Hello World! Open homes are probably the best way to sell a property. It allows the buyers to see the house for themselves and imagine their future lives in it. On the other hand, this also means that the way the house is staged and how well the owners have prepared it has a real effect on the success of a sale.
When preparing a home for sale, the owners should try to imagine how potential buyers see it and to try to adapt it to make it as appealing as possible.
A broker preview
Chances are professional real estate brokers have more experience in selling property than you do and that their input on the matter could be of great value. That’s why it might be a good idea to arrange a broker preview before you open your home to the public.
Use this visit to learn from the criticism and make changes based on it. Some brokers will probably charge a commission for this task, but it’s really worth the money.
Staging the house
Many people take the staging part very seriously and spend a lot of money on buying new furniture and hiring interior designers. This isn’t always the best way to go. The goal is for the buyers to see themselves living there and not to display your life. That means that sometimes removing some furniture and making the home seem bare and empty can help with the sale.
You should also remove items that are not included in the sale. This will make the rooms seem larger and help you avoid any confusion about what you’re offering. Lighting is one of the most important parts of staging a home for sale and it’s often forgotten. A carefully chosen light can make the space seem richer and welcoming.
Fix what you can
Most home repairs are fairly easy to do, they don’t always require professional handymen, but when they’re not tended to, it could seem like the house is a mess and isn’t worth investing in.
Start by dealing with plumbing, fix the leaky faucets yourself and for bigger repairs, you could call the plumbers. Fixing blocked drains in Sydney shouldn’t last longer than a day and it will help create a much better impression. The same goes for cleaning the gutters and sweeping the driveways.
Security concerns
Letting strangers into your home is a pretty scary idea for a lot of people and for a good reason. It’s best to establish the rules that everyone entering the home need to follow. Start with asking everyone for a photo ID and allow no exceptions.
The bathroom and the medicine cabinet should be off limits at all times and for everyone and all things of value, like jewelry or smaller artwork should be removed before you host the open house. Also, it might be a good idea for guests to be accompanied by a chaperone at all times.
The outside
The first impression your guests get comes from outside of the home. The look of your front yard and trees and bushes also matters and you should pay attention to it. The most basic thing you could do is to cut the grass and trim the bushes but go a step further and it will pay off.
Clean the pool and the driveway, plant some flowers and if you can, paint the front door in a clean and bright color to inspire interest.
Make an effort to make your home presentable for sale. It’s usually just a few smaller adjustments and it really makes a difference for the buyers.
Click the links below for any posts you may have missed:
New Lamps & Powder Room Update
The Sunday Showcase from Make it Pretty Monday
Shopping for the House: Latest Purchases
I’d love for you to join my email list! You’ll receive a notification straight to your inbox once a week on Monday. The email includes links to party posts and my home project posts! Simply enter your address below.
Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful day/night depending on where you are in the world! Go with God and remember to be kind to one another!
Toodles,
[…] 5 Things to Do Before Putting your Home Up for Sale […]