Preparing your Home for Sale

“You never get a second chance to make a good first impression”

A potential buyer’s first impression of your home is critical for their decision to consider it further. Key areas to consider when preparing your home for sale include…

Curb Appeal — The outside of your house can be the source of a very good first impression. Keep the lawn mowed. Have your trees and bushes trimmed. Cut back overgrowth. Plant some blooming flowers. Consider having at least the front door, front of your house, and the trim painted.

Remove Clutter — If you’ve lived in your home for a while, you probably don’t realize the quantity of personal items that you have on display. You have large amount of furniture in your home as well. Buyers need to be able to “see the home”, not your personal belongings and furniture. Since you’ve already made the decision to move to a new home, you consider taking the initial steps to move and remove everything that is not essential for you during the time your home is on the market. Areas to consider include: too much furniture, overflowing closets, crowded kitchen and bathroom countertops or lots of family photos or collectibles on display.

Scents and Smells — Many people are oblivious to scents, but others are extremely sensitive to odors. If you area a smoker, or you have pets, this can be a real problem. To eliminate odors, bathe your pets, freshen the cat litter box frequently, shampoo your carpets, dry clean your drapes, and empty trash cans, recycling bins and ash trays. Place open boxes of baking soda in smell-prone areas, and refrain from cooking fish or strong-smelling foods. Introduce pleasing smells by placing flowers or potpourri in your home and using air fresheners. Baking a fresh or frozen pie or some other fragrant treat is another common tactic.

Repairs — Buyers expect everything in their new home to operate safely and properly. Picky buyers definitely will notice-and likely magnify — minor maintenance problems you’ve ignored for months or even years. Leaky faucets, burned-out light bulbs, painted-shut or broken windows, inoperable appliances and the like should be fixed before you put your home on the market. These repairs may seem small, but left undone they can lead buyers to question whether you’ve taken good care of your home.

Quick Tips

Keep counter tops cleared

Replace all burned out light bulbs

Open all drapes and window blinds

Keep pets restrained

Do not leave dirty dishes in the sink

Do not have the washer/dryer running

Clean or replace dirty or worn carpets

Put on soft music

Keep the fireplace clean

Look at your home from the buyer’s point of view

For more information on selling your home, visit my website on Marketing Your Home.