Your house has only one chance to make a good first impression. As your REALTOR® I will organize broker tours of your property as well as open houses and individual showings. Good looking houses will sell faster and will sell for a higher price, so let’s talk about how you can prepare for showings!
1. Clean and Serene
To prepare your house for viewing, make it as bright, clean, cheerful and serene as possible. Clear all the counter tops and put away any dishes, empty the trash, make the beds, etc. You don’t want to distract buyers from what makes your house truly wonderful. It is also recommended that you and any pets be absent while the house is shown to prospective buyers, as this will allow them to act more freely.
2. Clear the clutter!
Take all the things that make your home “your” personal sanctuary (e.g., family photos, religious décor and kitschy memorabilia), pack them up and put them in storage. Buyers want to visualize your house being their house – and it’s difficult for them to do that with all your personal items marking the territory as yours.
3. Fixer-up
Make sure to clean or replace any worn carpets. Give the walls a new layer of paint if they have discolored or gotten dirty. Replace any burned out light bulbs and turn on all the lights. These relatively small measures can go a long way towards your house selling faster and at a better price.
4. Staging
Set the dining room table if you have particularly nice linen or china. Put on some soft music and display a fresh bouquet of flowers. Put fresh towels in the bathroom and take any laundry out of the washer and dryer. Open all the curtains and blinds and let the light in! It is also recommended that you leave the house so your REALTOR® is free to deal with prospective buyers in a professional manner.
5. Enhance your curb appeal
It can also pay off to enhance the curb appeal of your property. If the outside, or “curb appeal” looks good, people will more than likely want to see what’s on the inside. A few tips: Keep the lawn and hedges trimmed and watered. Check foundation, steps and walkways for cracks and deterioration and fix any problem areas. Remove and repaint old paint on doors and windows. Clean gutters and replace or repair loose or damaged roof shingles.
Consider this: over 90% of buyers will see your house first in an online image and then decide whether or not they wish to view the house in person. So the house needs to make a great impression in a photograph. You may even wish to consider getting your house professionally staged as this is known to increase the value of a home by up to 5%. I can recommend professional stagers for you that will help you get the most out of your home.
All of these measures can go a long way toward your house selling faster and at a better price. We need to help buyers so they can see the true potential of your house. If you feel like you don’t really want or need to remove your personal items, remember this: your goal is a successful sale, so let’s do whatever we can to make it happen!