You have made it! Your house is listed and ready to attract buyers to view your beautiful home. Everything is shining, decluttered and staged but sometimes there are some simple tasks that can put your house over-the-top. Our Anne Winch Ottawa Real Estate and Staging Team have put together a few simple ideas to attract as many buyers as possible.
- Is your doorbell working? There is nothing more aggravating than walking up to an open house and the doorbell does not work. Some buyers do try the doorbell so make sure it can be heard inside your home. Do closets glide smoothly? Are you missing any knobs on cupboards or closets? Now is the time to make sure the little things are fixed.
- We know you will be making your house spotless but a dirty microwave can turn buyers off. Empty your dishwasher or at least have clean dishes inside. Cupboards and a pantry that are jammed is saying you don’t have enough space in your home.
- If you have a favourite chandelier, curtains or appliances that you don’t want sold with the house make sure this is listed with your realtor. There is provision for this so that other agents showing your home can note what is not included in the sale. This can save a lot of confusion and heartbreak and sometimes can make or break a sale.
- Full disclosure is very important. If you had a flood or foundation repair let your realtor know what you have done to fix the problem. If you do not disclose this, you will find buyers will turn away from your home because they think you are hiding something.
- Have you done a lot of renovations? Now is the time to shine and list these improvements. Keep a binder with you for receipts of renos done and any seasonal pictures. If you have a swimming pool and you are selling in the winter, summer photos will give an inviting feature to your backyard.
- Many buyers like to see information on the costs for utilities, taxes, water, etc. You may even have a diagram or survey from when you bought your home. All these items are great for any questions that may come up during a showing or open house.
- Lastly, disassociate yourself from your home. Once you put your for-sale sign on your lawn, it is time for you to step away from your emotions. You need to have trust in your real estate team to sell your home and answer questions from prospective buyers. Now that we have given you the formula for a successful open house let’s get started – it’s showtime!
If you are still pondering whether to sell your home, our Anne Winch Ottawa Real Estate and Staging Team can quickly assess your home with our no-nonsense appraisal of your home. We can provide information on homes similar to yours that have sold in your area. We will then be able to assess the true value for your home. Now is the time to get your home listed before the competition gets heated up in the Spring. Give us a call so we can answer any of your questions about buying, selling or staging your home.