Making a good first
impression can mean the difference between receiving serious offers for
your home or being subjected to months of lookie-loos dropping by but
never buying.
How can you ensure
that your home will make the best impression possible? Here are six tips
for savvy home sellers:
1.
Focus on curb appeal. The outside of your house can be the source of
a very good first impression. Keep the grass well-watered and mowed.
Have your trees trimmed. Cut back overgrowth. Plant some blooming
flowers. Keep toys, bicycles, gardening equipment and the like out of
sight. Have at least the front of your house and the trim painted, if
necessary. Sweep the porch and the front walkway. After dark, turn on
your front porch light and any other exterior lighting, create a warm,
inviting look.
2.
Clear out the clutter. Real estate agents say buyers won't purchase
a home they can't see. Or more importantly, see themselves in it! If
your home has too much furniture, overflowing closets, crowded kitchen
and bathroom countertops or lots of family photos or collectibles on
display, potential buyers won't be able to really see your home.
Get rid of anything you don't need or use. Fill up your garage or rent
some off-site storage space!
3.
Use your nose. Many people are oblivious to scents, but others are
extremely sensitive to offensive odors. To eliminate bad smells, 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.
4.
Make all necessary 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.
5.
Introduce lifestyle accessories and make your home as comfortable and
attractive as possible. Set the dining room table with your best
dishes. Put out your only-for-company towels. Make up the spare bed.
Hang some fresh curtains. Put some logs in the fireplace. Dress your
home as if it were being photographed for a magazine. Use your
imagination.
6.
Get a buyer's-eye view. Walk up to your home and pretend you've
never seen it before. What do you notice? How do you feel about what you
see? Does the home seem inviting? Well-maintained? Would you want to buy
this home? Get friends and family members to do the same, just like
proof reading -- they can see things you don't.
1.
Focus on curb appeal. The outside of your house can be the source of
a very good first impression. Keep the grass well-watered and mowed.
Have your trees trimmed. Cut back overgrowth. Plant some blooming
flowers. Keep toys, bicycles, gardening equipment and the like out of
sight. Have at least the front of your house and the trim painted, if
necessary. Sweep the porch and the front walkway. After dark, turn on
your front porch light and any other exterior lighting, create a warm,
inviting look.
2.
Clear out the clutter. Real estate agents say buyers won't purchase
a home they can't see. Or more importantly, see themselves in it! If
your home has too much furniture, overflowing closets, crowded kitchen
and bathroom countertops or lots of family photos or collectibles on
display, potential buyers won't be able to really see your home.
Get rid of anything you don't need or use. Fill up your garage or rent
some off-site storage space!
3.
Use your nose. Many people are oblivious to scents, but others are
extremely sensitive to offensive odors. To eliminate bad smells, 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.
4.
Make all necessary 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.
5.
Introduce lifestyle accessories and make your home as comfortable and
attractive as possible. Set the dining room table with your best
dishes. Put out your only-for-company towels. Make up the spare bed.
Hang some fresh curtains. Put some logs in the fireplace. Dress your
home as if it were being photographed for a magazine. Use your
imagination.
6.
Get a buyer's-eye view. Walk up to your home and pretend you've
never seen it before. What do you notice? How do you feel about what you
see? Does the home seem inviting? Well-maintained? Would you want to buy
this home? Get friends and family members to do the same, just like
proof reading -- they can see things you don't.