Page 255 - Trump University Commercial Real Estate 101

The Right W a y to Sell for Maximum Profit

the construction phase will make the situation worse when they come
online, prices are being cut, and so on.
You want to be watching this stuff play out in your rearview mir-
ror, with a sly smile on your face and a mountain of dough in the back
seat. Leave the carnage behind.

How to Get Your Property Ready for Sale

It doesn ’ t matter what type of property you have (offi ce, multi - family,
retail, warehouse, A, B, C, or D): To get maximum dollars for it, you
must prepare your property.
Let ’ s first consider how to make it look good physically. Do a

complete review of the exterior. Could the landscaping use a facelift,

in the form of fresh flowers, trimmed shrubs, and reinvigorated grass?
I was a broke landscaper before I became a rich investor. I continue to
be amazed by how sellers neglect to spend a few dollars to make their
properties look like a million bucks.
Does the signage need freshening? Also review the building exte-
rior, looking for peeling paint, cracks, holes, and so on. Check the
mailboxes and parking lot, too. Walk that property with your broker
or with someone else who doesn ’ t have a motivation to say “ every-
thing ’ s fi ne. ” Make a list on the spot, and then get names next to dates
to ensure that all the work gets done. You want to be in a position
where a potential buyer isn ’ t walking around, mentally deducting
property value for each fl aw.
Now go into the common areas, such as foyers and hallways. Are
they well - lit and do they appear neat and clean? What about the utility
rooms and vending areas? Is the boiler room clean? Is the boiler itself
clean? You should know that when a functioning boiler is dirty, the
buyer will conclude that there is something wrong with it. This is true
of all mechanical and structural components. Clean them up and put a
fresh coat of paint on them if appropriate. Paint probably has the
highest return on investment of any improvement you can implement.
Make the place look as though it ’ s run with military precision.

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