Here are some quick and easy tips you can use to make your home more marketable. Ignoring a few of these recommendations will likely have a negative impact on selling price, time on market, or both.
First impressions are the most lasting. Remember that when a prospect comes to look at your home - the first impression (curb appeal) is vital. Your front lawn and other landscaping should be neatly trimmed and mowed. Make certain that your yard is clean of refuse and leaves. The walk should be swept. The front door must be clean and fresh looking and the doorbell in working order.
Decorating for quicker sale. Faded walls and worn woodwork will reduce the appeal of your house. Why describe how your house could look... when you can show how it looks with just a reasonable amount of redecoration. A minor investment in paint and wallpaper will pay bigger dividends to you in the form of a better price and quicker sale.
Let the sun shine in. Open the drapes and curtains. Clean the windows so that a prospect can see how bright and cheerful your house is. Dark and dreary rooms do not appeal to most home-buying prospects.
Don’t be a drip. Fix leaky faucets; dripping water suggests faulty or worn-out plumbing (major repair bills); discolored, rust-stained sinks are also warning signs, so they should be properly cleaned.
Minor flaws. Loose door knobs or cabinet pulls, sticking doors and drawers, wobbly hinges, stuck windows - all are negative factors. Take a few minutes to check and repaint all these seemingly minor flaws, since they do detract from the value of your house.
Get rid of clutter. Keep stairways and corridors clear and clean of clutter. In addition to being unattractive, clutter causes accidents.
Remove junk. Improve attic, garage and other utility/storage spaces by removing junk, cartons and other articles. Neatly stack cartons, etc. If the storage spaces are dark and dreary, a coat of paint or extra lighting can do wonders.
Storage. We all love closets and you can make them look even bigger by having them clean, neat and well organized. Get rid of old clothes and cartons that take away from the spacious look.
Bathrooms sell homes. Make bathrooms sparkle. Clean stained sinks and bowls, repair damaged or discolored caulking around bathtubs and showers, be sure towels and area rugs are bright and sparky, make certain all light fixtures and bulbs work.
Wake up your bedrooms. Keep bedrooms bright and cheerful by opening up the drapes and blinds. Remove excess furniture to avoid a crowded look. Use attractive and colorful bed linens and spreads.
Can you see the light? Illumination in your home can be the "welcome sign" for every prospect. Turn on all the exterior and interior lights - including the accent and picture lights - when showing your home in daylight or night.
Follow your nose and make your house smell as good as it looks. Use room fresheners and potpourri to add a fresh clean smell. The smell of ‘just baked’ cookies will also make it smell like home.
Music to your ears. Leave some instrumental music softly playing in the background.
Put Fido outside. A dog may be man’s best friend, but not when showing your house. Keep all pets out of the way and not underfoot.
Leave. Potential buyers will feel like an intruder and want to hurry through the showing of your house if you are around. Take a drive around the block or at the minimum step out back.
