We talked last about the importance of your home's outside appearance in order to lure those buyers inside. Now, let's see if your home can "hook 'em."
Pretending that you are a buyer, walk through your front door and pause a minute. What do you see, hear, smell and feel? Are there spots on the carpet? Is the dog barking wildly in his cage? Can you smell last night's dinner, the kitty box, or stale smoke from cigarettes or a wood burning fireplace? Are you leaning slightly because of an uneven floor? If you answered "yes" to any one of those questions, you've just lost a sale.
Getting your home "buyer ready" is probably the hardest thing you'll do in the whole process of selling your home (unless you are Martha Stewart) but it is the most important. You need to make each room look like it belongs in the pages of Southern Living or Better Homes and Gardens.
Where to begin? Clean. Clean from the ceiling fans and light fixtures to the baseboards and floors in each and every room. Windows and walls need to be spotless. Clear off table tops, desks, mantles and that kitchen counter. Better to have nothing on top than a bunch of knick-knacks that clutter and collect dust. You're moving, right? So pack it up! Store the boxes either off the property or in the garage. Take the pictures off the wall, spackle and paint. Buy room deodorizers and replace them as soon as they run out. Scrub, scrub and scrub some more.
All your hard work will definitely pay off. A home that shows well top to bottom says the owners care enough about where they live to combat normal wear and tear. And if they are willing to maintain what buyers can see, then buyers assume the owner has been willing to maintain those important items they can't see, like the plumbing, the roof and the heating/cooling unit.
And the best part-- you'll sell your home at higher price!
No comments:
Post a Comment