Of our five senses, smell is the one in my experience that is most off-putting. If the house smells like cigarette smoke, or animal urine, or has a mold or mildew smell; the buyer loses interest in seeing any other part of the house and will not be making an offer. It can be extremely hard to get rid of odors. Mold or mildew odors indicate larger problems - water infiltration, and few buyers are willing to lay down their hard-earned money for a home with mold or mildew.
How a home appears visually is also a large factor in a buyer's first impression of your home. Dark rooms, clutter, unconventional decor or paint colors, and a lack of cleanliness are not going to sell a home. It will sell someone else's home - and for a higher price in many cases.
The sense of touch has a lot to do with cleanliness. If the floors are sticky to walk across, or the cabinets have a layer of grease on them, or the counters look so dirty you wouldn't want to touch them, then the appeal of the home goes down considerably. Another aspect of touch - and this is a true story: a group of realtors were touring a home just listed by the office when everyone began experiencing unbearable itch on their legs and arms. The house looked okay but had been vacant for some time. Still living there were fleas and those fleas were ravenous! That problem had to be addressed before the home could be shown to would-be buyers. I'm not sure any of the realtors present that day ever went back and understandably so. They nearly stampeded to get out of there! Imagine if a buyer and their agent had been the first to walk into that situation!
To make your home sell:
- Open the draperies, pull up the shades, and let in the sunlight.
- Create a positive mood. Turn on all lights, day or night, and install higher wattage light bulbs to show your home brightly.
- Remove clutter from each room to visually enlarge them and provide a sense of assurance to would-be buyers that you're not trying to hide defects in the home from them.
- If you have a fireplace, highlight it in your decorating.
- Keep your home dusted and vacuumed at all times.
- Replace the carpet if it does not clean up well.
- Have a family "game plan" to get the home in order quickly if necessary.
- Air out your home for one-half hour before showings if possible.
- Lightly spray the house with linen-scented air freshener so that it has a chance to diffuse before the buyer arrives. If you are a smoker, do your best to smoke outside (not in the garage!) during the period of time you have your house on the market. Also spray upholstered furniture with a product like Febreeze to remove odors from furniture.
- Put family photos in storage.
- Improve traffic flow through every room by removing unnecessary furniture.
- Create the feeling of a spacious entry area by using decorative accents and removing unnecessary furniture.
- Putty over and paint any nail holes or other mishaps in the wall.
- For dried out or scratched woodwork, use a product like lemon oil or Old English Scratch Cover. It's remarkable how these products can improve the appearance of woodwork.
- Paint all interior walls a neutral color to brighten the home and make it look bigger.
- Repair or remove any loose or damaged wallpaper.
- Clean all light bulbs and light fixtures to brighten the home.
- Wash all windows inside and out.
- Use healthy, lush, plants in transitional areas of your house.
- Remove and/or hide excess extension cords and exposed electrical cords.
- Open doors to areas you want potential buyers to see such as walk-in closets, pantries, attics, etc.
- Remove all smoke and pet odors. These are tough. Few products really work at removing tough odors. Contact me to learn what products I've used and which work the best.
- Repair or replace damaged banisters and handrails. Tighten them if they have become loose.
- Microwave a small dish of vanilla 20 minutes before a showing and place it in an out-of-the-way place.
- Highlight an eat-in area of your kitchen with a table prettily set for dinner.
- The kitchen and bathrooms should be spotlessly clean.
- Expand your counter space by removing small appliances.
- Create a master suite effect in decorating the master bedroom.
- Depersonalize bedrooms and decorate in a neutral scheme.
- Make sure the beds are made and the linens clean.
- Organize closets and remove unnecessary items and put them in storage.
- Do not leave wet, dirty towels lying around and wipe down the sinks and showers after each use.
- Re-caulk the tub if the caulk is not bright white.
- Repair or replace broken tiles in the shower/tub.
- Replace shower curtains and keep them clean.
- Put out fresh towels and decorative soaps.
- If you have pets, secure them for showings if possible. Keep their food and litter areas clean.
- Keep the yard mowed and raked at all times.
- Use flowering plants to dress up the yard, walkway, and patio/deck.
- Remove all toys, bicycles, tools, unsightly patio furniture, and trash from the yard.
- Porches, steps, verandas, balconies, patios, and other extensions of the house should be kept uncluttered, swept, and in good condition.
- Paint all entrance doors and remove cobwebs at entries.
- Make sure any sliding glass doors and overhead garage doors open easily. Fix and paint the doors if necessary.
- Clean and shine all hardware and accessories indoors and out. (Door knobs, knockers, amps, mailbox, address numbers, windowsills, etc.)
- Trees and shrubs should be trimmed - especially if branches extend over the house or are in contact with the house.
- Use a new doormat.
- Be sure the front doorbell and any exterior outlets are in good working order.
- Be sure the front door and screen door work perfectly, are clean, and in good condition.
- Clean out the gutters.
- Fill any holes in the yard or areas where the ground has sunk and water pools with rain. (Especially next to the foundation.)
A real estate agent with years of experience is a valuable resource to help identify any issues a buyer might have with your home. Real estate agents have a network of reputable companies to help with repairs and can provide a list of recommendations. An agent can advise what repairs or upgrades offer the best return on your investment. Remember: not all repairs or upgrades add value to the property, but they will help you market your home competitively and sell quickly.
Find more about selling your home or contact me through my website: TomSellsKC.com.
Find more about selling your home or contact me through my website: TomSellsKC.com.