Getting Ready to Sell? ... Freshen Up the Inside

Getting Ready to Sell? ... Freshen Up the Inside



A prospective buyer’s willingness to buy more quickly – and at a higher price – is often driven by emotion. A home that shows exceptionally well helps arouse the prospective buyer’s emotional desires for that home. First impressions count. That’s why you’ll see neat, clean homes getting snatched up while others just sit there on the market. Buyers will buy the perceived value of the property, the image and feeling that they get from experiencing the property. As it’s often been said: buyers buy on emotion. The emotions that you, the Seller, are trying to stimulate are triggered by sensory experiences. Aim for the senses - especially touch, smell, and sight. Uncluttered, clean, fresh-smelling homes sell faster and for higher prices. Try to clear your mind of any preconceived notions, then walk into your house, close the door, look around… and truly feel your house. Then consider these steps:

Organize and de-clutter! Remove clutter from countertops, desks, and garage. Remove excess furniture. Organize closets, drawers, storage areas. Throw away, sell or store excess! Rent a storage unit if necessary. Clutter makes the home appear smaller and masks the home’s good points.Freshen interior paint as needed. Again, fresh paint is the best bang for the buck. Light, neutral colors such as beige, white, or off-white have a broader appeal and can make small rooms seem larger and airier. Remove ‘tired’ or busy wallpaper. Brighten drab garage interiors, storage areas with fresh paint. Paint/stain woodwork as necessary.Make kitchen and bathrooms sparkle. Clean/oil cabinets, clean appliances/fixtures. Add fragrances. New color-coordinated towels are an excellent investment. Fresh looking kitchen and bathrooms will often make or break a sale.Clean floors and carpeting. Add carpet freshener to carpeting which is ‘tired’ or to eliminate smoking or pet odors. Make minor repairs. Tighten loose knobs, fix leaky faucets, lubricate squeaky hinges, replace filters, tighten loose banisters, repair doors and doorknobs, remove stains, and make sure your doorbell works. Make sure all lighting fixtures work. Add new bulbs with the highest wattage allowed to make your rooms seem brighter. Light, airy homes seem bigger and more inviting. It’s well worth the extra cost. Is the fireplace in good working order? Remove ashes from the fireplace and add fresh logs. Buy fresh, colorful indoor flowers or plants. They get a lot of mileage, and they will enhance your new home as well. Exterminate, one bug, dead or alive, will make a bad impression on prospective buyers. Hire a professional to sell your home, it is a process, not a single event. Getting your home ready to sell is part of that process. As you prepare to put your home on the market, make sure to pay close attention to how your home is prepared to show – it can make all the difference in the world and will help you stand out from the crowd.




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