Some Helpful Tips For Selling Your Home

Thinking Of Selling Your Home?

First impressions are everything!  When selling a home, it should show in the absolute best possible condition, especially in a buyer’s market. Buyers are very choosey in a buyer’s market and they will quickly dismiss yours if they are turned off by anything. You want to stay on their list of all the many homes out there, so they’ll come back! 

Place yourself in a buyer’s shoes. Even if you have to go around the house and take some notes. See what might be in need of attention for repair or cleaning. Also, just as importantly, take notes on the good things that are positive to point out, too. Be objective as if you were seeing your home for the first time. Observe and notice what a buyer would see when they walk in and around.

OUTSIDE:

The curb appeal is the critical first impression that lasts with most buyers.

If it’s not appealing outside, it gives them the same inclination for the inside and may just pass on continuing. Neat and clean is the key! Keep the grass mowed, the shrubs trimmed and trees pruned, pick up lawn tools, lawn toys, garbage pails away, and newspapers picked up. Sweep the front walkway, garden hoses neatly wound, sprinkler system in good condition, sidewalks in shape, and clean-up after pets. Power-wash the exterior, spruce up decking, check for bees/wasps/birds nests in the eaves, and make sure gutters are free of leaves and branches.

INSIDE:

Overall, a home should be clean, light, bright, free of clutter, and odor-free.

When buyers tour a home, they're trying to see how it fits. A buyer needs to be able to envision themselves living there. Nothing turns off a buyer quicker than an un-kept, cluttered, and unpleasant smelling house. Sellers should try to eliminate personal items, including family photos, personal effects, and even unique colors. Buyers can get very distracted.

Paint in neutral warm colors to give a fresh clean look, shampoo the carpeting, (possibly replace carpeting if badly stained), brighten the wood floors (or refinish if necessary), clean windows and sills, shine up the appliances and the oven hood should be grime-free. Steam-clean tile, and check for loose grout in the bathrooms.

When showing, open drapes and shades, and turn ON all the lights to make your house looks bright and cheerful. Make sure ALL the light fixtures have light bulbs in them, too. There’s nothing more noticeable than one light that’s out or missing while the others are working. It makes you look cheap, or that you just don’t care which sends off bad vibes.

On a nice day, open the windows to freshen rooms. Pick up toys and shoes, get rid of the old newspapers and magazines, make up beds, and put clothes away. Prepare tables with flowers and place settings, set out a game or a nice “coffee table” book. Turn off the television, play soft background music. Tidy up the bathrooms, set out show towels, empty the wastebaskets, and set a comfortable temperature.

The closets should be half-full with nothing on the floor. Most people are looking for a house because they’ve outgrown their previous house. Showing them that you've still got room to grow gives them another reason to buy.

Also, placing a mirror strategically in the home so that people can actually see themselves, they can picture themselves living there.

Odors:

Make sure your home smells fresh and inviting. Cooking, pet, and smoking

odors are killers.

Cooking - It’s best not to cook food that would give off heavy lasting odors. (I’ve had a few buyers who became upset with me, because they smelled curry). If necessary, you can use an eliminating odor spray, or burn scented candles to offset most cooking smells, too. No one is saying not to cook, just be mindful when your home is on the market to make it as appealing as necessary, if you’re serious enough to sell.

Pets - Some pet owners are so accustomed to their own pet’s aroma. They just don’t realize that these odors can be very offensive to buyers, especially to those who have allergies. It's, also, important to get rid of pet paraphernalia and have a ‘pet plan’ to make sure the animals are not around when the house is shown. Leaving pet items out like dog dishes, cat litter boxes, wee-wee pads, etc., immediately turns off a buyer. It makes them wonder if the animal has done any damage in the immediate area. And I don’t think a buyer is going to touch a wee-wee pad to look underneath it to check the flooring. I love dogs and have a huge black Lab of my own at 138 pounds, but unfortunately, not all people like dogs. It’s just best to keep pets out of the way, and make sure all pet areas are clean and free of odor.

Smoking - Along with cooking odors and pet odors, smoking odors can be real turn-off, too. Remove all ashtrays, clean all curtains and upholstery. Consider smoking outdoors while your home is on the market.

Dated items in the home:

Times change, and so do home decor styles. Acoustic popcorn ceilings, once fashionable in the '60s and '70s, now can badly date a space, too. This type of ceiling is very unappealing to buyers these days. Also, wallpaper and wallpaper trim is a big no-no. Just like the popcorn ceiling, it’s a pain to remove and simply just adds another chore to a buyer's to-do list.

Old fixtures on doors and cabinets can really age a house, too. New inexpensive cabinet hardware and doorknobs can make a huge difference. Homes that have old doors, fans, lights, ovens, microwaves, ranges, and dishwashers can really turn a buyer off, too. Sellers may feel the buyers will just purchase what they want when they move in. However, these days, I find many buyers really want a move-in ready house and don’t want to do anything! Or, they’ll just go to the next house in the same price range that’s more appealing with less work. If a seller can’t fix or update items because they can’t afford to, it understandable, however, it is still very important to show a home meticulously clean and uncluttered.

Sometimes realtors and buyers feel uncomfortable when the seller follows them around during a showing. Buyers can’t talk freely “on the spot.” (Also, some of the questions they meant to ask may be forgotten once you leave an area). If you want to be around, by all means, but just don't hover.

Quick TIPS:

• Secure jewelry, cash, prescription medications, and other valuables.
• Kitchens and built-in bookshelves should showcase spaciousness by following the rule of three. For kitchens, there should be no more than three countertop appliances. Bookshelves should be divided into thirds: one-third books, one-third vases and pictures, and one-third empty.
• The home office should be a very generic office setting, so any type of professional can imagine themselves there.
• Toddler parents can try to pack away extraneous "kiddies’ litter" and keep a laundry basket handy. When you get that phone call one hour before a showing, toss everything in that basket and take it to the car with you and your kids.
• It’s a good idea to have an engineer inspection done before putting the home on the market and to fix anything that needs attention. You’d have no surprises later on and won’t have to compensate for these issues which can delay negotiations (and for weeks sometimes).
• Another positive would be to have a professional stager come in to recommend ideas to enhance your property to make it more appealing to a buyer to get an offer!  I have personally staged some homes myself and it truly works! 
• Good Luck!