Preparing The Bahamas Home For Sale
If you are thinking about selling or perhaps
are already well into the process of listing your home for
sale, you have no doubt seen many articles like this one.
Getting
ready to sell in the Bahamas is just a little different,
especially if your home is on one of the Family Islands.
Along with the beautiful weather and ideal
climate conditions of the Bahamas, come new tasks for the
home owner, quite unlike other areas. It is important to
address
these
differences,
not just for your own purposes. Like most people, you will
likely want to confidently deliver
a home
in
good
condition
to the people
moving into your home after their purchase.
First, you may have a trusted caretaker/gardener
and maid. They should be brought into the sales program early
on. They have served you well. Once they are informed they
will likely be quite motivated to assist. Actively
enlist them in the
process. Your staff will serve to offer continuity, something
quite valuable to the new owner. If you ensure your staff
they will receive the highest recommendation from you, your
transition from owner to seller will be much smoother.
Also important - draw your inventory
list early, then make your staff aware of the contents that
you
will be
including
with the sale. In this way they will know that everything
that you intend to pass over is well-documented.
Next, make a list of everything that you
want to repair, touch up or replace. As you walk around your
entire house
and yard, try to see things with a fresh eye. Put
yourself
in the shoes of someone seeing your home for the first time.
If your staff or others will be working
to help you make the repairs, create a schedule and discuss
it so
that
the goals you have
set
are reasonable and can realistically be achieved.
When you are looking in your gardens, try
to avoid considering drastic prunings that will take a while
to regrow. It is more advisable to simply trim your existing
gardens,
and leave new gardening ideas to your next home.
Some of the other tasks you can put on
the list include:
1. Get rid of clutter
That magazine collection
taking up two rows of shelf space until you get around
to reading them could just as well go to the local library
or
school. The back shelves of the pantry were a great place
for all those things that you don't use every day. Now
is the time to remind yourself you haven't used the items
since you put them there.
If you have a shop or garden storage shed,
attack them with a vengeance. Make the spaces look organized
and get rid of any items that are taking up needless space
and creating eyesores. Hang up the tools and park any equipment
straight and orderly. Make sure that the light is good.
If you have been piling plant material,
haul it away and repair the scar left on the ground with
a quick planting of whatever the surrounding vegetation is,
or consider creating a new bed. 2.
Work on the Features
If you have beach
or waterfront, now is the time to remember why you loved
your
place when
you
bought it. Make the beach area sparkle, and get into the
habit of keeping seaweed and other "gifts" from the sea
off the sand.
If your dock is featured, make sure that
all surfaces are clear and in good repair. In any repair,
remember to give good visual appearance high
importance.
For the spectacular kitchen, make sure
that the lighting is all functional, and that the wattage
of the bulbs is flattering to the look. Too much light, and
the space will look stark. Too little and it will seem uninviting. 3.
Re-discover what it is about your property that creates
the first impression
If your approach is a spectacular
driveway lined with beautiful trees, make sure that the beds
are weed-free, and that the borders are neat and tidy. Check
the road surface for damage or cracking, and think about
repairing
it.
If your home has a stunning entrance, look
at the paint and masonry to see that it is in good shape.
Nothing will mar the first impression like a masonry crack,
rust stains, or chipped paint.
4. Thoroughly check everything
that will be included, repairing or replacing to bring
the item
to top shape
If you are throwing in the boat or some
other articles, make sure that they are in good enough shape
not to be perceived as a white elephant. In many
ways, prospective buyers place weight on the extras included
with
the home.
If they seem like a good bonus, it may help you over something
that
is
a little
more difficult in your offer.
5. Set up a watering program for
your landscaping
Nothing sets the tone for a Bahamas home
like a rich array of tropical plants. Make sure they are
healthy and lush. If you have some holes in the landscaping,
consider
planting.
6. Clean, Clean, Clean
That black mold at the corner of the deck
that you have grown to accept as part of island life should
be bleached and
removed. If your door handles and hinges have corroded in
the salt air, replace them. (do your new owner a favor, and
up the grade of hardware)
If the air conditioner covers have rusted
a little, some rust remover and spray paint will help.
If you have ceramic tile floors, check
the grout. Is it clean and complete? If
not, consider rejuvenating, it's not hard and completely
freshens a tile surface to a like-new state. Any broken tiles?
Replace them when regrouting.
7. Set up a maintenance check and
lubrication effort
Make sure that window operators are free
of dirt and rust, and get them operating smoothly with WD40
or white lube. If hinges squeak, oil them and wipe off the
surplus oil. Open and close every door and window, and check
the action. If they are stiff or make noise, it is time to
address their need for free movement.
8. Go through the water supply
system and rain drainage Make
sure that pumping and pressure equipment is clean and
that cords, lines and pipes are well-dressed.
Check the area around downspouts for water and mold stains,
and clean. Then seal to eliminate the problem.
9. Check the
roof and crawl spaces
Go over the shingles or tiles, checking
for aged materials, damage and potential leaks. If you have
an attic or crawl spaces, take a flashlight and look for
signs of water penetration. Odor is a sure sign of leakage,
as
is
any mold
formation. If the crawl spaces are accessible, make sure
that they are clean and free of clutter or other stored items.
10. Take pictures
If you have a digital camera, take lots
of pictures of your house, the exterior and the interiors.
Then study them. Seeing them on your computer or television
screen
will
be much like how a new person will see your home. You will
notice things that you would never see just by walking through.
As
a last point,
let's go back to the importance of full involvement in
the selling preparations by your house staff, caretaker
or property
manager. It would be wise to make sure
that they
understand
the standard to which you want
your
home
maintained
during
the showing period. If you will not be accessible during
the showings, it will be very important for them to be
able to keep your home appearing attractive and desirable.
When
you are all done, make sure that you invite your estate
agent over for a look. As professionals, they will be able
to offer comments on the fine points of
your
home's
attractiveness,
and point out items that you may
not see.
As a well-prepared seller, your best
approach will be to miss nothing important to the eye of
a buyer. Let the beauty of the Bahamas, and of a well-prepared
home, be your best advantages as you sell. |
