The first day of Spring is less than 3 weeks away (Saturday, March 20), and it’s a fantastic time to put your home on the market. Interest rates remain low, and eager Home Buyers are looking for houses like yours.
Are you prepared for the kind of Home Showings that lead to top dollar offers? If you want to maximize your home’s potential, then read on for tips to help you prepare to show your home in its very best light.
7 Smart Home Showing Tips
CURB APPEAL IS KING
Potential offers are often clinched, or lost, based on Buyers’ first impression of your home. Add mulch or rocks where needed to flower beds, clean up overgrown trees or bushes, and clear clutter from your front yard. A fresh doormat and tasteful wreath or other accent can add to the appeal as well. If something is broken or in need of paint on your home’s face, take care of it before you list.
CUT BACK ON CLUTTER
The more spacious and open your home feels, the more inviting it will be to potential Buyers. Pack up extra niknaks and be especially mindful of surface clutter on tables, dressers, desks, and countertops. Box up out-of-season clothing, coats, and shoes to give your closets breathing room as well. Consider renting a storage unit for “stuff” overflow you won’t need before you sell and move.
IT’S NOT PERSONAL
If Buyers are distracted (or even offended) by highly taste specific art, religious artifacts, or loud colors, you risk steering them away from the ultimate goal: seeing themselves in your home.
Think neutral colors, and de-personalize where possible. This includes family photographs as well. If you typically display multiple family photos throughout your home, pack them away for now. Buyers don’t want to think about how your family lives in the home; they want to picture their own family enjoying the space. Don’t get in their way with taste-specific decor or an overabundance of family portraits.
EMBRACE TIDINESS
If you have kids or pets, perfection may not be realistic, but no matter who you share your home with you can develop habits that keep your home in a general state of tidiness for last minute showings. Reserve a cupboard, drawer, or basket for quickly stashing toys, magazines, or other bits and bobs you want to tuck away. Frequent offenders in the last-minute rush to pick up are shoes, coats, throw blankets, and dishes. Have a plan to take care of these items quickly for short-notice showings.
Aim for 90% readiness and when you get those “hey we’re in parked in front of the house” last minute calls, you can be ready to stash-and-dash.
MAKE THE BEDS
It seems like a small item, but walking into rooms with made-up beds feels fresher, cleaner, and more welcoming to Buyers. If your kids don’t know how to make their beds or tend to do a sloppy job, now is the time to teach them how. If you have fallen down the rabbit hole of 5,000 decorative pillows on your bed, now would also be a good time to pare down for simplicity’s sake.
SAY IT WITH FLOWERS
Fresh, simply arranged flowers speak volumes in a house on the market. You don’t have to spend a bundle or create a wedding-worthy arrangement. Daisies in a vase on the kitchen table or counter are fresh and pretty. Hydrangeas or even simple greens are nice in a bedroom. A petite blooming plant on a coffee or side table leaves a pleasant impression. You can source fresh bouquets at the grocery store for less than $20 bucks.
Be sure to give your blooms fresh water and flower food and toss spent blooms. A thriving bouquet says “Buy me,” but a wilted one says, “Walk away.”
LET THERE BE LIGHT
An abundance of light from both natural and artificial sources will leave a lasting impression with Buyers. Every space looks better with lots of daylight, or well-placed lamps or other light sources. Open the drapes and turn on lamps and overhead lighting to welcome potential Buyers in. Your home will give a warm, welcoming impression that drives away any doubt THIS is the perfect home, and worthy of a generous offer.
Sincerely,
Jack Meyers
jackestate@aol.com
303.263.3050
meyers real estate group 