A Solid Impression: Displaying Your Home to Buyers the Right Way
A Solid Impression: Displaying Your Home to Buyers the Right Way
Creating a better home environment doesn't just make the place better for you, but when it comes to selling up, it can create that all-important vibe that may very well sell your home in record time.
Written by Liz Bayardelle, PhD | See Comments | Updated 07/21/2021
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A Solid Impression: Displaying Your Home to Buyers the Right Way
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Creating a better home environment doesn't just make the place better for you, but when it comes to selling up, it can create that all-important vibe that may very well sell your home in record time.
There are things that you can do when you are putting your home on display to sell. When you are showing your home, you're trying to present it in the best possible way so people can imagine themselves living there. You have to remember that people buying a home will make the decisions based on how they feel.
And this is why you need to do the following to appeal to potential buyers.
The Power of First Impressions
They say we form an opinion on someone or something in seven seconds, and in the context of selling a home, we've got to strike instantly.
First, curb appeal is the best way to make an instant first impression. Ensure that the driveway is neat, the porch is inviting, but also make sure there's signs of regular care and maintenance. People will want to walk up to the front door and imagine themselves living there, but they will also want to look through the windows, and see if there's any sense of privacy or if the interior is on display for nosy passers-by.
And this is why you've got to think about the whole package. It's not just about making sure the windows are clean, but you want to dress up the windows. This is where window treatments can come into play. And if you are wondering why to do window treatments when you are selling a home, it's for the very simple reason that people will want to see the home in the best possible light.
Those first impressions are crucial, so don’t underestimate them.
Cleaning Your Home
Of course, you need to clean your home from top to bottom. You need to keep the house in good shape for the length of time you have it on the market, and it's cheaper to do the work yourself, but if you want to hire a cleaning company, this can take the pressure off you. However, when it comes to cleaning, you can break it down into a few key areas:
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Clutter: The first thing buyers should not see when they come into your home is piles of clutter. Everything needs to be clear or styled tastefully.
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Walls: The buyers will notice anything you don't bother to cover up, which includes dirt or handprints. If you are really busy, you might consider just washing the walls, but if you want to give off that vibrant vibe, either repainting or giving the walls a good touch up will make a big difference.
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Check for dust and cobwebs: Something that you only do when you spring clean, but when people are coming to look at your home, you've got to make sure that every corner has been dusted down.
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Sparkling floors: If you have pets, you will need to vacuum the floors, and steam clean the carpets to get rid of any orders or dirt.
Make it Comfortable
You need to create a welcoming atmosphere, and this is why you have to pay attention to the temperature of the space. Look at the weather conditions, and think about complementing what is going on. If it's cold enough outside, turn the heat up. If you usually leave the heating off, you will need to turn it up a few degrees. If it's warm outside, you need to turn on the air conditioning, because you want the temperature to be cool, and this will give the buyer a better reason to hang around the property. It will be a refreshing welcome from the humidity of the outdoors.
Creating a Mood
It's so important to utilize the five senses, and one of the best ways to stage your home for potential buyers is to create an atmosphere that they will want to be part of. This gives you the ideal opportunity to display the best features of your home, such as that concrete fireplace. You should think about inciting emotions.
Encourage the potential buyers to touch parts of the property by draping throws or blankets over the backs of sofas. You should also think about putting some scents in the air, such as the smell of fresh coffee. You may want to spray a deodorizer, but some people can be allergic, so do not use anything with strong scents.
These are a few things that can make a massive difference when you are displaying your home. The people that come to see your property want to picture themselves living there, which is why it's important to straddle the balance. You can entice people in, but you have to make that all-important impression.
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About the Author
Liz Bayardelle, PhD
Founder | Contributor
Liz (or Dr. Mommy, as her toddler started calling her after learning what a PhD was) is the happily sleep-deprived mom of a toddler (and professional raccoon noise impersonator), a sparkle-clad kidnado, a teenage stepdaughter, 200 cumulative pounds of dog, and herd of dustbunnies (if daily vacuuming doesn't occur). During nights and naptimes, she uses her PhD in business psychology as an author, speaker, and consultant. She also serves as an executive and principal for three companies, two of which she co-founded with her very patient (and equally exhausted) husband.