If your residence has been for sale for a while and you’re not sure why, or if you’re preparing it to go onto the market, make sure you read this. While there are obvious things that potential buyers look at, such as whether the roof needs repairing, other things are more subtle. The top surprising stuff they pick up on and that you’ll, therefore, want to pay attention to are:
1. Is it Clean?
Get to scrubbing the bathtub tiles and beneath the kitchen sink. If you don’t think that anyone sees those areas during their walkthrough of the rooms, think again.
People not only see it, but they judge you for it. For example, if the bathroom isn’t clean, then what else has been neglected? They might start to question if the electricity needs work too, for example.
2. New Windows
Yes, windows matter. Homeowners don’t want high utility bills, so they look to see whether your windows are energy efficient or not. If they are, that is a great selling feature.
Plus, replacing windows by working with an expert here can create an amazing look from inside a room or from the exterior of the home. It can help your house stand out from others that are for sale.
3. Unwelcome Scents
Pleasant scents for those checking out your home that’s for sale could include a homemade apple pie or fresh lemon. An unpleasant smell wafting through the rooms, on the other hand, can be off-putting.
It could be as easy as putting the garbage out or cleaning the litter box to remove the scent. Help keep the air clean by adding fresh plants to the space and scented candles too. Spread them around the house, including the bathroom, laundry room, bedroom, and main living area.
4. Uneven Lighting
Having uneven lighting between rooms is not only hard on your eyes but also makes a home appear disjointed. Furthermore, a dark room with little light makes it look like you’re trying to hide something.
Someone thinking about purchasing the property might wonder if you’re keeping it dark on purpose because of a bad paint job or to hide cracks in the walls. Also, if a bathroom is too dark, it can make it feel dingy.
5. Decor
Create a home that has art and attractive rugs but not one that’s overly personal. A person looking to buy the property won’t want to see your personality all over it as they want to instead envision themselves in it.
As the realtor will likely tell you, it’s wise to remove any family pictures in all the rooms. That’s sure to be noticed by home buyers. In terms of the exterior, it is worth looking into hiring masonry specialists to update your property.
As for books, keep them on the shelves rather than packing away. Books add warmth to a space. Just make sure they are arranged in an orderly way.
6. Renters are Still There
If your renters are still in the home, then you might want to rethink putting it to market yet. The problem is that people will see the house in a less-than-ideal position because renters won’t show it how you want them to.
Instead, have the space free of renters for a while before putting the residence for sale. Doing so gives you time to thoroughly clean and stage the area, such as the basement, to make it look the best.
7. No Attention to Detail
If you didn’t take the time to clean up the baseboards or do other small projects, it’ll get noticed. When someone is interested in your place, they are going to look in detail throughout the rooms and the exterior too.
So, little fixes that have been ignored suddenly get the spotlight and can be off-putting for prospective buyers. In addition to washing and painting baseboards, also update light switches if they’re an outdated style and get rid of the cobwebs near the ceiling too.
8. Trees Close to House
Greenery is fantastic for the curb appeal it can provide to a home. However, sometimes trees can be troublesome.
Ease the worries of anyone considering purchasing your house by trimming back overgrown branches that get into the gutters. Blocked gutters aren’t a selling feature!
Remove any dead branches too. While the home inspector might not catch these things, an attentive person could consider it a deal-breaker.
Lastly, trees can create shade on a home, preventing natural light from coming through the windows. That can darken the interior, so do your best to remove any branches interfering with the sun.
9. No Security
The future homeowner wants to know that they will be safe here. So, make sure that all locks on the exterior doors work and that the windows lock as well.
Yes, they will likely try opening and closing windows so make sure those all work properly. If there are issues, get those repaired right away.
If a window needs fixing, then do so immediately as part of maintaining a secure home. If you’re a tech whiz, look at the options for smart locks that you can monitor around the clock.
You might even consider adding a security alarm to protect both the family and material possessions. This system can be a strong selling feature.
What Home Buyers Notice
Do any of the above items listed surprise you? From cutting back tree branches to upgrading windows and paying attention to scents, there is a lot to think about when staging your home for sale.
As a rule, declutter the rooms to help them appear larger and keep some surfaces free of any objects to open up the space. Remove furniture or rearrange it to create a larger-looking space, keeping in mind that too much furniture can create a stuffy room that’s hard to walk through.
Taking the time to avoid mistakes mentioned above and add the suggestions can help your property sell in less time than it might otherwise. The key is presenting the home in the best light possible to attract more potential buyers.