It takes only a few seconds for people to form a first impression. The reality is people love to judge a book by its cover. In the context of selling a home, buyers judge your property by the way it looks — not by its sentimental value, the memories you shared in this home, or your good intentions. If you want to sell quickly and get top dollar, focus on these things that buyers first notice when they walk through your door:
Personal trinkets
You probably think that family photos and kids’ drawings can make your home more homey. Well, it does, but not the kind that appeals to buyers. When they see those, they would get distracted. They won’t be able to envision themselves in the property. Worse, they might think that you’re not ready to sell just yet.
Avoid this major turnoff by removing most of your personal stuff as much as possible. Keep the travel mementos in storage areas. Toss the pictures in your moving-away boxes. Throw away the ref magnets and scrub the walls clean from your kid’s color sketches.
At the same time, don’t make your home an empty, cold space. That could be a turnoff, too. Leave some of the pieces of art hanged. Add some plush, comfy fur rugs near the fireplace. Adorn your windows with silk curtains. These additions create a homey vibe without being too personalized.
Sights, smells, and sounds
Buyers’ senses are heightened when the walk through a space, especially because they’re inspecting everything. For sure, they would smell a leak or hear annoying drill noises, if there are. Make sure there aren’t. What you should have instead are pleasant sights, smells, and sounds.
Open up your windows. Let them see your carefully manicured garden space. Get rid of dirt and other stuff that would obscure views. Call professional window cleaners, too. Saratoga Springs and other neighboring areas have the top specialists in this, so you might want to refer to them for your cleaning needs.
Bring in the plants, not only to give a pop of color and appeal to the sense of sight, but to freshen up the air as well and tickle the smells. Of course, you can also use scented candles or scent-filled jars (cinnamon sticks and dried apples submerged in water). Don’t neglect sounds, too. Play soft music (Read: jazz classics on Spotify) throughout the house.
Outdated elements
This should be obvious, but do a full inspection again, and you might have missed looking up, at your popcorn ceilings or looking down at your polka dot rugs. Or, you may have overlooked the faulty light switch and the loose door handle in the nursery room.
Pay attention to these details that can potentially break a potential sale. Have a friend or relative inspect your home once more before a viewing just so you can have a fresh pair of eyes. From there, do the necessary changes. If you have some spare budget after updating fixtures and architectural elements, consider furniture rentals to further update the look of the rooms.
Remember, the buyers walking through your home are hawk-eyed that they will notice even the littlest corners and details. You only have one first impression to make. Make it count.
