Want to sell quickly in the current market?
Part 4 - Showing your home's best side

So you've priced and marketed your home, and now you're ready to show it off. Some folks will simply tidy up their home and walk away, but there are many ways to give your home an edge in viewings. As with marketing, most homes will not need every one of the following ideas to be used, but it's important to be open to the possibilities - the more effort you put in, the better the final outcome.

It's important to really remember that buyers are most likely looking for their next home. If they walk in and there is little to no work to be done in order for it to feel like home to them, they are much more likely to buy. Also note that most folks will know within one minute of walking into a place, if they will consider it at all. First impressions are crucial.

Cleaning: I'm not just talking about having the dishes out of the sink! It's a really good idea to get a deep clean done before showings. Have the carpets and drapes shampooed, wash out the tubs, scrub the floors, wash the windows, dust the baseboards. The cleaner the better. If you don't have time (or inclination!) to do this, there are many cleaning services available for a reasonable cost.

De-Clutter: This is especially important in small condos. Take down some of your knick-knacks and box them up. In fact, take away any object that draws attention - you want them looking at the house, and not your personal things. If you have clothing, art supplies, books etc tumbling out of your closets (or even just filling them), remove somewhere between 25% to 50% of it, box it up and get it out of sight. The idea is for the buyers to actually be able to see the storage space, as opposed to what you're storing. It also creates the illusion of there being more of it. Consider it the beginning of your packing.

Front Door: Remember what I said about the first minute being the most important? A great front door is essential for that reason. Make sure the door doesn't stick, and that the handle works properly. If it's an older door, consider having it painted or replaced.

Exterior: The key, again, is to make it feel like home. If it needs it, consider a fresh coat of paint. It's a small investment, considering how much better your home will show. Grab some blooming flowers from a garden shop and plant them in the front yard or garden. Mow the lawn, do a little landscaping - the better it looks, the better price it'll fetch.

Interior: A fresh coat of paint on the inside can help a lot too. Examine old fixtures, leaky faucets, grout, carpet etc to see if they need to be repaired or replaced before showing.

Odor Control: We all love our pets, and often we don't even realize if our home has begun to smell like them. Get an objective opinion, and if there is a scent, be sure to air it out, cover it up, or whatever it takes to remove it. Even if your home has a neutral scent, it's not a bad idea to add something homey to the air. Baked goods in the oven are always a good bet. Be sure not to ever use anything too perfumey, for many people that's worse than a pet smell.

Furniture: We can't all be interior designers. With that in mind, I'd say many of us arrange our furniture a certain way out of necessity or what suits us best - not necessarily what would show off the home. Removing one chair, or moving one sofa could be all it takes to open up a floor plan, or highlight a window, fireplace or other feature, so it's always good to be open to minor changes.
Bringing in an interior designer for a consultation can be a good way to get feedback.

If your home is vacant, it's a very good idea to consider some level of home staging. Home staging is taking off in Vancouver right now, and the services have a huge range. What they do is send in a designer who then rents furniture, art, cutlery (whatever you need) to make the place seem more homey. It's is especially vital to use staging in small or awkward spaces where people might not know quite what to do with it if they saw it bare.

Art: Not everyone has the same taste in art - it's a very good idea to take down anything that might be construed as offensive, or too artistically challenging (if you have it, you'll know what I mean ;) ), to the general public and replace it with something tamer.

In the end, all these concepts are optional. As long as you're flexible on price, your home will sell eventually. These pointers will simply increase the perceived value of your home, and therefore increase the price you'll get for it. As with marketing there is truly an endless list of things that can be done to get your home ready for showing, so it's always best to be flexible, and keep an eye out for new ideas.

So that's the end of my "Selling quickly in the current market" four parter. If you have any questions, please, do not hesitate to contact me.