Making a GREAT first impression

In today’s age of consumerism, every buyer is comparative shopping and are heavily informed. With the advent of HGTV & other hot real estate shows, many buyers have a whole different level of expecations.  You may need to make the investment of some time, money and effort into your home because it will give you a solid advantage over competing properties. It will be worth it when the deal is done. 

It starts with a home staging consultation- which I provide with no obligation. You are selling living space and new beginnings. Please check out my Free Seller's Playbook to help sellers sell homes.  Once your house is shined up you will need great photography because it is really important! Buyers are looking at so much online and you don't want them to skip past yours house.

Remember: Pricing, photography and home maintenance are king in todays real estate market. Read that again. You can never start too early to get an edge on the market. Details matter! Here is a little exercise: walk all the way to the front of outside of property and pretend you are the buyer. Then walk through property and think about how a buyer would be seeing things. If something is busted, dirty or has not been taken care of in a long while, the buyer may be thinking about how many other things are in bad shape, instead of thinking- this looks really good, I can see myself enjoying myself relaxing in this living room... Another good thing to be doing is online home searches to see what the buyers are looking at in your area to be able to anticipate buyer patterns.

But I live out of state. That's ok! I know some good companies who can take care of just about anything, from junk removal to repairs, powerwashing and paint. I will personally be on-site to ensure contractors are doing right by you and keeping you in the loop. But what if I cannot afford to do any of this? The reality is that no matter what condition your home is in, there is most likely a buyer who will pay for it it if priced right.

Exterior Appearance:

• Keep lawns cut:  A uncut lawn will make a buyer feel there are other things about the home that are also neglected which could lead to not wanting to see the home.
• Trim hedges and shrubs:  As with the lawn, this affects the curb appeal when left neglected.
• Weed and edge gardens:  Freshen up the plants by taking off any dead leaves and flowers, weed & edge the area and add some fresh mulch to add a new fresh feel to the garden.
• Clear driveway and clean up oil spills:  Make sure the driveway is always clear of toys, bikes, trash cans, and other items.  If there is oil on the driveway, clean it with some solvent from an auto store.
• Clean out the Garage:  The garage should be viewed as a garage to be able to put a car in, not a storage shed.  When a buyer see’s that the garage is used for storage they will assume the home to too small and has a lack of storage.  It will also free up your driveway making curb appeal better if the car is in the Garage and the garage door closed.
• Touch up paint:  If the exterior of your home, garage, or any other out building is in need of paint or repair, do it before the home goes on the market.  Again, first impressions are everything!

Maintenance:

• Repair leaking taps and toilets:  If not when a buyer is looking at the home for the first time, when they choose to purchase and have an inspector check out the home, these little things will be brought up and asked to be repaired.  Addressing this now is better than later.
• Clean furnace and filters and if you have an air conditioner, do the same:  Doing this should be done as normal maintenance yearly to add to the life of these expensive items.  The working condition of these items will be a major concern of any buyer.
• Tighten door knobs and latches:  Double check interior and exterior knobs and latches so that they are not loose and in good working order. Ensure doorbells work.
• Repair cracked plaster:  If your home has plaster walls and are in need of repair, you may want to consult a plaster expert for a price and have it professionally done.
• Clean and repair windows:  Make sure all windows are clean and replace cracked or broken glass.  Windows can be a big expense and your buyer is going to want to know how much if they need if having to replace. If you have slider windows make sure the tracks are clean and oiled so that they slide easily.
• Repair seals around tubs and basins:  If this is needed, you can purchase caulking at a Hardware store and replace and repair where needed.
• Replace defective light bulbs:  If the home is shown when lights are needed, you want to make sure all bulbs are in working order.  Bathrooms and other smaller area’s need to be well lighted.
• Oil squeaking doors:  Check all the doors in the home, including the closets for any squeaking that there might be.  Use a little Oil to correct the squeaking.
• Repair squeaking floor boards:  Repairing squeaking floor boards can be difficult depending on what you have for floor coverings.  If you do not want to attempt it yourself, we suggest you call a professional flooring company.

