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Buyers decide whether they like a house much more quickly than sellers usually think. Research keeps finding that buyers form a very strong opinion of a house within the first several minutes of being inside it and in fact, a lot of the time, it only takes them appearing at the driveway to decide. By the time they get into the kitchen, most of the time the emotional decision has been made, even if the buyers don’t consciously realize it yet.
This does not mean you should panic because that’s what most sellers do. It means you should plan carefully your actions and the use of your time ahead of the first showings. You do not need a total remodeling to create a strong impression – what you need is to figure out what buyers really notice and really work on those things.
Unfortunately, most sellers pay attention to the wrong things. They worry about the paint color in the unused bedroom while the door of the house is looking old and the hallway smells as if there’s been a dinner left-all-night. Correctly identifying the most important things is the main factor that a house going quickly on sale will have and a house remaining on the market for a long time will be lacking.
The Outside of Your Home Sets the Entire Tone
By the time a buyer gets to your home they’ve already decided if they like it or not. The exterior-the lawn, the driveway, the front door, the roof and gutters condition seen from the street- is the first part of the story your house tells that you cannot hide. If that first part is uninviting, potential buyers will focus on the possible problems and overlook your house’s other qualities.
Good curb appeal doesn’t have to be about expensive landscaping. Simply mowing the grass, edging along the driveway and walkways, trimming overgrown shrubs, and pulling weeds from flower beds are very cheap ways to completely change the look of a property. A freshly painted front door in a neat, simple color and a shiny house number can give the entrance a well-kept and deliberate look.
Keep in mind what buyers notice when they are walking from the car to the front door. Cracked concrete, a broken porch light, or a screen door off its hinges might go unnoticed consciously but they all will add to the overall impression of a home that is not well cared for. Repair small things. They really do make a bigger difference than you think.
The Smell and Feel of the Entryway
As soon as the entrance door is opened, buyers receive sensory cues that they cannot just ignore. One’s sense of smell is very rapid and it is also one of the strongest stimuli that can evoke emotional reactions. A house that smells stale, damp or has the odor of pets, leaves a negative impact on the buyers, the first thing that them, and it is extremely difficult to change this impression, regardless of how pleasant the rest of the house looks.
Do not attempt to overpower odors with heavy air fresheners or scented candles because buyers can easily recognize them and, in fact, it is a red flag as if one is trying to hide something. You should counteract the source instead. Thoroughly clean the carpets, launder the upholstery, air out the house, and if there are pets, during the showings days make sure their bedding, litter boxes, and feeding areas are spotless.
In addition to smell, the temperature and lighting in the hallway are significant. A home that feels unwelcoming barely lit and cold is the car of a person living alone. Before showings, switch on the lights all over the house and adjust the thermostat to a pleasant temperature no matter the season. Buyers should be able to envision themselves living in the house and that sensation begins as soon as they step inside.
The Kitchen Gets Scrutinized Like Nowhere Else
Buyers focus most of their time assessing the kitchen over other rooms. This is the area where they figure out in their minds how much effort and money would be needed to renovate, and it’s also the place where the house either looks like a comfortable and functional space or a potential project. Nevertheless, even the buyers who are not particularly into cooking make kitchen decisions that have a major impact on the outcome of their purchasing decision.
First of all, the eye-catching element in the kitchen is the countertops. If the countertops are covered with unnecessary stuff, the kitchen will feel cramped and quite intimidating. So, clear the countertops of the coffee maker toaster knife block, and fruit bowl; ideally, leave the surfaces as bare as possible. A tidy and open counter visually doubles the perceived work area in any kitchen.
Besides appliances, cabinet fronts, and hardware condition will be really quickly noticed as well. There’s no need for you to get new appliances, but they must be clean, a microwave’s interior and stove drip pans included. Greasy cabinet fronts or those with loose or mismatched handles are the wrong signals. Changing hardware is a cheap way and can greatly give a kitchen a fresh and modern appearance without changing a single cabinet.
Bathrooms Are Judged on Cleanliness More Than Anything
Buyers are ruthless about bathrooms and if you’re in the St. Petersburg area and the whole prep process feels like too much, it’s worth knowing that options to sell your house fast St. Petersburg FL exist for sellers who’d rather close quickly than go through all of this. But if you are going the traditional route, bathrooms will make or break the showing. They look at grout lines, around the base of the toilet, the condition of the caulk around the tub, and the state of the fixtures. A bathroom that’s spotlessly clean but outdated will outperform a newer bathroom that isn’t well-maintained almost every single time.
Re-caulking around the tub and shower is one of the highest-return tasks you can do before listing. Old caulk that’s discolored or pulling away from the tile looks terrible and triggers concerns about water damage. New caulk takes an afternoon and costs almost nothing, but it makes everything look fresher and better maintained.
Light, Space, and Flow Through the Main Living Areas
After checking out the kitchen and the bathrooms, potential buyers usually go over the living areas with a focus on the flow of the house and the amount of light it receives. Dark, cramped rooms not only give a feeling of being smaller than they really are, but they also tend to shift a persons thinking from what would I need to change to I don’t think I could live here.
Use every opportunity to let in sunlight. Completely open curtains and blinds and wash the windows both inside and out. Also, make sure to clean any bushes or trees outside that are shading and blocking the light from coming in. If a room is lacking in natural light, use a combination of ceiling lights and floor or table lamps to create a warm and inviting atmosphere in the space.
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