- Don’t ignore curb appeal.
You might get so focused on the state of the carpet, the kitchen cabinets and the countertops that you forget that a buyer’s first view of your home is when they step out of their car. Are your sidewalks in good repair? Is shrubbery overgrown? Has that brick flower box been falling down for years? Is your storm door dirty or are screens torn? For a minimal amount of money and effort, you can spruce up the front door area of your home and make it say “Welcome” to those entering.
- Don’t crowd the buyer.
While being available (or having a realtor available) to answer questions about the house, you will want to give lookers every opportunity to examine and discuss the home that could be changed from yours to theirs. Allow them time to open the closets, view the hot water heater, and walk around the yard without stalking them. If they want to come back for another look, that’s even better.
- Don’t leave your stuff out.
Nothing is less appealing to buyers than to see so much of your personality in the décor and furnishings that they can’t picture themselves living there. A ceramic cat collection, wall-to-wall furniture, the stack of magazines you haven’t had time to read, and your pile of mail are distracting and unattractive. Put away your family photos and make sure the closets aren’t so stuffed that viewers can’t imagine their own artwork on the walls or clothing in the walk-in.
- Don’t let odors linger.
The days or weeks of showing your house are a good time for a review of what your rooms actually smell like. You might have gotten used to the family pet odors or your musty closets, but buyers won’t enjoy strong scents which hit them as they walk into your house. It’s a good time for a carpet cleaning and maybe for the family animals to spend a little time with a friend. The night before the house-showing isn’t the best time for making onion soup or that complicated fish recipe with garlic either. Baking cookies just before people arrive, however, is a great idea.
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