February 13, 2009

For a Quick Sale, Don't Just Show Your House...Show It Off!

Posted to Geneva Lake Area , Julie Sarton

Many buyers know within the first five minutes whether “this is it!” They’ve already determined from the listing that the house meets their basic requirements, but when they see the house their emotional reactions make the final decision. As the seller, there are steps you can take to make sure you don’t just show your home, but instead show it off for its highest selling potential.

Before doing anything, spend time looking at your home as if seeing it for the first time. Our eyes get accustomed to the way things already look, which provides us with convenient blinders. Start with the outside, then go through every room, looking over every inch with buyers’ eyes… and be critical. Go through some model homes to see how they’re staged. Look through home magazines, and clip pictures of things that make a favorable impression on you.

GET RID OF THE CLUTTER! Like all of us, you probably have too much “stuff” around. This causes your home to look small, cramped, and messy. Throw things out, have a garage sale, or rent a storage locker to temporarily hold excess items and things like worn furniture. Make sure all counter tops and tables only have a few items on them, and organize and weed out your closets. Stop just short of stark, and your home will look cleaner and more spacious. Try to keep the toys in one area in a container like a large basket.

CLEAN IT UNTIL IT SQUEAKS! Cleanliness is probably the most important step in showing your home well; even though we can tolerate our own messiness, when we see other people’s mess we get queasy and back off. Inspect all surfaces, paying special attention to the kitchen, bathroom, and pet areas. Keep the litter box fresh, and a carpet cleaning will help with ‘doggy odor’. If moldings or walls can’t be cleaned, paint them. Give wood and tile floors a fresh coat of finish, and make sure fixtures and tile grout are sparkling. If you’re a smoker, use some air freshener or potpourri.

COMPLETE MINOR REPAIRS! Spend an afternoon with those pesky little repairs you’ve been putting off: leaky faucets, peeling paint, loose hardware, ripped screens, etc. Repair it, replace it, or paint it so it looks like new. If you have a major repair that you don’t have time to do, offer a repair allowance.

CREATE A NEUTRAL LOOK WITHOUT YOUR IMPRINT! A home with neutral paint colors, décor, and carpeting allows buyers to imagine their own personal furnishings and style being accommodated. Steam highly patterned wall paper off, replace worn carpet with neutral colors. Leave only traditional artwork on the walls, and remove personal photographs from the house.

DECORATE AND STAGE TO SHOW! Now that your house is uncluttered, cleaned, repaired, and neutralized, it’s time for some special touches. Put out some fresh or silk flower arrangements, and place at least one new, large houseplant in a corner. Splurge on some new decorator pillows and some new plush towels for the bathroom. If your bedspread looks tired, replace it with an inexpensive, bright new comforter and bed skirt. Have a few nice pieces of art on the walls, and some potpourri and scented candles around. You can take all these things with you, and enjoy them later. Make sure all curtains and blinds are open, creating a light and airy feeling.

CREATE CURB APPEAL! The first thing buyers see is your front entrance. Make sure that the door is washed and has a fresh coat of paint (if needed), any windows or side lights are clean, and all cobwebs are gone. A pot with fresh or dried flowers will look inviting, and keep the porch and steps swept .

By now your home looks so warm, cozy, and inviting that you may wish you could stay…hopefully your buyers will feel the same!

Posted By: Julie Sarton

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