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Your Home
Is For Sale?
What is
your buyer's first impression and how can you improve your home's
appeal?
Never... Never, do you get a
second chance to make a first impression. Get it right the first time.
That is why the first impression your buyer has determines how the
transaction goes, even if there will be a transaction. Is the first
impression: Inviting? Good repair? Clean? Attractive?
Buyers judge homes by the cost, location, and
move-in quality. The less they have to do to move-in the more they will pay. A
home that needs a lot of work brings a lower or no offer.
What can you do to assure
that crucial positive first impression?
Polish the front door knob; wash the
door; polish the glass; sweep the front step.
Clear away the clutter from the
front door, inside and outside to make the entry to your home seem more spacious
and to allow freedom of movement for more than one person.
Open windows daily for a few minutes
to exchange stale air, pet smells and cooking odours.
Switch low-watt bulbs to high watt
bulbs while selling; turn on lights for all showings.
If you work during the day, leave a radio and a couple lights turned on to make
home more inviting.
If your basement is stale from being
closed up, strategically locate an open bag of real charcoal, or large bags of
baking soda, to absorb smells and help keep air fresh.
Wipe clean all kitchen doors on
cabinets, then wipe an oil-soaked cloth over real wood to freshen appearance.
Empty kitty’s tray daily. Buyers
find trays offensive.
Pack anything you will not be using between now and moving day; store the boxes
out of traffic areas.
Rearrange furniture to make rooms
look more spacious and to keep traffic away from ornaments which may be knocked
over.
Open dark drapes or blinds to
brighten rooms.
Replace washers in drippy taps.
Play soothing dinner music so buyers
feel free to speak without being overheard.
Make a list, for your agent, of all
the reasons you bought the home.
Some people are allergic to or
frightened by pets. Keep the pets outside, or in a sectioned off area while
guests are viewing. Besides, pets are valuable family members too, and we would
not want Rover to get away from us.
If you have unusual pets, eg.
Lizards, ferrets, snakes, pet rats, etc. board them out or get a pet sitter
(granny’s place) until your house is sold. Most agents (or buyers) are terrified
and will not show your home a second time. Word of the scary pet travels fast.
Keep perfumes, air freshener and
smoke to a minimum, as many people have life-threatening allergies.
Keep the kitchen sparking
clean--counters free of medications, pill bottles, And anything that small
children could pick up.
Valuables such as jewelry, money,
figurines--should be kept out of reach or put away completely while
selling your home; the same for knives, guns, weapons.
An agent should be present at all
showings. Do not invite complete strangers into your home. Just because your
home is on the market does not mean an open-door invitation to the public to
arrive unannounced. Call your Agent, or give them his or her card.
 Now, after doing all that, pretend
you are a buyer and that you have never seen your home before. Would you buy it?
If you have any "why not's", take the time to fix them.
What Else Can I
Do To Help?
You can also
create a favourable first impression by getting an inspection on your home
(costs about $300.). This will not only bring attention to problems you may
have, which will assist you in making your disclosure and enable you to make
repairs, it will give you a punch list to complete before your buyer can find
the problems. Contact your
Eveline R. Gauvreau
Ltd. Brokerage to help you set
your inspection.
If you do all of these things, your buyer is sure to be impressed and will know
by the condition and care of the home that your top dollar asking price is more
than fair.
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