1. So fresh and so clean! - Nothing will turn a buyer off faster than seeing dusty blinds, crumbs in the sink or cobwebs at the ceiling. Would you want to move into a home that feels dirty? It is extremely important to have a clean and fresh smelling home. Make sure prior to any showings that the home has been dusted, vacuumed and all counter tops have been wiped down. If this means that you have to ask for an hour or two notice prior to showings that's fine. I am sure your agent would rather you show a clean home than a dirty one. If you are planning on going out and buying some air fresheners that is ok but keep it simple. Vanilla or fresh linen scented fresheners are good choices. Make sure that they are not turned up to the highest level and that you don't have too many or it will seem as though you are trying to mask some other odor issue.
2. Kill the clutter bug! - You want your home to look as spacious as possible and you want people to focus on the home itself and not your stuff. Stow away items from your kitchen and bathroom counters. Those toaster ovens and coffee pots tend to take up a lot of counter space. Try not to have more than 3 items on counter tops, dressers etc. Also, this is a fantastic time to get those closets cleaned out and make some trips to Goodwill with anything that you don't use or wear. Another good idea is to remove personal pictures from the home whenever possible. Remember you want buyer's concentrating on the home not Billy's baseball picture from last season.
3. Keeping it neutral! - Not everyone has the same tastes and you want to appeal to as many buyers as possible. An easy way to do this is to keep bright and patterned colors to yourself. Any rooms that have bright walls or outdated wallpaper should be repainted a neutral color. This is a relatively inexpensive way to change the entire look of a room. Shades of beige are always a good choice in my opinion. The same thing would apply to brightly patterned furniture or bedding. Consider buying a neutral slip cover or duvet cover. It may not be your taste, but it would appeal to the masses and keep the buyer's eyes on your home. Remember that this is only temporary and you can pull those fun and brightly colored items back out once your home is sold and you are on to your next home.
Other quick tips: Consider buying fresh towels to hang on towel bars especially in the master bathroom. Also think about replacing any old or outdated light fixtures and lamps. You can often find clearance items at the big box stores or places like Homegoods.
If you have questions about what you should do, contact your real estate agent for help. As we are out looking at other homes everyday we have a good idea about the things that you can do to get the most bang for your buck!
