
First impressions count.
If your home is for sale, or soon will be, creating a positive first impression is one of the most important things you can do. Thankfully, it’s not hard. Here are 12 steps you can take; most of them fall under simple maintenance and organization, but some of them could possibly help you decide when it’s time to move.
How to impress visitors
- Go outside. Mow the law, prune bushes, remove dead tree branches, and get rid of outdoor furniture you don’t plan to take with you.
- Clean the front door and lintels, or paint them if necessary.
- Check for leaks throughout the house. A drip may not seem important, but it could suggest poor maintenance elsewhere in the house. Don’t leave room for doubt in a buyer’s mind.
- Clean out closets and storage areas. Donate old clothes and furniture to local charities. This will create a sense of greater space in the home, and mean fewer items to move.
- Professionally clean the carpets. This is especially important if the carpeting will remain for the new owners.
- Flip every switch to make sure the electrical works throughout the house. Prospective home buyers will do this. Fix any switches that need help.
- Caulk around tubs and sinks. New caulk looks better than old caulk, and you’ll also prevent those tricky leaks.
- Replace lightbulbs that don’t work and use as much wattage as the fixture will take. Good illumination makes your home seem light and airy.
- Tour the property from the perspective of a first-time visitor. Is there anything that may seem uncomfortable to visitors? The 30-year-old green shag carpeting can be off-putting and mirrors in poorly lit basements can be dangerous, for example.
- Clean out medicine cabinets. Remove out-of-date items, and consider removing prescription
- pills when buyers visit. Buyers might look in every nook and open every door. No one wants to be embarrassed by what they find.If you have a pet, make arrangements to have it elsewhere when your home is being shown. Some people have allergies. No one wants to be barked or pawed at when they enter.
- Ask your broker to examine the property for specific showing tips to make your home more attractive when compared to others in the area.
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