Outside of home: There's no denying the importance of curb appeal. How your home looks from the street will shape a potential buyers overall expectations. Here are some tips you should follow.
1. Tidy up- Rake leaves, sweep walkway and clear the front steps.
2. Colour Splash- Brighten your landscape with seasonal flowers, remove leaves, weeds and remove and dead plants- A greener grass would also be ideal. Would show the home owners care for the landscape.
3. Fresh Cut- Mow your lawn and edge and edge your sidewalks for a manicured look.
4. Remove Clutter- Neatly stow garage cans, gardening supplies. Store all unnecessary items in the garage or shed and keep them out of sight.
5. Face-Lift- A fresh coat of paint on the front door. New doormats could be a good idea. Clean windows and freshen up the house and make it seem newer. Painting garage doors could also help.
6. Functionality- Fix or replace broken door bells, outdoor lighting, wobbly handrails and loose paving stones.
7. Consider Rear View- Buyers will want to see the backyard. The same rules apply: keep it tidy, colourful, well maintained, De-cluttered, and functional.
Inside of home: As the buyer steps inside, you want to make them feel like they are making a grand entrance.
1. Clean Up- Cleaning every room from top to bottom is a absolute must, including closets and cabinets. Don't forget to mood the hardwood floors to make them shine.
2. De-Clutter and De-Personalize- Buyers want to imagine themselves living in your space. Help them by removing personal items, pictures and knickknacks from the walls and tables.
3. Open Windows- Unless it's noisy or very cold outside, open some windows and let some fresh air come in, especially if your home has pets.
4. Make It Cozy- Check the thermostat to make sure the potential buyer are comfortable to linger.
5. Awaken Other Senses- Bake some cookies or light a scented candle and play some soft music in the background. By doing this you can enhance the pleasant impression of your home.
6. Lighten Up- Make your home feel bright and alive-pull open window covers to let the sun in and turn on all the lights.
If you have a Realtor doing the open house then make yourself scarce- Potential buyers need to feel free and explore and tend to prefer it when the current home owner is not present. This can also help the home owner to avoid bothersome and personal questions that you would not feel comfortable answering. If you don't have a Realtor doing the open house for you it is recommended that you conduct the open house yourself and walk the potential buyer room to room.
Make sure you also read my other open house post labelled " Open House By Home Owner (basics)" I hope this checklist has helped you. If you have any questions feel free to call me.
