOMS	Here's a challenge: ask children and teenagers to help by thoroughly cleaning up their rooms; removing all their posters and questionable photographs. Low lighting and clutter make bedrooms look smaller or darker than they are. Patch and paint walls as necessary. Open curtains, shades, and blinds.
LIVING ROOM	Discard worn furniture and move extra to storage area. Too much furniture makes rooms look small. Visit a model home to get decorating ideas. Clear away all magazines, books and unnecessary objects from furniture throughout the house. Take down pictures that hide walls. Patch nail holes and paint. Add lamps and lighting, if dark. Open curtains. Set out fresh flowers.
BATHROOMS	Remove all unnecessary items from countertops, tub and commode. put as much away as possible and make each bathroom look like a "guest bathroom." Sink, commode, bathtub, tile and shower curtain should look immaculate. No soap film or hair. Fix leaky faucets, rust stains, and faulty plumbing that may squeak or bind. Caulk and grout tile. Bleach discolored grout. Replace or remove any wallpaper that isn't "conservative." Coordinate towels to one or two colors only. Place softer bulbs in bathroom fixtures.
OUTSIDE	Mow the lawn, trim trees and shrubs away from the house. You can't sell a house if you can't see it. Rake leaves, remove dead plants, flowers or shrubs. Put away tools, garbage cans, hoses, toys and building materials neatly in the garage. Check for broken roof shingles, straight lines on gutters, shutters, windows and siding. Clean windows and front door. Paint if needed. Seal or resurface driveway. Clear patios or decks of planters, flower pots, charcoal, barbecues. In the front yard, dress up around shrubs and lamp post with large quartz stones, railroad ties and pine bark mulch, etc.
FAMILY ROOM	Clean fireplace. Replace carpet if it is a loud color (neutral colors are best). Remove all magazines, books, toys, and worn furnishings that might influence a buyer's feeling about the room. Create an easy-going, relaxed atmosphere in your family room. This is where most families spend their time, so make it look good!