- Clean. Dust off fan blades, wipe down & polish appliances and faucets, and clean windows thoroughly. If you have already moved out you might want to consider hiring a cleaning service to come by every other week.
- Smells. Make sure you don’t cook anything that’s smell may linger for a long time on the day of the showing, you don’t want your house to smell like a restaurant!
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- Repaint walls in neutral colors. As much as you love your dining room red, it could turn away a good number of potential buyers. So repaint rooms in tans and whites as this will allow the buyer to focus on the space, not the color of the walls.
- Keep the decor simple. To allow the buyers to visualize themselves in your space, get rid of any art or décor that might turn away people with different tastes. A landscaping painting would be fine, but it you have a cowhide couch, you might want to put a slipcover over it for showings.
- Get rid of personal items. Buyers want to imagine themselves in your home, so remove anything overly personal, like family photos, or your kids artwork on the refrigerator.
- Light. Open up all of the drapes/blinds to allow natural light in and floor or table lamps to areas that are dim. A bright, cheery room looks more inviting and actually makes the room look larger.
- Bring nature in. Potted plants or a few flowers in a vase can help bring energy into a space, fill in empty corners and even draw attention to certain features that you want buyers to notice. Make sure plants are healthy, and bug free!
- Ged rid of bulky furniture. Your furniture should fit the size of the room, so get rid of any oversized or extra items that could make the room appear smaller than it actually is.
- Organize closets/pantries. Storage space is a big selling point, so if your closets/pantry is filled to the brim, buyers will think that you don’t have enough storage space. Invest in some boxes or dividers that will help make your stuff look more organized, also remove items you don’t need immediately.
- Tackle your to-do list. All of the things you’ve been meaning to do and haven’t gotten around to…….now is a good time to do those, buyers will notice them, and they will detract from the value of your home. So set aside some time to fix the leaky faucet, paint over scuffs, and tighten those loose doorknobs.
- Do a small “renovation. Little changes can make a vast difference, for instance does your kitchen look a little outdated? Replace the fixtures, faucets, cabinet handles and hinges. Furniture look a little beaten up, throw some slipcovers over it.
- Give each room a purpose. That spare room that is a multi purpose space used as a guest room/office/playroom/dumping ground won’t help sell your home unless you show buyers how they can use it themselves. So pick a use for the space (craft room, office, guest room, etc) and clearly stage the space to showcase that purpose.
- Turn the bathroom into a spa. Creating the feeling of a relaxing, luxurious bath— for less than $30.00. Stack a few pretty washcloths tied with ribbons, scented candles, towels, and bathmats.
- Close the toilet! Believe it or not when it comes to showing and photographing your home, this little trick can make a surprising difference.
- Boost the curb appeal. More than one buyer has decided not to even enter a house because of it’s lack of curb appeal. Make sure that your shrubs are trimmed, weed your flower bed, fix any peeling paint and keep the walkway clear. Even add a cheerful wreath to your front door, it can really make a big difference.
- At the very least, at least try to spruce up the front entrance, that first impression goes a long way!