Selling your home can be tricky. You don’t want to pay too much money in fees, and you want the process to go smoothly. But there are also things that you can do on your end to make sure buyers notice your home. For example, if potential buyers see natural light when they walk in the door, you might consider leaving some lights on when showing your house. This will highlight how bright the rooms are. It gives them an idea of what it would be like living here in these rooms with their furniture in place.
Here are ways you can make your home stand out for potential buyers:
1. Make it clean and clutter-free
Clutter can make a home feel smaller, and it’s also unappealing to buyers. They want to see a space that is easy to imagine themselves living in. So before you start showing your home, make sure it’s clean and free of any unnecessary items. This might mean putting away some of your personal belongings or packing up some of your things so that they’re not in the way.
2. Brighten up the rooms
A bright and cheerful home is always more appealing than a dark one. If your home feels a little dreary, try adding some lamps or light fixtures to brighten up the space. You could also paint the walls in lighter colors to reflect more light.
3. Stage your home
If you want to make a great impression on potential buyers, consider staging your home. This means arranging your furniture in a way that makes the space look its best. You might want to remove some pieces of furniture to make the rooms feel bigger, or you could try creating different areas in each room ( like a living area, dining area, and bedroom ).
4. Appeal to their senses
When people walk into your home, you want them to feel good. One way to do this is by appealing to their senses. For example, you could bake cookies or put out fresh flowers to create a pleasant smell. Or you could play soft music in the background to create a calm atmosphere.
5. Minimize clutter in the bathrooms
People want to see themselves using the bathroom, so make sure it’s clean and organized. This means clearing out all of your bath products under the sink and hiding away extra towels. It might also mean organizing your toiletries in a cabinet or medicine chest.
6. Keep pet areas tidy
Try to keep your pets’ living spaces as neat as possible for showings. If you have an animal who tends to make messes, make sure you clean these areas up before buyers arrive. Also, minimize odors by having their litter boxes or food bowls cleaned daily.
7. Set the temperature just right
You want potential buyers to feel comfortable when they walk into your home. Keep the thermostat set to about 70 degrees for showings. Buyers will appreciate not having to adjust the temperature when they arrive, and it also helps your house feel cozier than if it were hot or cold.
8. Have a game plan
You might want potential buyers to see all of your home’s features, so you’ll need to develop a game plan before you start showing people around. You might want them to know every bedroom and bathroom first, go outside, and head back inside for an outdoor tour. Or maybe you want them to walk through each room one at a time while someone points out certain things (like windows or built-in cabinets). Either way, it helps to have things organized so you can keep track of who has seen which rooms.
9. Show, don’t tell
It’s important to let potential buyers walk through your home and explore on their own. This way, they can feel the space and imagine what it would be like to live there. Try not to talk too much, especially about the negative aspects of the home. Let the buyers form their own opinions. So make sure that they notice even your attractive coir outdoor doormats.
10. Don’t hover
It can be tempting to stay with buyers the whole time they’re at your house, but this can make them uncomfortable. They want to feel free to look around without being watched. So try to give them some privacy, and only pop in every once in a while to answer any questions they might have.
11. Take advantage of technology
If you have a camera or video recorder, use it to document the features of your home. An effective way to show off rooms is by taking videos walking around with a phone or small camera. These videos allow potential buyers to imagine themselves in the space. Buyers can even send them to their friends if they want some second opinions about whether they should purchase.
It’s important to remember that you will never have a replica of a buyer’s experience, but you can still make a good impression. The more prepared you are and the more things you do to prepare your home, the better potential buyers will receive it.