As we enter into warmer (albeit still the odd snow flurry) weather, many folks start to think about selling their homes and buying a new one. On average if you are selling your home, it is wise to budget about 1 per cent of the value to get it ready for market. Us realtors see your home as a "product" so it's really important for you to look at it that way, too. People become very attached to their own taste and they believe that prospective buyers should "look past", "understand" or "it's only a little fix" when it comes to looking at their home. Sadly, most buyers (roughly a whopping 90%) cannot see past even the smallest fix up-people expect it to be done. So, what to do?
Start with a great first impression. What I did already was clean up the front of dead leaves, turned the soil and added some new soil. Nothing is prettier than rich, dark earth with the lime green sprouts peeping through. Already I have crocuses. Put spring flowers in an urn or do what I did; I got rid of the brown in my Christmas urn, left the boxwood (dark green foliage) and then added forsythia sprouts and pussy willows to the urn. It's so pretty. As an FYI, the DOLLARAMA has long forsythia stems for 1$. I got three. They last forever and from the street, you would not know the difference. The front entrance, dining, living and kitchen should also have some fresh greenery. The focus then becomes on that rather than any small deficiencies.
If weather allows, paint the front of the home and your front door a fun colour. It will make your home stand out to a prospective buyer ("the home with the Canary Yellow front door") may be how they remember yours versus a similar property. Fix all those little things...niks on baseboards, leaking faucet, etc. We need to show that your home is well-cared for.
One of the least expensive things to do is clean. Clean like you've never cleaned before; go through all closets and declutter to give it a sense of space. Don't forget about clean windows and mirrors. Bright, light and airy conditions make your home sparkle. Increase the wattage of your light bulbs to give the same effect. If you have animals, they would be more comfortable somewhere else while marketing is going on. It is very invasive for our pets and also allows you to shelve the crates and water/food bowls.
It's great to sell the fantasy of HOME as well. Light a fire in the fireplace, light jazz music playing through out the home, fresh fruit in the kitchen. Smells are important too; vanilla or cinnamon sticks in a pot of water simmering on the stove give the illusion of home cooking.
Maintain this level of perfection the entire time your home is on the market; I know it's not the reality of how we live, but remind yourself it's a product to be sold. Wear the hat of the buyer and try to see what they would see coming into your place. Then, once it's over, you can go back to however you "really" live!
Cheryl Bower
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