There's a lot to consider when selling a home; and It takes a great Realtor to really understand the seller’s goals and Mattie Dube did just that!
Continue reading for a (real story) of the process Amanda went through while selling her house in Northfield, VT -- and learn more of how Mattie helped her in that process.
"Amanda had already moved on to a new home with her partner and was ready to wrap up this chapter of her life. She contacted me to help her sell her Northfield home, where she had lived for many years. Her Northfield home had a lot of sentimental value, but she knew it was time to let it go to someone new.
When speaking with Amanda it was important to learn what her goals were with this sale and how she wanted to go about it. Not all transactions are about making the most money or doing the most work to get the house perfect for selling. Amanda was ready to move on and wanted to make enough money to pay off her remaining commitments while requiring the least amount of intervention on her end. She is a busy professional and no longer lived in the home so it was my job to get the house sold without adding too much to her plate.
To do this, I met Amanda at her home for a pre-listing appointment. We did a walk through and Amanda told me what she loved about her time in the home, what she thought would be desirable to future buyers and I helped to give her advice about quick, easy and low-cost fixes that would make the property present better to potential buyers.
The house was vacant but needed a little bit of love to really shine. After a few showings with no offers, I recommended that the seller paint the interior all white during her spare time on weekends while the home was listed. It was quick, painless, super affordable and made all the difference!
100 Parsons Lane ended up having 20 showings and 3 offers (2 cash!). When we were analyzing the offers, I worked with the seller to make sure that she was getting what she wanted out of this transaction. The highest amount of money is not always the most desirable offer. The negotiation reflected the needs of my seller - make enough money to pay off her remaining bills, sell it quickly and take the offer that is most likely to close. Together we made the decision to take an offer that was cash, did not have any contingencies, and we closed in an easy peasy ten days.
The home was sold to a contractor/inspector who had plans to bring it back to its former glory and restore the home for his son. The buyer got the project he was looking for and Amanda was able to pass her home on to someone who would breathe new life into it.
As a Realtor it felt great to know that this transaction was smooth, low-stress and satisfying for all parties involved. Everyone worked together to deal with any hiccups and we got the deal done in record time. That’s what a successful transaction means to me." - Mattie Dube
t times. Well, turns out those are safety features. Inspectors look for ground fault circuit interrupter outlets in the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, unfinished basement, and exterior. So, look around. If you don't have them, get an electrician, or if you're handy, start installing them yourself. 
Basically, anytime you have more than two steps, you're going to want a handrail. Your handrail should be "graspable", which means you can't be a cheapo and just use extra lumber you've got lying around. It's safe to use "breadloaf" style handrails. Look at porch steps, including the back porch, as well as stairs to different levels in your house. You may not want a basement handrail, but the inspector's going to call it out.
time where a buyer asks for a seller to have the heating service serviced after the building inspection. The negotiations go either way.
inspected, when it was inspected, and the results. Tape that right to the oil tank so it's there for the whole world to see.
u can buy those at Aubuchon, and they're actually very easy to replace. Those rubber hoses aren't designed to constantly have pressurized water in them. And, unless you're the one person in Vermont who turns off the valves when not doing laundry, you're constantly pressurizing the hoses.
Inspectors are going to call them out. They really want to see those columns be concrete filled metal columns (without rust at the bottom, achem), and on a proper base, or pressure treated lumber on a proper base. "Proper base" does not mean "the dirt floor".
Plus 18 Liberty Street has a gorgeous covered front porch, so you can hang out and enjoy the outdoors even when it’s raining. Great for morning coffee or tea, an evening socially distanced hangout with friends, or just reading a book and catching a few moments of quiet.