- A first impression is crucial in selling a home. Remember that when a prospect comes to look at your home, the first impression (curb appeal) is vital. Your front lawn and other landscaping should be neatly trimmed and mowed. Make certain that your yard is clean of refuse and leaves. The walk should be swept and, in winter, remove ice and snow from walk and steps. The front door must be clean and fresh looking, the doorbell in working order. Seventy percent of the time a potential buyer will drive past your home to see the outside before they will make an appointment to see the inside.
- Decorating for a quicker sale.Faded walls and worn woodwork will reduce the appeal of your house. Why describe how your house could look…when you can show how it does look. A minor investment in paint and wallpaper could pay bigger dividends to you in the form of a better price and a quicker sale.
- Let the sun shine in. Open the drapes and curtains. Clean the windows. Dark and dreary rooms do not appeal to most home-buying prospects.
- Fix leaky faucets.Dripping water suggests faulty or worn-out plumbing. Discolored, rust-stained sinks should be thoroughly cleaned.
- Little things mean a lot.Loose door knobs or cabinet pulls, sticking doors and drawers, wobbly hinges, stuck windows- all are negative factors. Check and repair all these seemingly minor flaws, since they do detract from the value of your house.
- Safety first. Keep stair ways and corridors clear and clean of clutter. In addition to being unattractive, clutter causes accidents.
- Top to bottom.Let prospects see the potential of your attic, basement, garage and other utility/storage spaces by removing junk and other articles. Neatly stack cartons, etc. If the storage spaces are dark, a coat of paint or extra lighting can do wonders.
- Love big closets!We all love closets and you can make them look even bigger by having them clean, neat and well organized. Get rid of old clothes and cartons that take away from the spacious look.
- Bathrooms sell homes.Make bathrooms sparkle. Clean stained sinks and bowls, repair any damaged or discolored caulking around bathtubs and showers, be sure towels and area rugs are bright, make certain all light fixtures and bulbs work.
- Wake up your bedrooms.Keep bedrooms bright. After the prospects are gone you can close the drapes. Remove excess furniture to avoid a crowded look, use attractive and colorful bed linens and spreads.
- Can you see the light?Illumination in your home can be the “welcome sign” for every prospect. Turn on all of the exterior and interior lights–including the accent and picture lights–when your home is shown at night.
- Avoid crowds.Potential buyers will feel like intruders and want to hurry through your house if there are too many people around. Send the kids over to a neighbor’s or take them to the ice cream store when the real estate agent shows the home.
- Silence is golden.When showing your house, turn down, or off, radios or television sets. Let the salesperson and buyers talk freely without having the noise of a radio.
- Put the pets out.Keep all pets out of the way and not underfoot.
- This is not a social call.Be courteous and friendly, but don’t try to force conversation with potential buyers. They are there to inspect your house. Let the sales person do the talking.
- Stay in the background. The salesperson knows what the buyers are looking for, and can best describe and emphasize the best features of your house. Don’t tag along. If there are any questions; the salesperson will ask you for information.
- Be it ever so humble there’s no place like home.Don’t apologize for the appearance of the house. If something out of the ordinary should happen to mess-up the appearance, inform the salesperson when you are first called for the showing. Should any negative comments or objections be offered, let the trained salesperson answer them.
- This is not a garage sale. Don’t try to sell the potential buyers any of the furniture or furnishings that you don’t want to take with you. These are details that can be discussed afterwards.
- Let a professional do it.Let the salespeople talk to the customer about selling price, terms, possession date and other factors.
- By appointment only. Only show your home through an appointment.
