Your property is about to hit the market. How can you prepare the listing so that it attracts the perfect buyer? Professional photos go a long way but let's make your property as camera-ready as possible. Buyers will scroll through the photos before all else so a good first impression here is a must! Let's see what we can do to give your property a nice wow factor.
DECLUTTER
Let's show everyone how wonderful your property is. How are buyers supposed to see themselves living in the property if it is bursting at the seams with your stuff? Cluttered photographs deter buyers online. And crowded, untidy spaces give a negative impression during showings. The idea behind impressive photos and a positive showing experience is to entice the buyers and have them imagine their lives in the home. Let them see how functional the space is, and how aesthetic the finishings are in your property. Time to put your Marie Kondo hats on.
Time to purge. Get rid of things laying around the house. Buyers are here to see your property, not your extensive collection of trinkets. Protip: grab two big plastic bags and tackle one room at a time. One bag is for trash and one bag is for donations. Generally, if you have not used it within the past year - bag it. Place it in one of the plastic bags. You would be how surprised at how quickly these bags will fill up. Life takes the wheel sometimes and we eventually collect a bunch of "stuff" for no reason. Buyers do not need to see that pile of receipts from last year or the mini-gumball machine that you got from white elephant last Christmas. I used to be a bit of a hoarder but I purge like this at least twice a year now. Only keep the essentials, especially when you're trying to sell your place.
You can use the same rule of thumb for your closet as well. If you have not put it on in over a year it is time to part ways with it. Pick a bag, throw it away or donate it. The goal here is to keep your closet at less than 80% full for photos and showings. Same idea, give the buyers the best possible chance to envision themselves living in the property. It would probably be difficult to do that if the closet is full of your graphic tees from your teenage years.
DE-PERSONALIZE
You spend a lot of time in your home. It is where you spend time with your family. It is where you Netflix away the weekends. It is where you catch your beauty sleep. It is a very personal place! But we are trying to sell the property so a new owner can come and make their own memories here. Time to remove your personal touches. Hide the family portraits and the vacation photos. I'm sure they are beautiful memories but put them away and save them for your new home. Keep the decor neutral so buyers can fill imagine making their own memories.
Let's talk about something really personal - undergarments! Be proud of your Harry Potter underwear but either wear them or put them away. You would be surprised at how many pairs of panties I have seen on showings. Let me tell you, too many pairs. You know what they say, don't air your laundry - especially to buyers. Clothing should be put away and if you have built-in shelving in the closet that you want to show off, put your clothes in there nicely.
It is also worth noting that miscellaneous personal items should be tucked away as well. Small things like mail, bills, any medication should all be out of sight. Small electronics and valuables should at the very least be out of sight. You never know what kind of people are coming through for showings.
CLEANLINESS
It shouldn't take too much convincing for you to agree how important this is. There are very few things more satisfying than clean floors and shiny countertops. No one likes looking at messes, especially a stranger's messes. Bust out the Dyson and duster. Time to put some elbow grease to make your property both camera-ready & showing-ready.
After tidying up your belongings, it is time to give the place a good scrub. Vacuum the carpet and dust off the books and crannies. Give the floors a good mop so they shine like they are brand new. This is especially important in sunny parts of the property. Natural light is beautiful but it is also harsh lighting that exposes dust and blemishes. Crumbs, loose hair, and dust have nowhere to hide if the sun is giving them the spotlight - especially on dark surfaces! Dark floors, shelving, cabinets, and countertops are very unforgiving when it comes to cleanliness.
Selling your property during a global pandemic is all the more reason to have good cleanliness habits. Buyers coming through for showings will naturally touch light switches, doorknobs and handles. You can help reduce the level of contact while buyers are touring your home. Before a showing, turn on all the lights in your property, leave interior doors open, and open up the closet doors. You can request the buyers and their agents to leave everything as is. This at least reduces contact with light switches and doors. That being said, if you are still living on the property it would be a good idea to disinfect high-touch areas despite taking the above measures. As GOCLEANCO would say, water + Tide powder + bleach is a combo that works wonders!
These tips are excellent for preparing your home for listing photos but they are always very useful for preparing your place for showings. First impressions are great but lasting impressions are best.
