Top 5 Things You Need to Do When Selling Your Home

Cleaning up your act may seem like common sense when putting your home on the market, but many real estate agents will attest to the fact that numerous homes on the market miss the mark. In a brief (and decidedly unscientific) survey of a cross-section of our agents at The Garner Group, some common themes quickly emerged when it came to advice for home sellers. So, if you are selling your home, remember this practical advice for the top five things you can do to have good showings and, ultimately, sell your home!

Number Five:  Do the Repairs
If you know what home repairs need to be completed, do them before you list your home for sale.  If not, take the initiative and have a home inspection done on your dime. The inspector may find things you weren’t even aware of, and fixing them could help you close a sale when it comes right down to it.

Number Four: Curb Appeal
Clean up the outside. Curb appeal and first impressions are literally enough to make or break a sale. If buyers don’t like what they see when they first pull up, it is unlikely that they will even come inside, or – if they do make it inside – their minds will already be made up on the property.  And it won’t be in your favor.

Number Three: Price It Right
Listen to your agent – he or she is an expert in market values in your area. Do some research and market analysis on your own and you’ll have a good chance at landing on a fair price that will move your home quickly. Markets are always shifting and changing so having someone whose scrutinizes the real estate industry daily on your side is a big plus.

Number Two: Make it Smell Nice
Get a thorough cleaning by a professional before you list your home. This will give you a good starting point as you keep your home at “showable” quality throughout the sales process. If someone walks in a house that isn’t clean, or smells bad, it is an instant turnoff. Make sure there are no pet odors and that garbage has been taken out regularly. Our sense of smell affects every other sense in the body – including the desire to buy (or not buy) a home.

Number One: Clear the Clutter
Far and away, the number one piece of advice from experienced agents to home sellers: clean up your act. De-clutter, organize, get rid of your personal belongings – even if you have to rent a storage unit. Buyers want to envision the home with their own things inside of it, and that’s hard to do if a seller’s items are strewn all about. 

For more tips on Bend, Oregon real estate, visit us at The Garner Group Real Estate! 

MUSE Conference in Bend, Oregon: Proud Sponsor

We're always looking for meaningful ways to be involved in our community of Bend, Oregon, and that's why we're so excited about our second year of sponsorship for the MUSE Conference. This annual women's conference was designed to support and celebrate girls and women - inspiring them to create positive change in their lives and in the world. The Garner Group - and the whole community - is welcoming the conference back to Bend this March 7-9. 

Track the MUSE Conference on social media for all the latest updates - they are bringing in some amazing activists, artists, educators and visionaries. Just a few of the presenters on the three-day docket include: Zainab Salbi, the founder of Women for Women International; Amy Richards, co-founder of the Third Wave Foundation, a national organization for young feminist activists; and Lynne Twist, a recognized global visionary and author who once worked with Mother Teresa in Calcutta. 

So gather up your sisters, mothers, girlfriends, daughters and muses and make sure to attend this fantastic conference - a key example of the wonderful things we can bring into our community if we all work together. 

Congratulations to One Of Our Own! Bend, Oregon Girl Heads to the Big Apple

The Garner Group salutes Katie Wise, daughter of one of our own brokers Christina Wise, for a singular accomplishment. Katie, a proud Bend High School Lava Bear, was the only girl in Oregon chosen to perform with the Honors Choir in the 2014 High School Performance Series at Carnegie Hall.

The talented young soprano spent five days in New York City. She joined students from North America and abroad who rehearsed and performed with master conductors and performed before invited representatives of collegiate and professional music programs. High point of the week will be a concert by the Honors Choir at Carnegie Hall Feb. 9. New York sightseeing and Broadway musicals were also on the agenda.

Katie auditioned last fall for the Honors Performance Series and was accepted after a review by the Honors Selection Board. “Being selected to the Honors Performance Series is something each finalist should be extremely proud of accomplishing,”said Morgan Smith, program director. “We process thousands of applications annually, selecting only the most talented performers applying on an international level.”

Katie studies music with Angelina Anello-Dennee of Bend and is a member of the Vocal Ensemble and Bend Freshman Choir. She also is active in track, honors scholastics and Musical Impressions.

Congratulations Katie!