10 TIPS TO IMPRESS BUYERS

1. Create Curb Appeal:

Before a buyer will set foot inside, they have to be impressed by the exterior of your home. Spend some time making your home welcoming and attractive. Powerwash your siding and driveway. Mow the lawn, clear our dead or dying plants, and add some bright flowers. Wash your windows, replace old house numbers, or replace a tired mailbox. 

2. Make Your Entry Welcoming:

An extension of your curb appeal is your entryway. Touch up paint on entry hand rails, columns, front doors and entryway steps. Clean off or replace porch furniture, buy a new welcome mat, add some potted flowers, and clean off cobwebs in corners. Add a tasteful wreath to your door and leave your porch light on in the evenings, especially if you will be showing at night.

3. Spruce Up Outdoor Areas:

Whether you have a large backyard or a cozy balcony, update all outdoor areas to be attractive and inviting. Help buyers to envision their time outdoors by adding cafe' tables and chairs, outdoor lounge seating, soft lighting or even a fire pit. Make sure gardens and lawns are cleaned up, fresh mulch or pine straw has been added recently, and any fallen leaves or branches are tidied up.

4. Finish Repair Projects:

Also referred to as "deferred maintenance" the small, unfinished projects around your home can be a noticeable negative to potential buyers.  Assess your home for these projects that have been ignored, and complete them before listing.  Patch holes in the wall, polish/buff out scratched in hardwoods, fix cracked windows or doorframes, and replace or repair any item that shows visible damage. 

5. Remove Items of Clutter:

Minimalize items on bookcases, coffee tables and kitchen counters. Hide or tidy up areas that store pet items or children's toys.  Clear out anything that's taking up space or making your rooms appear cramped, crowded, or untidy.  Donate clothes, partially empty your closets and cabinets to make them appear larger, consider removing or replacing storage furniture that is too large, unsightly, or out of place.

6. Deep Clean:

Basic cleaning is step one, however prior to going on the market consider every space in your home that needs to shine.  Scrub dingy tiles and grout, deep clean the showers and tubs, clean and polish hardwoods, wipe down baseboards and crown molding, clean under kitchen cabinets. If you have a pet, steam clean your rugs or add some type of fragrance, such as soft-scented candles or potpourri, to mask pet odors. If in your budget, consider hiring a professional cleaner for a one-time deep clean.

7. Depersonalize Your Decor:

Attract the most buyers by looking at the interior of your home with new eyes.  Neutral tones and simple decor photograph well, and are attractive to larger audiences. Repaint any bold or bright colored walls with neutral colors. Remove any personal decor and replace with tasteful yet neutral art and centerpieces. Create the sense of a home that is comfortably lived in, but not yours. Allow buyers to imagine their own personalization of your home.

8. Create Balance with Furniture:

Placement of furniture can change the feel and flow of your home.  Your furniture should not overcrowd the room or leave it feeling too open. Floating the furniture away from the walls can actually make rooms feel larger and create a cozy, conversational feel. If in your budget, consider hiring a professional stager to walk your home and provide a consult.  The Perren Property Group can connect you with these services. 

9. Increase Your Lighting:

Make your home warm and welcoming by increasing the lighting - both natural and artificial - throughout your home. Ensure your blinds let in as much natural light as possible. Increase the wattage of the bulbs in your lamps and fixtures, and aim for three types of lighting in every room - ambient (overhead), task (reading or under-cabinet lights), and accent (table or floor lamps).

10. Bring the Outdoors Inside:

Your decor should be minimal, but that doesn't mean it has to be bland. Bring in bright splashes of color in the form of potted plants, flowers, books, and local art pieces - which will increase the sense of warmth and welcoming throughout the home.