If you are selling a horse, you brush off all the mud before a prospective buyer shows up. If you are selling a motorcycle, you clean it and shine the chrome to sparkling. It’s the same with selling your house, albeit on a larger scale.
While not on the stand out list, your first action item should be to connect with a real estate professional at Habitat Hunters. For Sale By Owner looks good on paper, but only 7% of homes [according to the National Association of Realtors] sell by owner. Contracts, paperwork, lawyers, inspections, title companies and much more are involved. For the initial listing, REALTORS have the experience and expertise for comparative values, professional photos (including drone shots), marketing strategies, negotiation skills and everything you need to facilitate a home sale to your satisfaction.
#1 Curb Appeal. We have been told not to judge a book by its cover, and by extension, a person by their clothes or a house by its exterior. But we do, and these first impressions make an impact. Cobwebs on the porch and overgrown shrubs evoke sloppy maintenance.
You don’t have to have a golf course quality lawn because neat and tidy go a long way. Mulch, mowing, clean outdoor lights, a couple simple plants in pots or hanging, mailbox in good condition, driveway and sidewalks swept and visible house numbers let people know someone here cares.
#2 Staging. Family photos, heirloom trinkets, bold artwork, bathroom toiletries and countertop kitchen appliances add physical clutter, as well as emotional clutter. Not staging a home is akin to missing the forest for the trees, i.e., buyers looking at individual things (trees, personal stuff) and missing the big picture (forest, overall room perspective).
The National Association of Realtors defines staging as “the art of preparing a home to appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers.” This is not decorating, but framing and accentuating living spaces, architecture, function and unique features. A buyer might miss the cozy, corner, natural stone fireplace for the distraction of your favorite splashy piece of abstract art over the couch. A home stager is part of your sales team who can present your house in its best light, literally and figuratively.
#3 Vertical Surfaces. The importance of walls cannot be underestimated. They provide structural support, security, space for wires and pipes out of sight, protection, sound and thermal insulation and room definition. Since we are vertical, too, we see them more than floors and ceilings. Thus, the condition of walls is a big deal.
Fresh paint is imperative for any walls which are dull, scratched or dirty. A house can sell faster for a higher price with fresh, light, neutral wall colors. Shower walls should be examined for grout condition, along with kitchen cabinet doors and drawers, also highly visible vertical surfaces. Something as simple as new hardware on cupboards and drawers can spruce up a kitchen.
#4 Home Inspection. Normally a home inspection might be paid for by the buyer with some allowance in the contract for repairs. Make a big splash by doing your own part and springing for having this done in advance, making the improvements before buyers come through. This is a wow factor that elicits trust, integrity, fairness and transparency.
For your part, you can carry a hair dryer and check every electrical outlet, turn on every switch, make sure window and door locks work, look for exterior mildew and interior signs of water leaks. You can then hire a home improvement specialist for HVAC, plumbing, electrical boxes, water lines, drainage and so on. This might be especially appealing if you have an older home and/or you are in a hurry to sell. It can save time between contract, negotiation and closing with minimal or no repair work required.
#5 Sensory Attraction. Our five senses provide a lot of information which create impressions and influence decisions. You can offer excellent visual perceptions with deep cleaning, fresh paint, minimal personal things on display, good lighting and tidy rooms. Hearing can impact a frame of mind in a few seconds. Soft jazz, easy listening instrumental and the more quiet side of classical can calm and soothe people.
We love to touch things, and superior cleaning in advance assures that wood surfaces, kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, window ledges and built-in bookcases give a smooth, clean feel. If you are not going to bake bread for a showing, sprinkle cinnamon in a frying pan on medium heat. A couple minutes later, put the pan into the sparkling clean oven, and they’ll have a laugh when they look inside. For taste, well, you can’t go wrong with a small plate of cookies under plastic wrap, a few napkins and bottles of water nestled on a placemat in the kitchen. Yum.
