Top Ten Tips for Selling Your Home
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Looking for tips to sell your home? If you are trying to sell your house quickly and for top dollar you need to present it in it’s best possible light. We tend to become desensitized to our homes because we are there all the time. We don’t see the clutter or out-dated decor or smell the smoke, pets or strong cooking odours. A buyer will make a decision within the first minute of viewing a house. You want them to fall in love with it, or at least want to see more without immediately calculating how much money they will take off the asking price.
Home Selling Tip #1...Declutter and clean...
If you do nothing else you must do this, unless you want to lose potential buyers and money. Now is a great time to purge all those things you don’t want to take with you to your new home. Pack up half of your things (or more, if you’re a hoarder, aka “collector”). Put them in storage somewhere out of the house. Clean…clean…clean. Hire a cleaner if you don’t have time or can’t do a good job deep cleaning yourself. Get your furniture and rugs steam cleaned if needed. Get your ducts cleaned out and sanitized for only a few hundred dollars. You can never be too clean.
Many people can’t see beyond your stuff and may be allergic to pets,smoke or other strong fragrances. Taking pictures of your rooms may help you see better what other people see.
Home Selling Tip #2... Depersonalize...
Some real estate agents will tell you to pack away all personal photos and items. Others will tell you it’s okay to leave a few photos because it makes a house more homey. Definitely pack away any risque items or collections of weapons that may be offensive to potential buyers.
Home Selling Tip #3... Get rid of odours. Quit smoking in the house!...
If you smoke, go outside, or better yet – quit smoking. The smell will still stick to your clothes, but if you stop smoking in the house and thoroughly clean your home and upholstery it will minimize the odour. If you have pets make sure they are clean or have them stay elsewhere while you are trying to sell. When I was looking for a house years ago, my five-year-old son came with me to look at a house and the home owners were there (also not a good idea to do). They had three dogs, a couple cats, some fish, birds and guinea pigs and the placed reeked! Five-year-olds being as honest as they are, my son commented in front of the owners, “Ewe, It stinks in here!”I was so embarrassed. Needless to say, he was right and I didn’t buy that place.
The smell of baking cookies appeals to most people but not everyone loves garlic or curry so refrain from cooking with fragrant spices during showings. Avoid smelly candles and potpourri or incense.
The best smell when selling is the smell of clean. A buyer will think if your house is clean it will be well maintained in other areas.
Home Selling Tip #4...Show the function of the room or area..
You may use your dining room as a playroom or office but it needs to show as it’s intended function. If you are selling a three-bedroom home they need to be presented as such. If you have a small room or an awkward layout you need to show that there is still enough room for the intended purpose. Use right-sized furniture. It doesn’t necessarily need to be small, “apartment-sized”, but it needs to fit the space without overwhelming it.
Home Selling Tip #5...Do any repairs and refresh with paint if needed before you list...
Now is the time to take care of all those minor repairs that you have been waiting to do. Replace cracked plug and switch covers, caulk whatever needs caulking, patch any holes in walls and don’t forget outside. Paint with light or neutral colours. Different shades of grey are very on trend now. Painting will also help to get rid of a smoke smell, but you will need to use a special odour and stain blocking primer first.
Home Selling Tip #6...Bring the light in...
Make sure all your lightbulbs in a room are the same light intensity. Don’t mix a bright white with a soft white or incandescent light. Avoid heavy window coverings or leave open for showings. The more natural light the better. Mirrors are also beneficial for making a room feel lighter and brighter.
Home Selling Tip #7...Don't forget curb appeal..
Make sure the front entry is tidy and appealing. Use flowers in the summer to add a pop of colour. Make sure shrubs and lawn are tidy – raked and mown. In winter make sure driveway and pathways are clear of ice and snow to doorway. Forget about using kitchy yard ornaments.
Home Selling Tip #8...Stage your home...
You may want to stage your house for selling, especially if it is empty. Staging is more than decorating and preparing a house for sale. It is about adding the details that make a home appear bigger, brighter, cleaner, warmer and make buyers want to buy it. Hiring a professional stager can bring a more objective view of the house if you aren’t one.
Home Selling Tip #9...Leave your house during showings...
Leave your house at least fifteen minutes before an expected showing and don’t return until at least half an hour after. Your presence may intimidate a buyer and stop them from looking at everything they want to.
Home Selling Tip #10...Keep it clean and tidy...
Don’t fall back on lazy habits. Clean up after yourself and your family every time. Put dishes away, pick clothes up, and make your beds every day while you home is on the market. You never know when you will get a call that a potential buyer wants to view it immediately.
Happy selling.
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