First Impressions
Remember what first attracted you to
your house when you bought it? What
excited you about its most appealing
features? Now that you're selling
your home, you'll need to look at it
as if you were buying it all over
again.
A spruced up house makes a great
first impression on potential
buyers. An attractive property grabs
their attention and makes them
excited about finding a house that
looks and feels well-cared for.
Because buyers know they’ll
encounter fewer problems if they buy
it, your house becomes more
appealing and stands out from the
competition. So if you prepare your
home correctly, you’ll save time
selling it when it’s on the market.
A good first impression makes an
impact on a number of levels. It’s
not just the way your house looks to
potential buyers, but how it feels
and smells to them, how their
friends and family will react, how
they imagine it would be to live
there.
With simple improvements throughout
your house, you can grab the
attention of potential buyers and
help them see why your house is
right for them.
Plan Ahead
Create a plan to enhance your
property. Keep a notebook for your
selling project, and as you stroll
through your yard, make a list of
what needs to be done. Consider what
your property looks like to people
driving by or walking through your
door. What will they like or
dislike? What needs fixing,
painting, cleaning? What can you
improve? Whether you paint your
house or fix up the yard, your
efforts don’t need to be costly;
even inexpensive improvements and
minor repairs go far toward
attracting serious buyers. But
remember, those seemingly
insignificant problems you’ve
learned to live with can actually
discourage potential buyers. Here
are ideas for increasing your home’s
appeal in order to sell it quickly
at the best price.
Interior
Clean Everything
Buyers expect a spotless house,
inside and out. So clean everything,
especially your windows and window
sills. Scrub walls and floors, tile
and ceilings, cupboards and drawers,
kitchen and bathrooms. Wash scuff
marks from doors and entryways,
clean light fixtures and the
fireplace. Don’t forget the laundry
room. And put away your clothes.
Cut the Clutter
People are turned off by rooms that
look and feel cluttered. Remember,
potential buyers are buying your
house, not your furniture, so help
them picture themselves and their
possessions in your home by making
your rooms feel large, light, and
airy. As you clean, pack away your
personal items, such as pictures,
valuables, and collectibles, and
store or get rid of surplus books,
magazines, videotapes, extra
furniture, rugs, blankets, etc.
Consider renting a storage unit to
eliminate clutter in your garage and
attic.
It’s hard to get rid of possessions,
but cleaning and clearing out the
clutter can really pay off in the
end. Packing away your clutter also
gets you started packing for your
next move. Make your garage and
basement as tidy as the rest of your
house. Simple little tasks such as
storing your tools and neatly
rolling up your garden hose suggest
that you take good care of your
house. Don’t let anything detract
from making your best first
impression.
Closets
They’re an important consideration
to many buyers. By storing clothing
you won’t use soon, you’ll make
closets look spacious.
Paint
A new coat of paint cleans up your
living space and makes it look
bright and new. To make rooms look
larger, choose light, neutral colors
that appeal to the most people, such
as beige or white.
Carpet
Check its condition. If it’s worn,
consider replacing it. It’s an easy
and affordable way to help sell your
home faster. Again, light, neutral
colors, such as beige, are best. If
you don’t replace it, you can
suggest to potential buyers that
they could select new carpet and
you’ll reduce your price; buyers
like to hear they’re getting a deal.
At the very least, have your carpet
cleaned.
Repairs and Renovations
It’s best to avoid making major
renovations just to sell the house
since you’re unlikely to recoup
those costs from your selling price.
Make minor repairs to items such as
leaky faucets, slow drains, torn
screens, gutters, loose doorknobs,
and broken windows. Make sure
repairs are well done; buyers won’t
take you seriously if your
home-improvement efforts look messy,
shoddy, or amateurish.
Leaks and Moisture
Water stains on ceilings or in the
basement alert buyers to potential
problems. Don’t try to cosmetically
cover up stains caused by leaks. If
you’ve fixed the water problem,
repair the damage and disclose in
writing to the buyer what repairs
were made.
Exterior
Curb Appeal
The "Wow" factor — that first
visual, high-impact impression your
home makes on potential buyers — can
turn a looker into a buyer. To
determine your property’s curb
appeal, drive through your
neighborhood and note other
properties; then approach your own
house as if you were a potential
buyer. How does it look? Does it
"wow" you? Will its curb appeal
attract buyers? Note what needs
improving, such as trimming trees,
planting shrubs, or painting
gutters. Little things convey that
you’ve cared for your home, and this
is your opportunity to sell that
important message to buyers who are
shopping from the street, simply
cruising neighborhoods just looking
for houses for sale. To get them
through your door, do what you can
to make your property look like
someone’s dream home.
Paint/Stain
If it’s peeling or blistering and
you can’t remember the last time you
painted it, your house needs some
attention. That also goes for stain
that is significantly faded. A newly
painted or stained exterior will
help sell your house faster. And
whether you do it yourself or hire
someone, you’ll also increase your
home’s value.
In the Yard
Grab people’s attention by enhancing
your yard and landscaping. If your
house looks inviting and
well-maintained from the street,
people will imagine that it’s
attractive on the inside, too.
-
Prune bushes and hedges; trim
trees.
-
Keep your lawn looking healthy
and green by mowing it often,
fertilizing it, and keeping it
edged and trimmed.
-
Clean up and dispose of pet
mess.
-
Weed your gardens; add
fertilizer and mulch; then plant
colorful flowers.
-
In winter, keep your driveway
and sidewalks shoveled, de-iced,
and well-lit.
-
Stack firewood, clean out
birdbaths, repair and paint
fences.
The Front Door
An attractive entry catches a
buyer’s eye and says, "Welcome," so
highlight this area of your house
with decorative touches, such as a
wreath on the door or new shrubs and
flowers around the steps. For an
even grander entry, clean and paint
your front door, or replace it with
a new one for a few hundred dollars.
Don’t forget to fix and polish
doorknobs, repair torn screens, and
then put out that new welcome mat.
Keep yourself organized with the following checklist.
Clean and Maintain
-
Windows, sills, and screens
-
Walls and floor
-
Tile
-
Ceilings
-
Cupboards and drawers
-
Kitchen
-
Bathrooms
-
Light fixtures
-
Ceiling fans
-
Carpet and rugs
-
Mirrors
-
Garage
-
Attic
-
Basement
-
Laundry room
-
Yard
-
Gutters
-
Replace furnace filter
-
Dust furniture, TV and computer
screens
-
Closets
-
Remove clutter
-
Pack personal items
Repair
-
Leaky faucets and plumbing
-
Torn screens
-
Slow drains
-
Gutters
-
Loose doorknobs
-
Deck boards
-
Broken windows
-
Electrical fixtures
-
Water stain damage
-
Broken appliances
-
Damaged walls and ceilings
-
Worn carpet and rugs
-
Damaged sidewalks and steps
Improvements
-
Stain or paint deck
-
Store tools
-
Roll up garden hose
-
Paint or stain exterior
-
Prune bushes and hedges
-
Trim trees
-
Mow lawn, fertilize, edge, and
trim
-
Weed gardens, plant flowers
-
Shovel driveways, de-ice
-
Stack firewood
-
Clean out birdbaths
-
Caulk windows and doors
-
Repair and paint fences
-
Seal asphalt driveway
-
Make sure doors close properly
-
Enhance entryway
-
Replace welcome mat
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