Showing your home to potential buyers goes beyond walking them through it. You want to tap into their emotions, so they can imagine themselves living in the space. While you don’t need to pour thousands of dollars into home renovations, you’ll want to make sure your home is in top showing condition. Here are our tips on how to show your home to buyers:
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Make an amazing first impression.
We’re talking about boosting your home’s curb appeal. Curb appeal,, aka a key component of property management in Chattanooga, means sprucing up your lawn, porch, and anything else people will notice immediately from the street.
Do the following:
- Mow your lawn and trim your hedges.
- Pull up any weeds.
- Add some potted plants or flowers for a pop of color.
- Clean your porch and front door.
- Consider pressure washing your siding or walkway.
- Consider painting your front door.
- Fix any broken or loose fixtures.
- Repair any cracks in your walkway or driveway.
Then, go outside and look it over with a critical eye. What’s the first thing that comes into your mind when you first look at the exterior of your home? If you notice anything that needs to be improved, take care of it before buyers come calling.
Depersonalize your home.
You’re not showing off “your” home – you’re welcoming people into “their” new home (hopefully!) To help them visualize it as such, you’ll want to depersonalize it as much as possible.
This means packing away any personal items like family photos, kids’ drawings, or anything else with sentimental value. This also includes any items that could give buyers the wrong impression, like political memorabilia or religious items.
This also helps protect your safety. Many decorations, such as diplomas and awards, contains personal and sensitive information you don’t want strangers having access to.
Clean, declutter, and reorganize.
Now that your home is depersonalized, it’s time to tackle the cleaning. This means dusting, mopping, vacuuming, and anything else needed to make your home shine. Once it’s clean, take a step back and declutter. This includes getting rid of any unnecessary items taking up space, such as:
- Old magazines and newspapers
- Clothes and footwear that you no longer wear
- Knick-knacks and other decorations
- Out-of-date food in the pantry or fridge
- Kids’ toys that they no longer play with
- Loose cords and wires
Keep these in labeled boxes, so that you can quickly retrieve them as needed. Be brutal when it comes to decluttering – the more space you can clear, the bigger and more inviting your home will feel.
Once your home is decluttered, reorganize what’s left. Your goal is to make the space look bigger and neater. For example, rearrange your couch and chairs into a conversational grouping. Or, clear off your coffee table, so that it looks inviting.
Keep it light and bright.
Natural light is one of the most sought-after features in a home. It has a way of making any space look warm and inviting. Visually, lots of light also makes a space look bigger. If your home doesn’t get a lot of natural light, consider doing the following:
- Open up any drapes or curtains.
- Turn on all the lights, even if it’s during the daytime.
- Replace any burned out light bulbs.
- Add additional light fixtures, if needed.
- Clean your windows, so that they’re sparkling.
- Remove anything that blocks out the light, such as heavy curtains.
To create a more relaxing ambiance, buy different types of lighting, such as floor lamps, table lamps, and accent lights. Place them strategically along the best features of your home. As an example, place a couple of floor lamps beside your beautiful fireplace. Install hanging lights above your gorgeous kitchen island, or put a table lamp on your elegant entryway table.
No need to spend a fortune on lights either – hunt down used ones in garage sales or online marketplaces, borrow some from friends, or buy some inexpensive ones from your local home improvement store.
Welcome people with light snacks.
Make people feel more comfortable by welcoming them with light snacks and drinks. Place these in a central location, such as your kitchen or living room. Keep the snacks healthy and light, such as:
- Fresh fruit
- Veggies and dip
- Cheese and crackers
- Cookies or other baked goods
- Bottled water or sparkling water
If you’re worried about people tracking dirt and crumbs into your home, set up the snacks in a designated area, such as your porch or garage.
Consider pre-wrapped snacks, so that people can grab them and go. This is especially helpful if you have a lot of showings in one day, or if they don’t get finished until late in the evening.
You can also use those snacks as part of your marketing strategy. For example, you could attach a stack of cute FAQ sheets, with yours or your agent’s contact information, to a basket of snacks. This way, people can easily grab it on their way out.
Walk through your home like a buyer.
Once your home is ready to go, it’s time for the final step: walking through it like a buyer. This means taking a good, hard look at your home, and making sure that everything looks perfect. Be nitpicky here, because potential buyers are going to be doing the same thing.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Is there anything that needs to be fixed or repaired?
- Are there any stains on the carpet or furniture?
- Are there any scuff marks on the walls or floors?
- Are there any bad smells?
- Is the temperature comfortable?
- Is the music too loud or too soft?
If you find anything that needs to be fixed, take care of it right away. If you can’t fix it, make a note of it, so that you can mention it to potential buyers.
Finally, remember to keep your energy up and be friendly throughout the entire process. Showing your home can be exhausting, but it’s important to remain positive and professional. After all, you want to make a good impression on your home’s future owners!
