We all have heard that times are tough in the real estate market, but that doesn’t mean houses aren’t selling. The houses which are selling have been priced right for today’s market. Probably what draws people to look at your property is the right price and a good first impression. This means excellent exterior photos that show your home at it’s best. Even a home that is priced to sell will not draw Buyers if it uses poor quality advertising photos. When the Realtor brings a Buyer for the first visit they want to see a clean, neat yard and evidence of pride of ownership.
Now to the interior. Our prized possessions are many times “junk” to the Buyer. Less is more when preparing the home. Anything that detracts from the Buyer’s ability to really see the home with their own possessions installed needs to be packed up and stored, even on a temporary basis. “Deep cleaning”, carpet cleaning and even refreshing the paint is a small investment with big returns. This is a good time to fix all those little items that we may have gotten used to over the years and ignored (the squeeky door, the sticky drawer, dim light bulbs, etc). Try to view the home from the eyes of a potential Buyer and a “picky” one at that. My approach is to work with the Seller to stage the home to show in the very best light before the sign goes up in the yard. Once the exterior and interior are ready to show I can use the magic of the Internet to provide potential Buyers with a terrific photo tour of your home that inspires Buyers to schedule a visit.
