How to make a buyer fall in love with your home. At any given time there are hundreds, if not thousands of homes on the market. So how do you make yours stand out from the crowd? Apart from selecting the right agent and the most effective marketing, there are ways...
At any given time there are hundreds, if not thousands of homes on the market. So how do you make yours stand out from the crowd?
Apart from selecting the right agent and the most effective marketing, there are ways to give your home the best possible chance of finding its new owner, in the shortest amount of time.
And it’s all about love. Buyers use their hearts first and then their heads when deciding to buy their dream home.
And like that first date- first impressions DO count and if you follow these top tips, you can help to ensure that second date, and love, does happen.
1. Dress to impress It’s not just what’s on the inside, but what’s on the outside that matters too. Curb appeal is a phrase we’ve all heard about and without it, the homebuyer may very well just drive on by.
Dress it up by: Clearing away any rubbish or vegetation Hide your rubbish bins, park excess cars, boats, and the like away from the home and out of the driveway. Having too much in the front yard can make it appear there is not enough storage in your home and well… make it look messy.
Gardens It goes without saying that the garden should be tidy, with the lawns mowed and garden beds free of weeds. Overgrown hedging and untidy lawns can send the signal that the garden is too hard to maintain, and a buyer’s precious weekends will be tied up getting dirt under their nails!
Also make sure your front fence or gate is in working order and the paint is fresh and clean.
2. Make an entrance What does your home say to buyers when they first walk in? Does it appeal to most, if not all, of their senses?
Sight – how does it look? Clean, inviting, and uncluttered is the aim. Fresh cut flowers around the home and bowls of bright fruit well placed in the kitchen add to the visual appeal of your rooms.
Smell – fresh, sweet and not overpowering (we don’t want people to think you’re trying to disguise something). No one wants to smell last night’s curry or Johnny’s sweaty old football boots. Get rid of the rubbish- House hunters have a tendency to open your cupboards- any cupboard- so take out the trash before you leave the house. Light some candles, open the windows to let the fresh air in- and try to steer clear of that Friday night fry up.
Sound – some mellow not too intrusive background music adds to the inviting atmosphere and puts people at ease.
Touch – again, it’s the clean factor, door handles, bench tops, stoves and the like should be dust free, grease free and clean. Buyers will always run their hands over your kitchen and bathroom benches. Make sure the marmalade and toothpaste is not an unwanted surprise in the touch test.
Taste – Maybe not the most important sense to fill, but having a coffee cart (or a gelato cart in summer) can go a long way in making your buyers feel more “at home” in your home.
3. Uncle Jo has to go We love our families but too much physical evidence, as in too many personal photos and memorabilia, can have a detrimental effect on would be buyers. Yes, they know people live there, but they also need to be able to imagine themselves living there too. Try to minimise the photos, sports awards, makeup bags on the counter and a fridge door full of reminders and schedules.
4. Get rid of the evidence Around 62% of households in Australia own a pet so chances are pretty high that the home you inspect will have a pet. Pooches doghouse can be outside, but take him with you when you leave. Do a very good scout around the yard to make sure all the doggy do has been taken care of. Have a cat? Take kitty with you and her litter box too.
5. Out with old in with the new As it sometimes necessary to get a new dress, suit or entire wardrobe for that first date, it is similar when selling your home. If the furniture you have in your home has seen much better days, or does not suit the style of the home, it may be best to invest in property styling and renting furniture for the duration of your marketing campaign. A correctly styled and “dressed” property can make the biggest difference.
6. Bring in the outsider When we are in it, we don’t see it. Sometimes you need to get an outsiders point of view. Ask a friend or your agent to give you honest feedback on how your property is looking, smelling, feeling. Constructive feedback is a way of fixing any issues before your first open and not running the risk of turning off any potential purchasers.
Give your home the best chance of finding its new love by following these six simple steps – and of course selecting a Stone agent to manage and secure your sale.
