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Getting
your home ready to sell
Little
things mean a lot. That is no truer than when you are trying
to sell your home. It is often attention to small details
that can make the difference between an eager buyer and one
who walks away. A well maintained home is important, but your
first priority should be to create an atmosphere that will
put shoppers in a buying mood.
First impressions are often lasting. Imagine you are a prospective
buyer, and then take a hard, critical look at your home. What
do people see when they drive up? Is the exterior of your
home clean? If not, paint or wash it, and that includes window
casings, shutters and doors.
An extra jolt of fertilizer will give your lawn that lush
green look the potential homebuyer loves. Lawns and hedges
cut and trimmed and a weeded garden will also put shoppers
in a mood to see more. 'More' should not include Rover and
Fluffy. Pets should be out of sight for home showings.
Think phobias, allergies, offensive odours and distractions.
Even assuming those viewing your home love animals, you do
not want their attention diverted from the finer points of
your home by the loving, or not so loving, attentions of your
pets. Make certain that litter boxes are immaculate. People
unaccustomed to living with pets will be particularly sensitive
to animal smells. The same goes for cigarette odours. Try
to eliminate them before the showing. Air out your home. Put
air fresheners in closets to eliminate musty smells.
Place fresh flowers in some of the rooms. Baking bread or
placing potpourri around the house also makes for inviting
aromas. You want the attention of the potential buyers focused
solely on the business at hand: the many charming and practical
features of your home. Ideally, children and other adults,
including you, should be out of the home when it is being
shown. Potential buyers feel inhibited and thus less disposed
to speaking their minds when the owner is present. The owner
may have an emotional attachment to his or her property that
makes him or her blind to its shortcomings. Get rid of clutter.
Put away appliances you keep on your countertop. Clean out
closets, garage, basement and attic. This will make your home
look both cleaner and more spacious. A fresh coat of paint
in a neutral colour is an inexpensive, but proven technique
for increasing the appeal of any home. Clean and bright equals
sales. Scrub, clean, wash windows, walls, floors and tiles,
shampoo dirty carpets. Clean under sinks, repair any leaks
and clean up any damage, then paint. Use special cleaning
agents to rid toilets, tubs and sinks of stains. Replace worn
or leaking kitchen and bathroom fixtures. Repair torn screens.
Replace cracked or broken windowpanes. Let in the light. Use
brighter light bulbs.
Keep room draperies and shades open. This also makes a room
appear larger. At night turn on porch and outside lights.
Make sure eaves troughs, downspouts and soffits are in good
repair and eaves troughs are free of leaves and other debris.
If creaky doors and cupboards are making your house sound
haunted, lubricate hinges and rub a block of paraffin over
surfaces that show wear. In winter, keep your driveway and
steps shovelled, sanded or salted. In summer, stow bicycles
and skateboards away from entrances. If you have taken care
of the little things, the big things will take care of themselves.
Now, throw wide your doors and get ready to welcome potential
buyers!
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