First impressions are everything when it comes to meeting new people and it is the same when you are selling or renting your home. Anything you can do to attract the right potential buyer or renter can make all the difference and even help you to get as much for your property as it is worth. Here are 5 helpful ideas to make a dazzling first impression:
Focus on “curb appeal”
Your home’s first impression begins with the exterior and continues with the interior, so take some time to thoroughly evaluate your home’s condition. Put your “buyers” or “renters” hat on and think about what your expectations would be and what needs to be improved in order to appeal. Remove any debris such as leaves and fallen branches; Keep grass trimmed and clear away any lawn clutter; Clean up flowerbeds and put out flowers or a nice plant outside the front door; touch up any areas where paint has chipped, stained and put fresh coat of paint on the front door or rooms that need it.
Minimizing clutter and De-personalize
De-cluttering and de-personalizing the interior of your home should also be a priority. It is important for your home to not only feel open and spacious but also to feel like a place that a potential buyer can envision themselves living in. Start by clearing off excess items or junk from counters, nightstands, dressers, cabinets and any other surfaces; Remove pictures, drawings, most knickknacks, mementos, souvenirs and anything that distracts the buyer or renter from the home itself; Store any furniture that isn’t being used and/or re-arrange to give the illusion of a bigger space. You can leave some things up or out to still make it feel like a home but keep a minimalist mindset. Remember that too many things can also make a room seem smaller.
Fix Broken Items
No one wants to move into a new place only to find out that things don’t work. Check for leaks throughout the house; Repair loose door handles and hinges; Replace bathroom, kitchen, and lighting fixtures; Replace all lightbulbs; Caulk around tubs and sinks; Repair or replace kitchen appliances like microwave, stove, and oven if they need to be.
Keep things clean
It is easy to wait until the night before or the morning of an open house showing to clean the house but it can also become a daunting task that can’t always be done in time. Sometimes, an agent or broker may call and ask to show your house at the spur of the moment. Getting the carpets shampooed and doing a deep cleaning of each room can make a world of difference and if at all possible, use chemical-free products so it doesn’t leave a harsh and overpowering smell to your home. You don’t need to do this every day but cleaning up after yourself and your family as you go and incorporating a
“cleaning” day can eliminate that last-minute panic. It could take a while to sell so keeping your house show-ready includes not bringing everything back out after every showing, even things you use on a daily basis.
Final touches
After all of the above tasks have been done, there are additional things you can do to engage potential buyers or renters. Putting a couple of soft throws on the couch and beds can add a bit of warmth and comfortable feeling to your home to help them imagine what it will be like if they make it their own.
I am here to help you along the way whether you are a buyer, seller, landlord or renter and to answer any and all questions. Contact me at emilie@emiliebroughton.com or click here to go to my Contact page.
