Preparing Your Home
Here are some tips for preparing your home for showing:
Keep it clean
Look
at your home as though you’re seeing it for the first time. Is every
room neat, spotlessly clean, dusted and uncluttered? Steam clean
carpets and wax floors. Wash walls, heating and A/C vents and light
fixtures. Pay special attention to your bathroom and kitchen – make
sure that tile grout is mildew free and baseboards scrubbed. Clean the
refrigerator and stove as well as the washer and dryer (inside and
out). And, don’t forget about the windows! Make sure that all
windowpanes, ledges and blinds are spick and span.
Lose the clutter
Have
a yard sale or take old furniture, clothing and knick-knacks to
Goodwill. Organize shelves, put away items and purge your home of
unnecessary items. Make sure that your kitchen and bathroom counters
are free of small appliances and personal effects.
De-personalize your home
Make
your home "anonymous,” so that buyers can envision it as their
potential home. Put away any family photos, sports trophies,
collectibles, knick-knacks, and souvenirs. This will also help to
remove clutter and create more space.
Freshen-up
Adding
a fresh coat of paint and laying new carpet will clean and brighten up
your home. Choose neutral colours and make it consistent throughout the
home. If you choose to wallpaper, make sure that the paper is properly
applied, your colour choice is neutral and patterns are kept to a
minimum.
First impression count
Like
a first date or job interview, the first impression of your home is the
most important. Walking into a home with fingerprinted screen door
windows or cluttered entranceways, can influence the potential
homebuyer’s decisions. Likewise, strong odours can ruin a sale, so pay
close attention to pet, cooking and cigarette smells in your home.
Light delicately scented candles or have cookies baking in the oven
when you’re showing. Fresh flowers, especially in the spring and
winter, can help to brighten and energize your home.
Curb appeal
Homebuyers
decide whether or not to look inside a house by the appearance of your
home’s exterior. Paint or wash the outside of your home. Check your
gutters and chimney and make necessary repairs. Keep your lawns trimmed
and flower beds weeded. Clear the driveway and yard of children’s toys
and store away unsightly trashcans. Use urns to define walk spaces and
ensure that window boxes are full of healthy all-season plants. Replace
any broken or dated light fixtures and wash windows and ledges. If you
have a garage, make certain that it is neat and clutter-free.
Create the illusion of space
To
make your home seem more spacious, it is key to de-clutter and
re-organize. Start by removing excess furniture to make rooms feel more
open and replacing any items that are not appropriately sized for the
room. For example, oversized couches, while comfortable, can make a
room seem smaller than it actually is. Clean and organize your closets
and remove excess clutter from all areas of your home. Store
unnecessary items in an out of the way location or rent a temporary
storage unit. Strategically placed mirrors can also help to create the
illusion of more space.
Modern choices
Ensure
that the décor of your home is modern and tasteful. Replace outdated
furniture, wall coverings and window treatments. Use neutral tones on
your walls and floors and add colour with removable items such as throw
pillows or bedding. Steer away from too many personal touches to create
a minimalist and contemporary space.
Doggie don'ts
“Love
me, love my pets,” doesn’t apply when selling your home. Take your pets
with you when your house is being shown, or at least keep them outside.
Pets under foot will quickly put a damper on an otherwise positive
showing. While making sure that your house is odour-free and spotless
applies to everyone, pet owners need to take special care. Be sure to
empty and hide unsightly kitty litter, lint brush your furniture and
put your furry friend’s toys, dishes and scratching posts away during
showings.
Beautify your backyard
Don’t
forget about your backyard. A house showing doesn’t always end at the
backdoor. Beyond size and layout, potential buyers can also be
influenced by the state of your yard. Keep the lawn, hedges and
flowerbeds manicured. Try to recreate an entertaining area (even in the
winter) by sweeping decks, cleaning and setting-up patio furniture and
removing torn BBQ covers. Buy exterior storage containers to hide
gardening tools, kids toys and pool supplies. If you have a pool,
ensure that the cover is pulled back, that the water is inviting and
the lining algae-free. Lastly, interested buyers may decide to look
inside your shed, so make sure that it is organized and clean.
___________________________________
Patrick O'donnell
Prudential Sussex West Vancouver
2397 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, V7V 1K9
Phone: 604-925-2911 and Fax: 604-925-3002
Email: patrick@patrickodonnell.com and Website: www.patrickodonnell.com