It’s often hard to remain objective when assessing those things that are near and dear to your heart. Like, for instance, your home.
If you’re preparing to sell your house and want to create the best presentation for prospective buyers, you need to keep an open mind about how it looks to outsiders. Doing so will help you avoid these common presentation blunders:
1. Poorly Maintained
If your house doesn’t look well-maintained potential buyers will assume that they’re going to have to spend time and money on repairs and basic maintenance. Whether you do it yourself or hire someone to do it for you, be sure to make the necessary repairs to your home before you put it on the market. Your real estate agent can help you spot necessary details as he works for his real estate agent commission.
2. No House Number
Selling your house won’t be easy if buyers can’t find it or have trouble locating it. That said, make sure that you have a house number that’s easily visible and in good repair.
3. Pet Smells
Having a loving and well-loved pet is a highlight for many homeowners. But pet smells, and pet messes are a turnoff to many buyers, so do everything you can to remove smells and evidence of your pets before you begin to show your home.
4. Lack of Light
Proper lighting can create a sense of space and improve the overall impression of your home. Open all curtain and blinds, clean your windows, and trim away foliage outside the home that blocks the light. You may want to use additional lighting to improve the look and feel of a room.
5. Too Much Furniture
An over-abundance of furniture will make a room look and feel smaller than it is. Create space between pieces of furniture and even remove some of it temporarily as you open your home to potential buyers.
6. Poor Street Appeal
The first impression a buyer gets when they first see your house from the outside may determine whether they come inside for a closer look or drive away. Here are some things you can do to improve your home’s curb appeal:
- Make sure your fence, post box, and street number are in good condition. If not, replace them.
- Whatever you do, don’t neglect your landscaping. Make sure your lawn is mowed, remove any weeds, and prune and cut any foliage that looks messy.
- Don’t ignore the importance of your front door. It’s one of the first things buyers notice and consider giving yours a makeover, whether it entails a new paint job or adding new door knob or knocker.
- Clean the dirt from your garage doors, walls, walkways, and driveway. Your walls may benefit from a fresh coat of paint, as well.
7. Ignoring Clutter
Too much clutter can quickly scare away a potential buyer. Decluttering each room will make your home appear bigger, more spacious, as well as cleaner and tidier. Remove anything that you don’t need – such as ornaments, knick-knacks, extra chairs, etc.
8. A Poor Bathroom of Kitchen
Your bathrooms and kitchen are the rooms that many buyers will inspect the most. They need to be cleared of clutter to make them appear more spacious and may benefit from new light fixtures, hardware, and even a fresh coat of paint.
9. Selling an Empty House
Empty rooms look smaller and are uninviting to many buyers. Furniture and other items in rooms provide thought-starters for buyers who imagine themselves living in your home.
10. Cleanliness
Most buyers are unwilling to look past dirty floors and bathrooms. While it might not bother you, it’s important to remember that buyers are seeing it for.
