When you're trying to sell your house during these trying times, it's better to do everything possible than to end with an unsold property. What the buyers are looking for when inspecting a property is a house in which they can picture out building a home in. A simple odor that might be unpleasant to your prospective buyer could be taken as a signal of a structurally unsound property. Just imagine how they would take a dirty bathroom; this for sure will make it even harder for you to compete your with your competition. In the following paragraphs, you can read about a few and inexpensive actions you can take to help buyers imagine themselves living in your home.
Most of these tips can be carried out in little time and with very little money. You may want to create a budget of how much you wish to spend (a few hundred dollars can do miracles), and begin making the changes right away. The simplest thing that you can do is to ensure that you show your house with optimum light as possible. It's good to show your house during the day, but even then, turn all the lights on for optimum illumination.
100-watts light bulbs should provide the optimum illumination that you need; change them because research shows that properly illuminated houses have greater chances of being sold. If you have a front lawn, be sure that they are trim and rid with dead plants and fallen leaves. You can also try to repaint the exterior of your house if the paint has faded and you can afford to finance a repaint.
If this is not possible, don't fail to repaint even just the front doors and windows. Make a great impression to your potential buyer. Help them remember your address by bedazzling them with shiny new house number. Don't forget to replace old mailbox and doormats to help you create first impression. Don't bother to buy new carpet; this is not always advisable because you might just be buying ones that are not favored by your buyer. Cleaning your old ones should be enough.
You can hire a professional cleaner or you can just rent a carpet cleaning machine and do the cleaning yourself. Also, if you see that some rooms need to be painted, please paint them with neutral colors. Sometimes, you may just need to wash the stains off the walls. Next, go over every room in your house and make sure it is clean, tidy and unclogged. Pay special attention to the bathrooms. After you finish cleaning, place a few candles around your house and light them up before your appointments.
Whenever you can, buy a few natural or artificial flowers to place them in the most visible areas around you house. Check every minor detail as well like changing your light switches, outlets, or door and cabinet knobs. This doesn't have to be costly but the effects are tremendous. Finally, after you think you are ready getting your home ready to start showing it off, ask yourself whether this is a house you would really like to live in. It is important that you ask this question honestly because it's the same question that your potential buyers will be asking themselves as they see your house. If the answer is negative, keep making changes until you are comfortable with the overall look of the house.
About the author: Jacques Coquerel is a real estate investor in Atlanta, GA. He has transacted more than 750 properties since 1996. For Real Estate Investing Tips get his Free Online Course Real Estate Investing Free Online Course.