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It's
time to get your home in "showing and selling" condition.
Most of us don't keep our homes in the condition
it would need to be in to sell. Over the years
those boxes in the corner of the garage just
seem to multiply on their own. Things have broken
that we just never get around to fixing and some
things have just worn out. We just accept the
fact that they will always be this way. It is
this frame of mind that you have to break out
of in order to get your house ready to show.
How your home looks will have an immense impact
on how quickly it sells and whether or not you
get full market value for it.
First
impressions are very important and you only get
to make one. Your
real estate agent, who is interacting in the
marketplace every day, can assist you in approaching
your home from the buyer's standpoint. What needs
to be changed to make a good first impression?
This may mean that all you do is prune the trees
and shrubs. On the other hand, it may mean that
you completely repaint the house, inside and
out. Do a "curb to door" check. Give the potential
buyers a clear path to enter the home. The fewer
obstacles between the buyer and the true appeal
of your home the better. Keep in mind that over
time we become accustomed to our surroundings.
What's normal for you may be detrimental to the
buyer.
Make
your home look as spacious as possible. Organize
your closets and kitchen cabinets, and if you
have things stored in the attic or basement,
make sure they are presentable. If you are showing
during the day, pull back your curtains and drapes
to show how bright and cheery your home is. If
you are showing at night, turn on all of the
lights to create a warm and welcoming environment
for the prospective buyers. A home that is marked
with your personality and style may be harder
to sell. You might even consider such things
as removing obvious clues to your political affiliation
and tucking away any biased literature that may
be visible. This will reduce distractions and
help the buyers to visualize the home as their
own. |
