Do's and Don'ts

Jul. 17, 2015 | Written by: Lori

Summer is a busy and successful season for selling houses. It’s also a great time to showcase your home during showings and open houses. Our agents at ChangingStreets.com have compiled some do's and don’ts to get your home ready for perspective buyers. It’s important it is memorable in a GOOD way.

Do:

Clean. Clean. Clean. This seems very obvious but you’d be surprised how many times cleanliness is an issue. Vacuum, dust, scrub, wipe down and mop. This includes cleaning the burners on your stovetop and even wiping out the microwave and refrigerator. The one person who may open your microwave or refrigerator may be a buyer that gets turned off because there’s caked on and burned food in it.

Declutter. Clear the surfaces in your kitchen, bathroom and any shelf that’s overloaded. Organize closets and garage so that when buyers look inside they can picture their belongings in there. Get rid of excess furniture, pictures, decorations, etc. Buyers want space and even if your house is on the small side, decluttering and clearing off surfaces gives the illusion that there’s ample space.

Create an inviting entrance. Set up a charming seating area on your porch if there’s room. Refinish your front door with a fresh coat of paint or at least clean it up and hang a pretty decoration on it. Make sure your foyer is clean and staged so that when buyers enter they feel welcomed.

Let there be light. If your open house or showing is during the day, open curtains and shades and let the sunshine in. Make sure your windows are clean and shades dusted! If the light is dim, turn on some lights and/or lamps to create a cozier atmosphere.

Don’t:

Don’t cook or fry fish or other smelly foods like bacon before a showing or open house. You don’t want bad/strong smells lingering which may turn buyers away at the front door.  On the flip side, strong air fresheners or over powering, perfumed scents are just as bad.

Don’t leave beds unmade or dirty laundry on the floor. Make your bed, use nice bedding and pillows for that hotel look and feel. If you don’t have time to do laundry, at least pick it up and put it in a hamper in the closet or laundry room. Or at the very least, shove it under your bed. Out of sight, out of mind.

Don’t freak out if your child’s room is not picture perfect. Most buyers who are looking at homes, especially buyers with children, understand the mess that children can make. Try to make it as neat and organized as possible. Same goes for garages.

Don’t be home. This allows buyers to really look and ask questions without fear of offending the home owner.

Any of our agents at ChangingStreets.com would be happy to discuss the sale of your home and any preparation needed to make it inviting and memorable to potential buyers. There’s still plenty of time to have a successful sale before summer ends! Give us a call!

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