It’s A Beauty Contest!
There is a lot to consider when selling your home and one of the things to put at the top of your list is the photos of your home. The largest segment of home buyers were millennials and according to the National Association of Realtors, 99% of millennials search for homes online. The pictures of your home will show up on websites across the world and are the greatest factor in determining if buyers will schedule an appointment to see your home in person — the biggest factor. Regardless of your home’s price point, if the pictures are woeful, buyers are unlikely to want to see it in person.
Keep in mind the oh-so-true saying that “you never get a second chance to make a first impression”, and selling your home is no different. Your photos need to say everything about your home and entice buyers to schedule an in-person viewing promptly.
To be fully ready for that face-to-house visit from prospective buyers, here are some home-preparation tips to follow for the best results. Plan to clean thoroughly, not just a quick, surface-cleaning job. A professional cleaning crew can work wonders for a deep clean that includes, windows, fixtures, baseboards, appliances, bathrooms and everything in-between.
1. If carpets are not new, have your carpets professionally cleaned. It really does make a difference.
2. Declutter and depersonalize all the rooms in your home. Countertops and table tops should essentially be empty minus a single statement piece.
3. Clean out your closets. Nothing says “not enough storage space” like an overflowing closet. If you pare down now in preparing for visitors, you will find that much of the work needed to prepare to move, is done upfront and now provides you two benefits for proactively tackling these inevitable moving tasks.
4. Don’t skip the garage. Buyers want to see a spacious garage with room for their car plus storage of outdoor tools and sporting equipment.
5. Enhance your curb appeal with paint touch ups, power washing, fresh pine needles or mulch, a new welcome mat, bright flowers, a nicely manicured lawn and trimmed bushes, empty gutters, operating lights and a functioning door bell.
6. Contact your real estate professional for a walk through of your home or enlist the aid of an honest friend to point out the areas that need attention. It’s easy to overlook things when you see them every day and you’ll want to meet the standards of carefully scrutinizing buyers.
Once your home looks its absolute best, let your agent know that you are fully ready for the professional photography. These photographs will be shared extensively in just a matter of hours, so they need to showcase your home like a fine piece of art at the outset. The extra attention you put into preparing your home for the market will be noticed and typically result in a quicker sale at top dollar.
For additional information regarding preparing your home to sell, feel free to contact me today for a consultation. I will be happy to answer any questions you may have, help you to find your dream home or determine the value of your existing property.