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Realtor Tip of the Week | Think CLEAN

August 8, 2011 By Doug Francis

Annette Bening Real Estate American Beauty

Copyright Dreamworks - Permission Requested

If you are planning to sell your home anytime in the future then you should start cleaning right now. In the old days we used to say… give it a “white glove test” but most people under forty wouldn’t automatically understand that reference.

People want to buy clean homes!

It seems that many people miss this one point when they are putting their home in the market or feel that it is clean enough because “it’s gonna be cleaned when we move out”.

But here is my professional Realtor tip of the day… “clean enough” is too subjective. There is a classic scene in the movie American Beauty when Annette Bening, who plays the role of a real estate agent, scrubs down a house before her Sunday “open house” and gets a little of her frustration out of her system before becoming Realtor-charming again.

Although this movie scene always gets a laugh, anyone who is in the business knows that CLEAN sells.

Earlier this year I advised a client to clean up his 1950’s Vienna VA rambler, and it sold very quickly. When he first asked me about selling the home and I took a look at it, I knew that it had potential to sell if it was cleaned and painted. It took about $10,000 to get that place in shape but it got the result he was hoping for. And I get this type of question all the time from people who ask about selling their home which they may have lived in for decades.

Hey, this isn’t a Realtor tip just for Vienna or McLean VA homes!

A client inspired me today to write this post… because his 10 year-old town house really need that final cleaning before hitting the market. It is kind of like that final wipe-down that gets the dust, hair or marks off the wall. Often it is the newer homes that have the most dirt and dust around the edges, and it seems just as bad in homes priced at $300k or $1.2 million.

I often ask readers to switch hats for a minute, and now imagine that you are a home buyer looking at a dozen homes today. Aren’t you expecting to see homes that are in tip-top condition?

Mr Clean Magic Erasure Realtor TipHere is tip that a handy man gave me that has taken many marks off the walls, possibly ones in your house. Until you try the “Mr. CLEAN’s Magic Eraser” you aren’t going to believe that most of those marks on your walls really can disappear with this little white sponge that you picked up at Giant or Lowes for $3.47.

If you can think CLEAN before you put your home on the market for sale then you will have a much easier time finding a buyer for your home in a short amount of time. CLEAN pays for itself because it often involves only a little extra time, energy and care.

What do you use to take clean to the next level?

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Filed Under: Blog, Home Seller Tips Tagged With: Home Seller Tips, real estate, Vienna Virginia

About Doug Francis

A Realtor specializing in unique and new homes around Vienna, Virginia, Doug started writing a first-hand blog about his everyday real estate experiences a decade ago. In depth, helpful and fun has always been the objective. Outside real estate, he was profiled in a commercial for Verisign's "Where the World Clicks" campaign, and was quoted in Money Magazine's Best Places to Live article on Vienna. He's a Boston University graduate who feels morning coffee is non-negotiable.

Helping my clients add value to their home has always been important to me. My step-by-step recommendations are intended to increase market appeal, return more then invested, and help net more when selling.

Beyond just sellers, I have helped many new homeowners make smart design decisions when remodeling. We gutted our house and totally remodeled it, and I pass that experience along because living in a nice house is simply better.

My background… I’ve been an active licensed agent in Virginia for 25 years, work at TTR Sotheby’s International Realty in McLean, and sell homes in all price ranges. I donate to the Town of Vienna tree replacement fund, participate in a neighborhood citizens association, and try my best to stay in shape.

Questions? Email doug@dougfrancis.com or call me at (703) 304-6827 to discuss your plans. Cheers!

Filmed in Vienna and McLean

https://youtu.be/ClqEIV1zoQg
Viva Vienna Vienna Idol event on the Town Green sponsored by Caffe Amouri

The Vienna Town Green

The Town Green in Vienna, Virginia is located where Maple Avenue intersects the W&OD Bike Trail and Mill Street. The Town

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About Doug Francis

I am a Realtor with TTR Sotheby's International Realty® just outside Washington D.C. in Northern Virginia. I have been a full-time Realtor licensed in Virginia since 1991, and cover a big territory specializing in the Vienna real estate market and custom homes for sale.

I have unique knowledge of digital real estate marketing, and my marketing starts here. My clients have been attracted to my results-oriented strategy for years, and I am accepting new clients for Fall 2022 right now.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to contact me at 703-304-6827 or email me at doug@dougfrancis.com anytime!

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TTR Sotheby's International Realty
6723 Whittier Avenue McLean, VA 22101

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