Potential buyers are much more likely to return to a home that impresses them at first glance, while homes that appear disorderly or poorly maintained seldom sustain buyer interest.
•1. The first (and largest) area of concern is home odors. Because homeowners become desensitized to the odors in their homes, they rarely realize how obvious odors can be to visitors. This is particularly true of pet owners and smokers.
•2. Carpet and flooring. One of the most visible areas of your home is your flooring. If your carpet is worn or dirty, get it replaced or cleaned. If you have vinyl flooring with corners coming up, get it glued down. Special note: Replacing flooring in smaller areas, such as kitchens, with high quality flooring can bring in premiums in price.
•3. Paint and Walls. Paint is one of the least expensive ways to "spruce-up" your home. Consider painting outside trim, and interior walls and doors.
•4. Get rid of Clutter. Excess clutter is a big buyer turn-off. You have to move anyway, so you might as well pack away items that make your home feel good to you, but turn off buyers. This includes nick-knacks, furniture, pictures, hangings, plants, etc.
•5. Signs of mice, rats, roaches, spiders or bees. If you have any of these symptoms, you should immediately contact a local pest control company and have them eliminated. There's no better way to show your home is filthy than by infestations. Remove all spider webs with a broom.
•6. Poor landscaping. If your landscaping is messy, overgrown, or looks cluttered in any way, you need to fix it. Buyers make positive or negative conclusions about your home within the first 5 minutes. Don't lose the battle before you've even begun.
There's no doubt about it: first impressions count with buyers. That's why I prepared a 44 fail-proof list of simple, quick, and inexpensive things you can do to prepare your home for sale.
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