When selling your house you must be aware of some of the biggest turnoffs when touring a home if you want to be given the offer you want. There are several aspects of the normal home that are definite turnoffs to those viewing with the objective of purchasing it. Staging your home properly is very important, particularly in a buyer’s market.
Here are some of the biggest turnoffs that people experience when touring a home, and what you can do to avoid them when selling your house.
1. Avoid Pets and Smells When Selling Your House
Your dog or cat might be a member of your family, but not everybody touring a home is an animal lover. Litter trays should be out of sight and smell, and any bad odors dispelled well in advance of the visit. It’s your bad luck if the viewing takes place on a rainy day and your Tibbles has no intention of doing her business outside.
However, this is something you must keep on top off when selling your house, because it can prove a barrier to many people who would otherwise have loved the property. Some will be allergic to animals, while others are simply put off by the smell. Clean everything away, use some scented candles or reed diffusers and keep your pets out of sight if you want to sell your home.
2. Avoiding Dirt Can Make You Money
Your house should look its best, and dirt is one of the biggest turnoffs when touring a home. Clean everything in advance, including paintwork, flooring and walls. Make sure there are no dirty dishes in the kitchen, and have everything spotless and gleaming. Steam clean your upholstery, drapes, tiles and grouting to make it look fresh.
When selling your house you should keep in mind that a beautiful-looking clean home could add several thousand to the offer. By renewing old, worn and dirty carpets, you should therefore make more than the cost of the carpeting. You can actually make money by buying new carpets when selling your home! The same applies to that dirty old oven – buy new and you will likely be rewarded with a better offer.
3. Avoid General Clutter
A cluttered and untidy home can do a great deal of damage if you are selling your house. Tidy toys away, keep the kitchen counters free of clutter and keep all flooring clear – particularly in the bedrooms. The traditional state of teenage bedrooms is unacceptable when touring a home.
Before showing your home, make sure that everything has been washed and put away. Give an impression of space. Do not have your wall units crammed with books, DVDs and vases, but leave some space and empty shelves to show that there is room for the new owners to expand.
A cluttered kitchen or bedroom makes it look smaller. The more apparent unused space the larger each room will appear during viewing. Clutter is a big turn off when touring a home – potential buyers want to be sure they can all their stuff into their new home, so make it clear that they can. Do not show off all the electronic gadgets, clothes and stuffed toys you have! Leave cupboards partially empty.
4. Have a Beautiful Bathroom and Toilet
A dirty toilet is just about the biggest turnoff when touring a home. The rest of your home doesn’t matter if your WC is dirty with the seat up and toiletries are all over the place. Steam clean everything – the toilet, bath, shower and tiles. Clean away all toiletries, and if you do not already have a good bathroom cabinet for these then buy one.
Your bathroom and toilet should offer an illusion of space and cleanliness. It should be bright and airy but also functional. Many sales have been lost because the toilet and bathroom did not meet expectations.
5. Finally. . . Curb Appeal Cans Sell Your House
Curb appeal can draw people to your home or repel them. If a potential buyer does not like what they see externally, they may not even bother to tour your home. The attention you pay to your interior must also be applied to your exterior.
Clean everything, remove clutter and tidy up your garden and yard. Renew your door furniture if necessary and get a new mailbox. Install a bird feeder perhaps, and if you have a fountain make sure it is operating – if it no longer works, then remove it.
If you focus on these five factors when selling your house, you should avoid all the biggest turnoffs when touring a home. This will earn you a higher offer which should more than pay for all the improvements you have made while staging your home.