Simple Tips for Better Home Showings Part 1

Today's Tips for Sellers comes from the National Association of Realtors, with my tips thrown in.  You can find the original text in this article, Simple Tips for Better Home Showings.  The article has 18 tips, I am going to make this a two part article!

Your home is a very personal thing.  I have seen inside a lot of houses, and it is very clear to me that everyone has their own taste.  One house on a street might be decorated with the latest of styles and look like it came out of a home design magazine while another right next door might look like it is stuck in 1974.

When buyers come to see your house, they want to see a lifestyle.  They want to picture themselves in the house.  Many agents will tell you to take down all your pictures and depersonalize your home.  I won't say that's a bad idea, but I will say that I never tell a client to take down everything in the house that makes the house theirs.  You do have to still live there while your house is on the market!

Here is a list of suggested tips that might make your house stand out to buyers.

1.  Remove clutter and clear off your counters.   It really is true that buyers can be nosy.  You don't want them nosing through your mail, or knocking into a shelf holding your prize snow globe collection.

2.  Wash your windows and screens - Spring is a great time to do this, it's amazing how much different natural light will make in a house.

3.  Keep everything extra clean - My husband and I worked like crazy every time we had a showing, making sure the house was in top shape.  With three kids and pets, there was always so much to do.  The thing was, when we came home after a showing, it was amazing how much more welcoming our house felt even to US when it was in tip-top shape.  If you are already a very neat and tidy person, use the time to do things you might not usually have time for.  Wipe fingerprints off light switches, wax the hardwood floor.

4.  Get rid of odors - Buyers will put up with a lot of things, but smells make people instantly turned off.  Open the windows, make some cookies, use plug in air fresheners.

5.  Brighten your rooms - Up the wattage in your light bulbs.  Put a floor lamp in a room that doesn't have enough light of its own.  Open up the drapes and blinds.  If you can, use fresh and neutral paint on walls that might have been the victim of a bad trend or a teenager going through a phase.

6.  Don't disregard minor repairs - Torn screens, missing screws in face plates, burned out light bulbs all make a bad impression that your house is being neglected.

7.  Tidy your yard - Rake the leaves, weed the flower beds, trim the bushes in front of your house.  All of these little things can add so much curb appeal.  Add some flowers in a pot near your front door.

8.  Patch holes - Don't neglect your driveway.  Patch holes and reapply sealant.

9.  Send your pets to a neighbor - Or take them with you.  Dogs and cats get nervous when people are in their home.  If you crate your dog, but it barks the whole time, that makes your home have a very negative feeling to it.  I always wonder what the pets think about people traipsing through their house.

It is hard to have your house on the market.  Keep your eyes on the prize - moving on to a better place for you.  Keep these tricks in your toolbox to make your house stand out.

Jennifer