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.
