Home Not Selling?

Although you may not be fully aware of it, you as the homeowner can play a significant role in the timely sale of your property. Selling houses is not something everyone does on a daily basis, so it can get a bit confusing as to what is the right thing to do to make a successful sale.

That’s the part where we step in to help. Here are a few tips to make your next sale a profitable one.

1. Make the Most of that First Impression

Open House Sign

First impressions are everything, and that includes house showings too.

A well-manicured lawn, neatly trimmed shrubs, and a clutter-free porch attract attention and welcome prospects. So does a freshly painted – or at least freshly scrubbed – front door. If it’s autumn, rake the leaves. If it’s winter, shovel the walkways. It’s important to make a clear pathway from the gate to your front door so potential buyers can easily come and see the house.

The fewer obstacles between prospects and the true appeal of your home, the easier it will be to make a deal with the buyer in the end.

2. Invest a Few Hours for Future Dividends

Cleaning Crew

Here’s your chance to clean up in the real estate and do some “investment”. Clean up the living room, the bathroom, the kitchen and any other room or space that might interest prospects.

If your woodwork is scuffed or the paint is fading, consider some minor redecoration. Fresh wallpaper can always add that charm and value to your property. If you’re worried about time though, hire professional cleaners or painters to get your house ready to present in front of the world.

Remember, prospects would rather see how great your home really looks than hear how great it could look “with a little work.”

3. Check Faucets and Bulbs

Lit Living Room

Problems with water installation and plumbing systems are a major no-no for buyers. It suggests that they would have to make some major renovations to bring the house in a functioning state, something people are rarely prepared to do after they’ve bought a house.

Even minor defects like dripping water and discolored sinks rattle the nerves. They suggest faulty or worn-out plumbing, which again means more costs for potential buyers which may draw them away from the purchase.

Burned out bulbs or faulty wiring leave prospects in the dark, so that is another issue you need to take care of before opening your house to the world. Don’t let these little problems detract potential buyers from what’s right with your home and lower the price.

4. Don’t Shut Out a Sale

Clean Baseboards

If cabinets or closet doors stick in your home, you can be sure they will also stick in a prospect’s mind. It’s best to deal with those small issues in a timely manner, but if you haven’t found the time to get to it, don’t try to explain away sticky situations once your buyers start entering. It will only seem like you’re trying to deceive them, and they will surely back away from that.

A little effort on your part can smooth the way toward a closing, especially when it comes to some minimal, but yet noticeable things.

5. Think Safety

Clean Area

Homeowners learn to live with all kinds of self-set booby traps: roller skates on the stairs, festooned extension cords, slippery throw rugs, and low hanging overhead lights. But all of these will stick out in your prospects’ eyes. They may have small kids so any risky areas can be a major drawback in their mind.

Make your residence as non-perilous as possible for uninitiated visitors. It doesn’t take much, but it can be a valuable investment.

6. Make Room for Space

Remember, potential buyers are looking for more than just a comfortable living space. They’re looking for storage space, too. Make sure your attic and basement are clean and free of
unnecessary items.

If you don’t have where to store those things you’ve been keeping in your basement, a good idea would be to host a garage sale before listing your house. It’s a great way to get rid of all those things you don’t need and free up space while also making a few extra dollars on the side.

7. Consider Your Closets

Clean Closet

Closets can be very important to some buyers, including how much space they offer.

The better organized a closet, the larger it appears, so. now is the perfect time to box up those unwanted clothes and donate them to charity. Group the remaining ones by clothing type to make your closets look more organized and spacious. It will add up to the total price in the end for sure.

8. Make Your Bathroom Sparkle

Rustic Beautiful Bathroom

Bathrooms sell homes, so let them shine. Check and repair damaged or unsightly caulking in the tubs and showers.

Make sure to make the bathroom sparkling clean as well. Clean the tub, mirrors, and tiles, but also spaces not so obvious like behind the counters, machines. Some buyers even look at the tile scores to see how often the bathroom was cleaned, so dedicate some time to them as well.

For added allure in the bathroom, display your best towels, mats, and shower curtains.

9. Create Dream Bedrooms

open Bedroom

Without a doubt, the bedroom is most people’s favorite room. A master bedroom has the potential to make or break a sale so it’s important to make it look stunning and comfortable.

Wake up prospects to the cozy comforts of your bedrooms. For a spacious look, get rid of excess furniture and place a few smaller elements as we’ve advised you in our previous home staging article.

Colorful bedspreads and fresh curtains are a must so the bedroom can look like a happy and comfy place. There are many things you can do to a bedroom, it all depends on your space.

10. Open up in the Daytime

Open Curtains

Let the sunshine in! Pull back your curtains and drapes so prospects can see how bright and cheery your home is.

Use as much natural light as you can and combine it with the lighting fixtures in your home to make the most of the lighting effect.

11. Lighten up at Night

For sale sign next to a model house

As we just mentioned, lighting is one of the most important aspects when showing your house. Remember that prospects will come at every time of the day, not only in the daytime.

So when they come at night, make sure to turn on the excitement by turning on all your lights – both inside and outside – when showing your home in the evening. Lights add color and warmth to the rooms and make prospects feel more welcome.

12. Avoid Crowded Scenes

Butler

Potential buyers often feel like intruders when they enter a home filled with people. Rather than giving your house the attention it deserves, they’re likely to hurry through.

Keep the company present to a minimum, especially when showing the house to multiple groups.

13. Watch Your Pets

Dogs and cats are great companions, but not when it comes to showing your home. Pets have a talent for getting underfoot and being a major distraction during house showings, regardless if it’s in a positive or a negative connotation.

So do everybody a favor: Keep Kitty and Spot outside, or at least out of the way during house showings.

14. Think Volume

Boy with boombox

Rock-and-roll will never die. But it might kill a real estate transaction. Noise can annoy potential buyers and distract them from what they came to do – see the house.

So when it’s time to show your home, it’s time to turn down the stereo or TV.

15. Keep a Low Profile

Backyard

Nobody knows your home as well as you do. However, the Real Estate Professional you have by your side knows the buyers and what they need and want, so when it’s time to show the house, it’s best to let them do their thing.

Arrange some other things while they are showing the house so both the buyers don’t feel like your bothering one another and feel comfortable. If you absolutely need to stay home for a showing though, do your best to stay in the background.

16. Don’t Turn Your Home into a Second-Hand Store

Clutter

When prospects come to view your home, don’t distract them with offers to sell those furnishings you no longer need. Whether it’s the kitchen table, bar stools or a lamp, don’t be pushy. Buyers know what they want and need, and will ask you if they are interested in another purchase.

If you’ve covered these 16 points in the sale of your home, you may have to ask yourself “what is our agent doing?” Well, Realtors do a wide range of things when it comes to selling a house. After all, they are experienced professionals that know where and what to focus their attention on.

But if you want to check in on their work and what they do in details, we suggest asking your agent the following questions:

1. Where are you advertising my home?
2. What has been the feedback on the showings?
3. How many hits are we getting online?
4. How do you feel our price is compared to other homes like ours?
5. What do you have planned for marketing our home in the next 30 days?

If you’re not signed to an Agent, then GTA Real Estate Pros can help you – in just 90 seconds see if we’re a good fit at: https://www.gtarealestatepros.ca/apply-now/


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