By ROBERT RADCLIFFE
Special to the Palisadian-Post
What do we do when we are looking for love and trying to attract someone’s interest?
We make sure we look our best, present our best effort and highlight our endearing qualities to “reel in” the perfect catch.
The real estate market is no different.
When you are selling a home, you are looking for the perfect buyers to show interest in your home, and you hope to share with them what it is you love about the house.
Like meeting a new person in the dating scene, selling a home can be a hit-or-miss game.
But unless you make the effort to present your home in the best light, you may be in for a string of not-so-perfect buyers who are less than interested in making an offer.
Here are some things you can do to make sure that buyers get that twinkle in their eye when they first set their sights on your home.
Make Them Love It At First Sight
The old adage about not judging a book by its cover certainly does apply to properties, but the last thing you want to do is lose a potential sale because you haven’t paid attention to first impressions.
Most homeowners these days have watched some of the shows on HGTV.
One of the things that comes up in many of their shows is “curb appeal.”
Curb appeal refers to how attractive or enticing the exterior of a home is in terms of landscaping, the driveway area, front porch, entryway, garage and other exterior features.
It goes without saying that you should repair any damage and clean up areas that are out of sorts.
Adding soft touches like some flowers or even some professional landscaping can also make a world of difference in buyers’ impressions of the home.
If you are showing a home after dark, one thing you can do is to turn on exterior lights, creating an appealing peek through as people first drive up to the home.
Keep Things Classic, Clean and Clutter-Free
Nothing is more of a turn-off to buyers than a home filled with too much stuff. The last thing buyers want to see is a closet that’s bursting at the seams with too many things, a cluttered countertop, an over-abundance of personal items or a mismatched and unattractive arrangement of furniture. Classic, simple décor with clean lines and neutral colors is most appealing.
Not only does this allow prospective buyers to see the actual house, but it also gives them the opportunity to visualize their own customization in the space.
Walk through the home and remove all extra items that are lying around, clear off kitchen counters and remove all personal items from bathrooms and other surfaces. Imagine walking into the perfect hotel room – while looking lived-in, the space is still elegant without too many things crowding the space.
Highlight the Home’s Features
Whether showing off shiny granite countertops, impeccable resurfaced wood floors or displaying the backyard pool, it is important for buyers to be able to see all that the home offers in terms of amenities and features.
If the walkout basement is a strong selling feature, you could clear the area and pose potential uses for the space such as making it a media room or workout area.
When buyers see the versatility with which the space is used, it will create more interest in your home.
Remember, buying a home is just like finding a new love. There must be chemistry. And unless you make the effort to present the home in its best light, chances are you will not find the perfect buyer.
Courtesy of Robert Radcliffe of The Radcliffe Group at Sotheby’s International Realty (robertradcliffe.com). The Radcliffe Group has been ranked by The Wall Street Journal as one of the top 250 sales teams in the USA. Contact: (310) 255-5454 or rob@robertradcliffe.com.
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