Why... oh why...do Home Sellers not get this!
There are so many things I have seen when simply viewing a home at an open house, a showing, or an inspection.
Some things always seems to pop up more often than not....This is something your Realtor should be advising you of, providing you have one. If you do not, give me a call. 416-303-1703.
1. Please, please... tidy up, scrub up, and be clean. If not always then at least for the duration of the listing until sale and closure of your home. This simple task can speak volumes to the potential buyer. It is often the most inexpensive (and often overlooked) thing a home owner can do to set their home apart from the competition. If you don't have the time... hire a professional if it is necessary.
2. This kind of follows #1... get rid of obnoxious or offensive odours. Cooking smells (although they may be appealing to you), garbage, and organic matter from gardens can turn up the nose of even the most dismissive and open-minded Buyer.. Don't just use carpet deodorizers, have carpets steamed cleaned, especially if you have pets, and very apparent stains. The same goes for old or dirty furniture. Musty basements from dampness (providing you aren't trying to cover up a disclosure nightmare), litter boxes from cats or other animals, these all need to be addressed. You need to have a pleasant calming smell, Not a scrubbed "sterile" smell works either. Vanilla or Jasmine scents do wonders.
3. Organize and de-clutter......Yes, you are probably seeing a trend here. It you don't plan on taking it with you in your move or haven't used it in 6 months, throw it out, donate it, give it away. Most often less is more. The appeal of a room or house is often diminished from the lack of organization and clutter that unfolds from everyday life. This is the time to change your habits....if those habits tend to lean towards messy, and carefree. This is not to say you need to remove everything from your house because you are planning on moving. Don't stuff things into closets either, buyers will be sure to look in there anyways. If you have to, temporarily rent a storage unit. It is a matter of increasing the appearance of size and flow of a home, (even some of the largest homes can be crammed). Over sized or clumsy pieces of furniture or decorative items can detract from a room, by the same token an empty room can do the same unless you are making a statement to draw attention to the specific architecture or design of some attribute of a room or home.
4. Depersonalize the house- take down the big posters of your favorite sports teams, your trophies or your "girlie" posters for sure. This includes putting away family photos, "yes, I said this", pets toys, children's toys and items alike. Keeping items like this, prevents the Buyer from seeing themselves owning and living in your home.
5. Repairs, repairs, and a little paint goes a long way. Certain things have to be done. If you wouldn't want it there, chances are nobody else would either. If the carpet is loose have it re stretched, if its trashed, have it replaced, it could be a safety hazard to have a loose carpet for a Buyer viewing and tripping over this area, causing a much un-needed headache. If the walls have noticeable holes, fix them and repaint. If the walls are beyond a cleaning, have them repaired and painted properly. If the room is dark, outdated colours and wallpaper, have it removed, and repainted. Neutral, airy colours and a flat finish are great, also for diminishing the appearance of less than perfect walls. I recommend classic colours like Benjamin Moore Natural Linen CC90 or Sherwin Williams Natural Tan SW7567, and combinations of these colours, sometimes using appropriate accent walls give a sense of the designers touch. You want flow, not choppy rooms. Too much variance in colour can also detract in the same fashion.
6. Curb appeal....don't forget about the outside. This is the initial impression of your home, this is what should first attract someones attention, hopefully for a good reason too. Flowers go along way, prune shrubs and trees. Rake the leaves and debris on a regular basis. Remove weeds along curbs and driveways too. Change light bulbs that are burned out (this goes for light fixtures inside too). Clean the windows (also inside). If the garage door and front door are in poor repair, a face lift with some appropriate contrasting/co-ordinating paint colours will help. You can ask your local knowledgeable paint store or designer for assistance. Cover up that bright pink or lime green door (unless you live in the magical world of Candyland). Sometime a fresh asphalt dressing is recommended to revive a lifeless otherwise tiresome looking driveway.
6. Finally, with the preceding being stated....this is of course, if the above, except the necessary, is within a budget. There are exceptions to this. Sometimes certain things just can't be warranted. But again, even the little things can make a world of difference.
