You have probably heard the saying “you only get one chance to make a first impression.” The same logic applies when selling your home. Let’s talk about a great way to get your home ready to fetch top dollar in any market.
The first thing you should do doesn’t require much work, but that doesn’t mean it is any easy thing for everyone to do…
Leave your house.
Go for a ride, go run some errands, or just go to work. Pretend that you have an appointment later on to see a house that you might want to buy – and that house is your house.
When you return home, you are going to look at it through the eyes of a buyer. It sounds easy enough, but it is hard to look at your own house objectively. It is easy to get used to things that might turn a buyer off. So your task is to put yourself in the buyer’s shoes and try to think and feel how they would about your house when they see it for the first time.
As you head back home, pay attention to what you see as you drive up…
- How does the landscaping look?
- How about the exterior?
Now walk up to the front door (or whatever door a potential buyer will walk through)…
- Was the pathway in good shape?
- Beyond that, was it actually appealing?
- Is the front door striking, or just blah? Or worse, is it in bad shape?
Walk inside…
- Stop. Look around. Don’t just go through the motions of walking where you normally walk when you come home. Buyers won’t just rush in; they will pause for a moment or two.
- What do they see in those first moments?
Walk around the inside…
- If you didn’t know the house, which direction do you think you would walk as the buyer? Go that way. Look through each room with fresh eyes. Make sure you open up closet doors because buyers certainly will!
Walk around the outside…
- Buyers won’t just see the exterior from the front if they are interested. They will want to take a walk around the entire house and property. So make sure you head outside. You might want to use a back or side door since that is how many buyers will go outside when they come see your house.
OK, you are done. Are your feet sore? It can be hard walking in someone else’s shoes!
Now be honest: How did it look? Would you buy your house? Would you be willing to pay top dollar? Would you be worried that if you don’t hurry and make an offer someone else will come along and scoop it up right from under you?
If you are being honest, there is probably at least a few things you noticed that you should do something about. So now it is time to get to work! Declutter, de-smell, touch up that paint, deep clean, or spruce up the outside. We aren’t talking about spending a lot of money here. Just put your best foot forward. Make that first impression a good one. And then enjoy the fruit of your labor when you get top dollar for your home!
If you found this helpful, you might also consider reading our post titled “How Long Should it Take to Sell Your Home”.
Thinking about moving to Tims Ford Lake?
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