Tackle the Senses When Selling Your Home
Its quite a stressful task selling your property: cleaning for the constant parade of perspective buyers, offers that are ridiculously low and the worry that you wont like any houses on the market once yours does eventually sell. To sell more quickly and for the right price, you need to take steps to ensure your home will hit the spot with all five senses.
Sight
Walk in your home and look around, as if you were a perspective buyer. The walls and woodwork should be pristine, so if marks wont clean off with a magic sponge, then its a case of redecorating. Although its added expense, you should definitely see a return on your investment. Choose a warm but neutral colour; white is too clinical and blues are too cold, so stick to shades like mushroom or wheat. Carry out necessary repairs, such as replacing rotten windows, damaged tiles and cleaning stained carpets. If the kitchen looks tired, invest in some replacement doors. Hardwood floors are a great selling point, so if they are badly scratched, its worth considering getting them refinished. If you have a garden, mow the lawn, remove weeds and prune. Even the driveway should look in a good state of repair.
Touch
Its amazing what touch can tell people about your property. Loose door handles or cupboard knobs give the wrong impression and theyre easy things to remedy. Tactile people do run their hands along counters and furniture, which can harbour a surprising amount of dust, grease and grime, so be vigilant with your inspections. You can invite touch, for all the right reasons, by displaying a beautiful piece of polished wood furniture, such as a rustic oak hall table. Unless you clean your curtains annually, these will need hoovering or dry cleaning.. If people think youre not house proud, your property will instantly lose points.
Hearing
If you have a dog that freely enjoys barking, see if someone can look after it when people come to view. However cute your pet may be, this type of noise can be annoying and distracting. A can of WD-40 is essential for tackling any squeaks to gates, doors, drawers, etc. and it will help free up any sticky hinges or locks. If youd like to create a relaxing ambiance, gentle music is fine in the background but stick to easy listening or classical, and keep the volume low.
Smell
Although you may no longer catch the wafts of dirty dog, guinea pig or cat urine, no doubt your viewers will. Contrary to popular belief, Febreze or plug-in air fresheners are not the answer and will instead signal to the perspective buyer that youre trying to hide something. If your mutt sleeps on the sofa, have the upholstery steam cleaned. Loan your rodent pets to pals or relocate them to the garage or shed. If you have a problem with mildew or damp, its essential to eradicate this. If youre a smoker, have all soft furnishings, drapes and furniture steam cleaned, repaint the rooms and stick to smoking outdoors. Unfortunately, a house smelling of cigarettes will put off many buyers. If youd like some pleasant smells in your home, stick to fresh flowers or a pot of coffee.
Taste
How about some home-made biscuits?