If you’re selling your home, you want everything to be perfect. You can drive yourself crazy hunting down every little thing, in the hopes that it makes your house stand out above the rest. But without experience, it can be impossible to know exactly what you should be looking for. Of course, in a perfect world, you could get everything done to suit both you and the prospective buyers. But since this isn’t a perfect world, we've provided tips of the top five things that kill a property viewing, and the best ways to prevent them!
1. Bad Landscaping
Getting your home ready for buyers means the yard too. Nobody wants to live in a place that looks like a haunted house. Long grasses and untended gardens signify infestation and a lack of care. It can really bring down your curb appeal. A nice yard can be a huge selling point for a family home. So keep your lawn groomed, and any privacy hedges and trees trimmed back. A lush garden or a few well-chosen rose bushes can turn an ordinary home into an oasis of calm that can bring buyers in, instead of scaring them away. If your own green thumb is lacking, consider a landscaper to help you bring out the natural beauty in your yard.
2. Weird Smells
If you haven’t been living in your home while you’re selling it, it might be smelling a bit musty. Cut down on that by airing it out. Open some windows if the weather is good. Add a touch of air freshener if the weather isn’t cooperating. Stay away from chemical cleaners or insect repellent. Nobody wants to live in a home with an infestation problem, but they don’t want to live in a place that smells of disinfectant either! Use natural products like citrus zest, or an electronic pest repellent. They’re environmentally-friendly and the best electronic pest control devices are completely unobtrusive. Just plug them in and forget it!
3. Too Much Clutter
It’s important when you’re staging your home, to remember it should feel like a home. So it’s not unreasonable to keep some of your own things there to fill out the space and make it seem welcoming. But too many personal knick-knacks and photographs make it hard for a new family to imagine themselves in a home, creating new memories. And a cluttered environment can suggest the space is too small or doesn’t have enough storage to go around. Keep things neat, and neutral to maximize the space, and let potential buyers get a sense of the house’s charms!
4. Wild Colors
Speaking of keeping things neat and neutral, you may want to try a fresh coat of paint before you put your home on the market. Not only does it keep things looking nice and clean, but it’s also good to offer neutral painted walls to any prospective buyers. Your bright red dining room may speak to your personality, but it might scare off a family looking for something a little less aggressive! Plus, neutral tones tend to let in more light, which will make the place a lot more appealing to anyone who visits!
5. Older Fixtures and Wiring
This goes without saying, but if you’re living in an older home, make sure you’ve done any needed repairs before you sell. Patch any cracks, seal your windows and doors. Try to update dated fixtures, especially in kitchens and bathrooms. Make sure your water heater and wiring are updated, so you can alleviate any fears prospective buyers may have. Some people might not mind a fixer upper, but why take the risk, right?
Selling your home is a stressful time, and it’s easy to let little things slide. But those little things are often the difference between getting your asking price, and walking away from a deal. Follow these steps to make sure the important details are accounted for early, and make sure you and the buyer are both getting exactly what they want with the sale!
