Tips to Sell

I have been taking clients out to view a lot of properties recently and I would like to share with you a couple of mistakes sellers often make. These are simple things you should avoid if you want to sell your home.

1. Open the curtains and let some light in! When it is bright and sunny out and we walk into some of these homes it is like entering a cave. We step in and have to blink a few times to let our eyes adjust and then feel around a wall looking for a light switch. This is a definite turnoff. Open the blinds or curtains and let the light in. Buyers are there because they want to see the house and humans were not born with night vision.

2. Leave the bedroom and bathroom doors open. When buyers are going though an occupied house it can make them feel like they are intruding. A closed door often makes them question if someone is there and they are going to walk in on someone sleeping. I usually go first and knock on the door before opening but even this makes some buyers feel uncomfortable. Remember you want to make the potential buyer feel as comfortable as possible.

3. Make the property as easy to see as possible. Right now there is a glut of inventory and much of this is vacant so a buyer can view immediately. Buyers are becoming accustomed to viewing a property whenever they can. If you only allow showings the third Tuesday of the month at noon, with 5 days notice, you are not going to get much action. I understand that having strangers tromp through you home can be an inconvenience but you have to remember the goal is to sell the house. Yes it can be a pain when people want to see the property at dinner time but let’s face it that is when many buyers are off work and have the time to view properties. The best solution is to have showings with one hour notice within daylight times. Have the buyer's agent call the house an hour ahead, leave a message and be able to go without directly speaking with you, therefore avoiding the telephone tag game. When you get home from work you can check the messages to know if someone is expected.

4. The last tip I am sharing today is to remove as much clutter as you can and minimize your furniture. I have shown properties that are inches away from being featured on the show "Hoarders" and these are regular folks. Clothes should be put away, not strewn on the floors. Buyers want to see the floor covering. Closet doors should be able to close. There should be more than a path through the living room and move whatever piece you placed in front of the fireplace. You might know there is one there but the buyers don't unless they can see it. Counter tops should be cleared so we can see what it is made out of.
Bottom line is you need to make the property as open and bright as possible. You want it to appear fresh and clean. Make the home feel spacious and inviting for potential buyers. In the end you will benefit from the extra effort by having your home stand out in a good way to potential buyers.