Squeaky Clean:

• Clean and freshen bathrooms.  Kitchens and Baths should be clean and spotless.  These are two rooms that Buyers will pay a lot of attention to and when clean and bright, they will make a great first impression.
• Clean fridge and stove (in and out):  Even if the appliances are not included in the sale, they should be clean and in perfect working order.  Odors come from a dirty stove or fridge and can leave a poor first impression.

Create Space:

• Clear halls and stairs of clutter:  Halls and stairs that are blocked by clutter will cause the buyer to feel the areas are small and may not be comfortable walking over items to get to another area of the home.  There is also the safety issue.
• Store surplus furniture:  This will make the rooms seem more spacious.  Try not to store these items elsewhere in the home, garage or basement.  Renting a storage unit for unused items is worth the investment.  If these are not items you plan on moving, you may want to have a Pre Sale Garage Sale.
• Clear Kitchen clutter off the counters and stove top:  Buyers want to have a kitchen that feels spacious and appears clean and fresh.  The stove top should never have items piled on it.  It not only looks like there is not enough counter space, but is also not a safe practice.
• Remove empty boxes and containers:  These items should also be placed in a storage unit until ready to use.

At the Front Door:

• Clean porch and foyer:  This is the first thing the buyer will see when entering your home.  Make sure the porch is free of clutter and swept clean of dirt, and (if you are in a snow or ice climate make sure it is shoveled and salted)  The foyer should be clean and is a good location for a small table with fresh flowers if there is room.
• Ensure door bell is in working order:  You will want to test your door bell and make sure it is working so you can hear it ring when a Buyer or Realtor comes to the door.
• Repair screen on door or other out door areas with screening:  All screens should be repaired before the home is on the market.  Screens help bring the outside indoors and many buyers want to be able to open windows and doors when the weather is nice.
• Fresh paint or varnish front door:  The front door is always the door to have a prospective buyer come in.  It should look inviting and have a fresh look to it.
• Repair door locks and key access:  Like the front door, this is what the buyer will see when entering the home.  If the door locks and hardware are not in good condition they should be replaced.  Make sure the key works easily in the lock if your home is going to be shown by Realtors.

Bedrooms: Get FRESH Pillows & bedcovers for bedrooms. Bedrooms carry personal odors and this can give buyers the heebee jeebees. Clear as much as possible from all closets. This gives the impression of space, so buyers can think of where they can put there stuff. Rid all personal items & effects, store all valuables somewhere other than house.

Bathrooms: Get white clean folded hand towels for showings and photography. Deep clean & take any prescription medicines out and lock away.  

Get rid of anything that is distracting like body care products, personal artistic effects, etc. Less is more.  GET RID OF FUNKY SMELLS, because that can be an automatic deal breaker. For more on Making a Great first impression, please read my free Seller's Playbook.

Need Staging Advice? Contact me from anywhere for a no obligation consultation.

Have you found a REALTOR for where you are going? I can help you find a good agent.

Shannon Katz, REALTOR  970-366-7644.

Century 21 Circle, Indialantic, FL.

 

Please check out my Listing Presentation HERE!

I'm Shannon, Realtor from the Space Coast & I help home owners sell their homes on the Space Coast of Florida. My job is to facilitate a smooth transaction between the seller to the new home buyer. I offer home sellers staging advice and consultation.  I represent my clients on the east coast of Florida as well as many out of town/second home buyers, serving locations: Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Satellite Beach, Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral & Melbourne.

A quick introduction of myself: https://youtu.be/4xLOeqj3nd4

Here is a Preview of my: Listing Presentation for Selling Your Home

I'm Shannon Katz, REALTOR with Century 21 Circle & I have a great team that I work with. I love living on the Spacecoast area and am very familiar with the areas of Indialantic, Indian Harbour, Satellitte Beach, Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral, Melbourne Beach and Melbourne, Florida. I keep a close eye on housing trends and understand the local market. I am here to help you! Please give me a call if you need some real estate asssistance!

 

 

Disclaimer: Realtor, Shannon Katz does not claim responsibility for any inaccuracies contained within this website: www.shannonkatzrealtor.com. Content is intended as a guide for the Space Coast real estate market. The market is always changing, and the rules and rates will continue to change as well. Website: www.shannonkatzarealtor.com  does not take responsibility for information contained on third-party website links.  Website  www.shannonkatzrealtor.com reserves the right to remove any comment deemed offensive, and is not liable for any opinion shared.