When showing your home for sale it is vital that you make the absolute best first impression possible. You only get this opportunity once so you want to make sure it leaves a lasting one. Believe it or not, this obvious and very important factor often gets overlooked and leaves sellers disillusioned wondering, “Why hasn’t my house sold yet?!?” Let’s not let this be you. By following a few of these simple, low-cost, and effective steps, we will have you
selling your home in little time!
1.) Furnished vs. unfurnished. There is a reason furnished model homes exist, they not only make the place look amazing, but they also allow the prospective buyer to envision themselves in the setting, whether that be sitting around the dinner table or relaxing on the couch. It is also very helpful in showing the true full potential this home has to offer with the right decorating or placement of furniture. If you do decide to keep furniture in the home while showing it, just be sure not to overcrowd the rooms with excessive or bulky pieces and you definitely want to make it as clutter-free as possible. If you are opting for no furniture in the home and you have darker colored walls, painting them a light-neutral tone is highly recommended for giving the appearance of a much larger space.
2.) Cleanliness. Cleanliness couldn’t be emphasized enough! Would you ever consider living in a place when the first thing you notice while looking around is mold? I think not! Take some time to inspect your home. Are there layers of dust, chipped paint, missing pull knobs? All of these are extremely easy to fix and can greatly improve the outcome of your sale. Renting a professional carpet steamer is recommended and very easy on the wallet. Again, de-clutter as much as you can and keep the bare minimal around to assist in a more tidy and well-kept space. Clean, clean, clean… it will be worth it in the end!
3.) Curb Appeal. Now, time to focus on curb appeal. I can’t stress to you enough how very important this is to selling your home. You don’t need to be an expert gardener or invest a lot of money into landscaping your front yard. With just a few creative ideas you can transform the entire look of your place from drab to fab! Planting rows of flowers in a designated flower bed gives an attractive manicured look. Even potting some flowers in containers and setting them on your porch works wonders in adding to the pleasantness and welcoming of your home. Adding mulch to the base of your trees gives a sleek and clean look. Also, trimming any shrubs that block windows and mowing the lawn would be a huge improvement to the overall appearance of your home. If a potential buyer likes what they see on the outside they no doubt will be looking forward to seeing what the inside has to offer!
4.) Good Photographs. Lastly, I wanted to mention something that in my opinion many sellers fail to notice the importance of: good photographs. This is a lot of the times the true first impression a person will have of your house, and something that can ultimately make or break a sale. If you take crummy photos with bad exposure or blurred shots people will assume this is a reflection of how your home looks, dirty, unkept, and not worthy of their time. If you’re not the best photographer ask a friend to help you out, most of the time it’s just the angle or lighting that needs to be adjusted.
Remember, when
selling your home, you want your house to stand out from the other homes out there. With the little amount of time it’ll take sprucing up your home, you’ll be pleased with the little amount of time it takes to sell it. Following these easy to do steps is a sure way to a successful, quick sale!