Quick tips to help your home make a stunning first impression!
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” ~ Andrew Grant
It’s a fact: acquiring the highest market value and elevating your home above others in the same price range often comes down to first impressions. Here are some quick home improvements you can make in the one or two weeks before your home goes on the market so that it shines when potential buyers come see it.
Inside your home:
Edit your closets. Storage is important to buyers. Take half of the items out of your closets and store them elsewhere or donate them and organize what’s left. Some buyers will look in your closets – if they are crammed full of items, it may make the buyer think your home doesn’t have enough storage! In the same vein, edit, organize and clean cabinets.
Lighten it up. Choose lighter lampshades, trim bushes around windows to make sure your home is light and bright. And think about your light bulbs. Check for any that are burned out, and consider increasing the wattage or going to a lighting store and look at the color of light options (warm, cool, daylight, etc.). If a lighting fixture has more than one bulb, make sure they match. And be sure to choose light bulbs that turn on immediately -- don’t make buyers wait to see your home!
Conceal the critters. Not all buyers love pets. Buyers often don’t want to walk into a home and see a bowl full of dog food, smell the kitty litter box or end up with fur stuck to their clothes. It will leave buyers with the impression that your house is not clean. Do what you can to make your home “pet neutral.”
Take “your home” out of the house. Help buyers envision themselves owning your house by de-personalizing it and removing family photos, collections and personal keepsakes. Remove excessive wall hangings, furniture and knick-knacks. Donate items or put them in storage.
Consider hiring a professional stager. A professional can arrange your furniture or bring in some of their own pieces to best showcase the floor plan and maximize the use of your space. You really want your space to shine more than your things.
And perhaps the most important: conduct a thorough cleaning, clean light fixtures, and have the windows washed inside and out. Buyers will be more attracted to a clean space as it shows you care for your home.
Outside your home:
Curbside appeal matters, too! No matter how good the interior of your home looks, and how hard you’re working to keep it that way once the home is on the market, buyers have already judged your home before they’ve walked through the door. Here are some suggestions for quick improvements outside your home:
Freshen up the front door paint; sunlight, scratches from seasonal decorations and daily use can make it look rundown. If time permits, considering painting it a bright new color.
Dust and remove cobwebs from the exterior and especially around the front door. Sweep the front porch.
Plant some inexpensive plants either in the ground or in pots.
Keep the grass cut, the yard weed-free, and put down new mulch. Remove all yard debris.
These quick improvements can help improve your home’s first impression and eliminate distractions for buyers. But they aren’t just for those selling their home. These small changes can make our home more welcoming year-round.
As always, I have a long list of vendors that I have personally used or that clients have hired to help tackle projects. If you need a referral to one of these vendors, please contact me. I’m happy to help!
Here’s another link you can reference that shares many of these same tips:
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