Before Putting Your House on the Market

Here are a few simple things you can do to make the sales process move quicker and easier.

Consider a pre-sale home inspection. An inspector will be able to give you a good indication of the trouble areas that will stand out to potential buyers, and you’ll be able to make repairs before open houses begin.

Organize and clean. Pare down clutter and pack up your least-used items, such as large blenders and other kitchen tools, out-of-season clothes, toys, and seasonal items. Store items off-site or in boxes neatly arranged in the garage or basement. Clean the windows, carpets, walls, lighting fixtures, and baseboards to make the house shine.

Get replacement estimates. Do you have big-ticket items that will need to be replaced soon? Find out how much it will cost to repair an older roof or replace worn carpeting, even if you don’t plan to do so. The figures will help buyers determine if they can afford the home, and they’ll be handy when negotiations begin.

Locate warranties. Gather up the warranties, guarantees, and user manuals for the furnace, washer/dryer, dishwasher, and any other items that will remain with the house. It may seem like this task can be left until closing, but you don’t want lost paperwork or last-minute scrambling to cause the deal to fall through.

Spruce up the curb appeal. Walk out to the front of your home, close your eyes, and pretend you’re a prospective buyer seeing the property for the first time. As you approach the front door, what is your impression of the property? Do the lawn and bushes look neatly manicured? Is the address clearly visible? What do you see framing the entrance, if anything? Is the walkway free of cracks and impediments?

This article from Realtor Mag

Downers Grove Market Trends; last 12 months

Downers Grove Market trends for the last 12 months. Inventory is slightly up, Sold units down, Avg. sale price slightly down and Days on market is slightly up. Detached Single
	No. New	Avg. New OLP	Med. New OLP	No. Sold	Avg. Sale Price	Med. Sale Price	Avg. Days	Med. Days
Jun 2015	140	$514,831	$392,000	84	$422,353	$350,500	77	36
Jul 2015	143	$486,148	$385,000	71	$412,758	$350,000	67	28
Aug 2015	99	$455,417	$395,000	66	$423,613	$355,750	89	57
Sep 2015	140	$595,372	$444,900	48	$445,703	$326,250	104	86
Oct 2015	122	$528,557	$434,900	43	$347,808	$335,000	89	61
Nov 2015	89	$491,394	$389,900	38	$479,688	$377,500	104	89
Dec 2015	26	$569,999	$467,500	60	$431,841	$352,500	115	65
Jan 2016	99	$549,322	$475,000	26	$434,391	$329,147	123	81
Feb 2016	129	$510,245	$419,900	26	$328,722	$320,000	128	75
Mar 2016	165	$557,608	$450,000	50	$360,501	$302,250	150	120
Apr 2016	184	$549,157	$477,500	40	$367,032	$320,000	141	133
May 2016	150	$574,476	$519,400	74	$384,525	$317,500	107	47
Jun 2016	142	$541,425	$487,450	72	$421,110	$360,000	80	42

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