1) Keep the elements at bay: Whether it be snow, leaves, dirt, an overgrown lawn, etc., it means keeping walkways and driveways clear, mowing the lawn and trimming out of control bushes and shrubbery.
2) Warm it up/Cool it down: If it’s cold outside, make it nice and cozy inside. Turn on a gas fireplace for a little ambiance if possible. If it’s hot outside, make it nice, cool and inviting inside. Not everyone has an air conditioner, but well placed fans or even opening a few windows to let a breeze through can do wonders.
3) Take advantage of natural light: Encourage showing during the high-daylight hours. If you show after work, you’re totally in the dark. Have curtains and blinds cleaned and open them as wide as possible. Turn on all the lights; it creates a feeling of safety and cheeriness.
4) Get the windows washed: Buyers act on first impressions. Windows are one thing many sellers don’t even consider. During certain parts of the day your windows can either show how well you keep your house or give the impression that you don’t!
5) Play music softly in the background: To create a little atmosphere, tune the radio to the local classical station. Turn it down so that you barely hear it in the background. Classical has been shown to be the most soothing and have the most appeal to buyers.
6) Make it comfortable and cozy: Set the scene and help the buyer see them selves living happily in this house. Consider throwing a warm throw on the sofa or folding back the thick comforter on the bed during cold weather. Or fresh flowers on a table during warm weather.
7) Emphasize season positives: Is your home on a bus route or some other vital service that means it’s plowed or de-iced regularly in bad weather? On a hot day do you get a nice breeze because of the placement of your home? Play up the positives!!!
8) Set up timers: You want your home to look inviting whenever prospective buyers drive past. But you’re not home all the time, so put indoor and outdoor lights on timers.
9) Make it festive: Even if you’re not actually going to be present, greet your buyers as if they were going to be guests at a party. Set up the dinner table with good china and silver. Have a plate of cookies for your guests, some warm cider or even chilled bottles of water.
10) Give the home a nice aroma: The #1 favorite – chocolate chip cookies. Just about everybody likes that smell. Other possibilities – cinnamon rolls, fresh baked bread, apple pie, apple cider or anything with vanilla, cinnamon or yeast. Don’t overdo it, too much can look like you’re trying to hide something. Watch the bad smells, too. Pet odor, bathroom odor, smoke and musty odors can cling to curtains and carpets. Ask someone who doesn’t live there to give it a fresh sniff just to be sure.
11) Protect your investment: It is OK to ask potential buyers to remove their shoes before touring the home. It indicates you have pride of ownership and a meticulousness that resonates with the buyer.
12) Use the season to your advantage: You can use seasonal wreaths and dried arrangements around the door to spark interest. Play up the different views in regard to season. Summer is great with all the color and life around, but maybe during winter you have a view you don’t get when the leaves are on the trees.
13) Consider the area: What makes your home special? Make sure you get that information to the buyer.
14) De-Clutter!!!: A buyer wants to be able to imagine themselves in your home. If they are looking at pictures of you and your family or there’s too much stuff in the rooms, they won’t be able to “picture” themselves in it.
15) Make your home appear spacious: Different configurations of furniture can make a room appear larger or smaller. By moving a bed closer to a wall you can open up the room and make it seem noticeably larger.
16) Dress rehearsal: Have a neighbor, or someone you trust, go through the house as if they were a potential buyer. Ask them to point out anything that might need attention or would be worrisome to a potential buyer.
