Many homeowners underestimate how important it is to prepare for a home viewing when selling their home. However, a little elbow grease can go a long way toward ensuring your home sells faster and for more money.
If you’re selling your home, you’ll want to pay attention to the tips below. Each section will get you one step closer to having your home ready for successful viewings. The effort could mean more money in your pocket!
1. Eliminate Odors
Nothing turns a potential homebuyer off faster than stepping into a house with an unpleasant odor. Whether it’s cigarette smoke, old food odors, pet smells, or mustiness, you need to get rid of them before the house is listed for sale.
Eliminating odors may be as easy as running an electric essential oil diffuser, or you may need to do something more drastic like shampoo or tear out carpeting. It really depends on what type and how strong the odor is. Even if you don’t have any strong odors in the house, an aroma diffuser can help you create a fresh or cozy environment, depending on the essential oils you choose.
2. Address Your Home’s Curb Appeal
Look at your home from a prospective buyer’s point of view. Walk out to the street and really look at the exterior of your home and its surrounding yard. Is the grass mowed? Are the kids’ toys put away? Have any neighborhood pets left nasty surprises in the grass?
Address these and any other issues you might observe. Remember, you never get a second chance to make a good first impression, so present your home in its best possible light from the start.
3. Declutter the Inside of Your Home
Clutter is a turn-off to homebuyers. It gets in the way of them being able to envision their own things in your home. So, take time to clear it away, focusing on the stairways, closets, hallways, and any other areas that tend to collect random things throughout the week.
4. Prepare the Kitchen
The kitchen is often the biggest selling point for most homebuyers. As such, this space needs to be showroom ready, so to speak. Clear the countertops of any unnecessary things and make sure they are sparkling clean. If you have ceramic cookware or decorative dishes on display, make sure every piece is perfectly clean.
Clear the refrigerator door of everything – even that A+ your child got on a spelling test. It’s great that you’re proud, but such things can interfere with a potential buyer’s ability to picture the space as their own.
Finally, make sure the floors are spotless. No one likes a sticky floor with crumbs crunching underfoot as they walk through a kitchen that may be theirs someday. It raises questions as to the cleanliness and maintenance of the entire home.
5. Check the Bathroom(s)
The second biggest selling point for most homebuyers is the bathroom. The same considerations you made in the kitchen apply to the bathroom as well. Clear the countertop of all things unnecessary, and make sure the floor is clean. Scrub the toilet and the tub as buyers won’t hesitate to check that both are clean and free of mold. Finally, make sure your linen closet is neat and organized, and hang a couple of new bath towels on the towel racks.
It’s important to prepare your home for viewing. Doing so can help you secure a faster sale and a better price. If you’re selling your home, be sure to address all the areas listed above to get it ready for scheduled viewings.