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.
