condition, stains, or blemishes. Write down what needs to be replaced, cleaned, or repaired. Carpets can be steam cleaned to eliminate stains and odors. If the carpets are path-worn and dull, you can replace them with other kinds of flooring with a reasonable ROI, although carpeting can make a room feel cozy. Laminate floors can be cosmetically repaired with repair kits found at home improvement stores. Recently, I listed a property with heavily stained carpets. My first reaction was to recommend full replacement. However, I had met someone at an event who had a carpet cleaning company. They had expressed that they can clean most carpets successfully. My client and I thought it would be worth the investment if it worked. To our surprise, the stains disappeared, and the carpets looked great. The property sold with multiple offers. A note on carpet replacement – As stated in Chapter 4, you have just a few seconds to make a great first impression. If the carpet cannot be salvaged because it is the wrong color, texture, and pile - replace it ASAP. If the stairs greet a buyeer at the door and they are less than pristine - replace before the lockbox goes on. Do not wait for a buyer to make an offer. This will only help sell the neighbor's property. Here is a story dating back to my very early days in real estate that is worth repeating. The in-laws of an executive with my then real estate brokerage put their very nice house on the market. It was clean and on a beautiful large lot. The agents who listed it could not get an offer after months of showings. As a new agent eager to learn, I wanted to preview all of my office listings. One afternoon, I took my toddler daughter, Tiffany, with me to preview this house and a few others in our area. She was less than three years old. The elderly owners of the house sat at their breakfast table near the basement door while Tiffany and I
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