When you have guests over, do you clean? Treat all potential buyers as guests. When you treat your home with respect, buyers will have a much more positive experience & will be more likely to buy at your asking price, or higher! When they see a house that is treated well, they'll think less about the "work that could better it". 

 

1. Aroma is the first thing buyers will notice. Ask a friend or family member who doesn't spend time in your home to step in and see what they smell that you might miss. Steam clean your carpets, wash walls and floors, and keep a nice scent prevalent by lighting candles or spreading potpourri. 

2. Do not undersestimate the power of PAINT! Buyers will overestimate the cost of renovations i.e. taking off outdated wallpaper. Don't lose a buyer to something you can fix up with a little bit of money. Use neutral or white paint colors to give off a new and clean feeling. 

 

3. Clean carpets are essential. Stains are an immediate turn off and like we said before, buyers will overestimate what it takes to rid of such an issue. Put a little bit of money and elbow grease into ridding of stains and odors.. 

 

4. Maintain the outside of your home. Take care of the lawn, rake the leaves. Adding some inexpensive, bright flowers to the landscape will make them feel more welcomed!

 

5. Clear out closests & storage spaces. Do what you can to make these areas as visible to buyers as possible. They want to get an idea of the space that's available. 

 

6. The kitchen is sometimes the biggest factor because it's often the space that people pour a lot of money into. Make sure it is clean and look for inexpensive ways to liven it up.

 

7.  Bathroom=sparkle. There is no bigger turn off than a bathroom covered in hair, with mold accumulating in the corner of the shower. Look for cracks and issues that can be alleviated with a little bit of caulk. And fix dripping faucets! Adding neatly folded towels and fluffy bath mats will make it feel more luxurious. 

 

8. Let the sunlight in. Draw the shades back, open the curtains. It helps!

 

9. Keep pets out of the way. Not only can they be a turn off for buyers, but can be interuppting the viewing process. Keep them caged for a few hours or leave them with a friend if possible! 

 

10. Let your realtor deal with comments about the home. Some buyers will ask complicated questions or note on shortcomings. Don't apologize excessivley or go overboard with details--let your realtor handle it! They are working FOR YOU, thus will be best equipped to handle the concerns of buyers effectivley. Better yet, don't be present for showings! Some sellers insist but it can be an awkward situation that can ward off buyers.

 

11. Help your agent. Schedule showings through them so they are informed and available. 

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12. Most importantly, do not sell your home by yourself. Hire an agent that you feel comfortable with who has experience and a marketing strategy. The headache of dealing with legal issues and screening interested buyers is not worth it. The buyer will have an agent that represents their interests, so make sure you have one representing yours.  If you live in the North Shore of Massachusetts, give us a call today. Or click below for a free market analysis. 

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For A Free Market Analysis, click here