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Seller's Showing Tips Exterior
Curb Appeal - does your home have it? The first thing a prospective buyer will see is the exterior of your home. Many times if they don’t like the looks of the outside, they won’t bother to set a showing to see the inside. Making a good first impression is very important! Here are some things to consider when preparing your home to sell.
Front Yard & Entry
Your lawn should be evenly cut and freshly edged.
Always rake up loose leaves and grass cuttings.
Bushes and shrubs should be trimmed neatly
Clean up any debris, including on the street in front of your home.
Sweep/shovel walk-ways and your front porch
Pick up newspapers
Clean front door and repaint if needed – remember this is the gateway to your home!
Consider power-washing the front of your house, or sweeping away spider webs and other debris that may be clinging to the siding, especially under front porch overhangs.
Make sure your lock works well and the extra key works easily in your front door. You don’t want to send a negative message to prospective buyers by having problems getting in the home.
Interior
Ambience
What is the first thing you smell when you walk into your home after being gone for a while? That is the first thing prospective buyers will smell too. If the answer is dogs, cats, garbage, smoke, baby diapers or any other offensive smell, you have some work to do! If your home doesn’t smell clean buyers will assume it isn’t kept clean.
If you have animals, vacuum and steam clean carpets before you start showing your home. Vacuum daily and use Febreeze or a similar odor-neutralizing product on carpets and furniture to keep odors at bay.
If the problem is diapers, empty diaper bins twice daily and use an odor-neutralizing product in those rooms.
If you have cats, empty the litter box daily.
If you smoke, you may want to consider smoking outside while you are trying to sell your home. Smoking outdoors will also reduce the amount of dust in your home as well as help keep it odor free. If you do continue to smoke in the house, be sure to keep ashtrays emptied and cleaned and use an odor-neutralizing spray daily.
Empty household garbage daily into the larger garbage cans in the garage or outdoors. Clean or rinse garbage cans weekly.
If you have a garbage disposal, cut up a fresh lemon and grind it in the disposal with lots of cold water to help clean the blades and freshen the disposal. A cup of baking soda poured into the disposal followed by a small amount of boiling water deodorizes, too, as does freezing vinegar in ice cube trays and grinding the cubes in your disposal.
Do not use air freshening spray before showings. Many people find them offensive or too strong and for those with allergies it can cause an asthma or allergy attack.
For a soft scent in your home, put out a bowl of potpourri or spread some cinnamon on a baking sheet and bake for few minutes.
Clutter
The goal in removing clutter is to make your home look as spacious as possible. If all of your closets and cupboards are jam-packed, buyers will assume there isn’t enough closet and cupboard space.
If you have too much furniture in a room it will make the room appear smaller than it really is. Big rooms are appealing to buyers so you want to give the impression of roominess.
If you have collections of items displayed, you may want to pack them or thin them out.
Clean off kitchen & bathroom countertops.
Organize your desk neatly or put the items away where they won’t be seen.
If you have items in your cabinets or closets that seldom get used, box them up and stack them neatly in the basement or garage or store them.
If you have a lot of boxes or unused items of furniture, you may want to consider renting a storage unit or storing them at a friends home until your home sells. A garage full of neatly stacked boxes can still look cluttered and small.
Keep stairways and corridors clear.
Secure jewelry, cash and other valuables. You may want to consider placing these items in a safety deposit box while your property is on the market.
Windows and Doors
Check windows and doors to make sure they open easily and do not creak or squeak. If they do, spray a little WD-40 on them.
Wash windows on a regular basis, and make sure blinds are clean and operating.
Be sure the doorknobs turn easily, and that they are cleaned and polished to look sharp. As buyers go from room to room, someone opens each door and you want to do everything necessary to create a positive impression.
Clean all curtains, drapes and blinds
Clean windowsills
Lighting
Day or night, open blinds and curtains and turn on all lights to make the place look open and large. Make sure this includes the dining room chandelier, living-room lamps, foyer chandelier and any other entrance light.
Increase the wattage of bulbs to maximum possible wattage.
Kitchen
Even if you are taking certain appliances, like the refrigerator or stove, you should clean them meticulously. Buyers will still see those items as part of your home and if they are not taken care of the buyers may assume the rest of the home isn’t as well.
After cleaning out the clutter, go through and scrub all surfaces (including on top of the refrigerator).
“Barkeepers Friend”® powder works exceptionally well on countertops, stainless sinks, microwaves and stovetops (especially the flat ceramic stovetops).
Clean stovetop and inside of oven, inside of refrigerator, microwave and tops of washer and dryer.
Wipe down cabinet doors – including any shelves or door handles that may be dirty.
Tighten or replace loose doorknobs or cabinet pulls, sticking doors and drawers and wobbly hinges
Bathrooms
Put out fresh towels and new soap in bathrooms.
Re-caulk damaged caulk on shower, sinks, tub or toilet.
Clean tile grout and make stain-free.
Walls
Clean walls & baseboards and patch any holes (and repaint over the patched area). When buyers see obvious neglect they assume less obvious areas of the home have been neglected as well.
Staging
Turn off the television and stereo. If you insist on having a background noise, choose something classical instead of rock or hip-hop.
Clean fireplace and prepare with logs for display or consider having the fireplace going during the winter.
Clean out the entry closet and leave only a few coats and hangers.
Place fresh flowers and potpourri throughout your home.
Make all beds.
Remove magnets and any notes or pictures from refrigerator door
Set the dining room table as if you are having a dinner party or family gathering.
In the garage, sweep floor, clean oil spots and straighten tools
Eliminate Distractions
Arrange to be out of the house so buyers who are with an agent can feel free to open closets and cabinets and discuss their observations. If you are home when an agent arrives, take a walk or a short drive. You want a potential buyer to remain in your home as long as possible, and not feel like an intruder rushing to get out of your way.
When showing the house yourself don’t apologize for the appearance; it will only draw attention to something the buyer may have overlooked.
If you are showing the home yourself and you have children, perhaps you can have them visit a neighbor.
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