The following are some key factors to keep in mind when listing your property for sale:
1. CURB APPEAL
Keeping your landscape pristine, and adding creative touches to your yard (such as colourful annuals or hanging baskets), and doing a simple clean up such as: cutting the lawn, removing garbage & debris and putting away recycling boxes, can create an immediate impact on passers-by and potential buyers.
2. PROPERTY REPAIRS AND UPDATES
Perform minor repairs & updates as needed, simple things such as repairing foggy windows, and putting a fresh coat of paint in the most frequently used rooms will instantly brighten up the property.
3. CLEANLINESS AND STAGING
We can’t stress this enough: Keep your property uncluttered, sweet-smelling and well-lit from top to bottom. Pay attention to details: put away kitty litter, place a vase of fresh flowers near the entryway, pop a batch of cookies in the oven, have your carpets cleaned. If you list with The Peggy Hill Team, you’ll receive a complimentary staging consultation, where our stager will give you some pointers on how to de-clutter and improve the staging of your property, so that it appeals to the widest audience of buyers.
4. SHOWTIME
Ensuring that your home is ‘Showing Ready’ is something that you’ll need to keep in mind once your home is on the market, you never know when a new Buyer might want to book a showing! So it’s best to always be ready! There are a few basic things that you can do to ensure your home is always ready for showings:
Neat and Tidy: Make sure that the home is tidy and uncluttered, that means toothbrushes put away, no dishes in the sink, coats in the closet, etc.
Temperature: Make sure your home is set to a comfortable temperature; not too cold in the summer or too warm in the winter.
Lighting: Proper lighting always helps to show your tidy home in the ‘best light’. That means turning on all the lights at night or opening all curtains and blinds during the day. Turning the fireplace on in the winter is also a nice touch!
Stay Out of the Way: The last, and arguably most important rule of thumb when it comes to showings, is to make sure that you leave the property whenever showing are scheduled. Don’t sit outside the home in your car, or watch from the park across the street. Having the home owner present during showings can put buyers on edge and taint the whole viewing experience. You want a prospective buyer to feel comfortable while viewing your home so that they can picture themselves actually living there!
Buyers feel more comfortable discussing the property with their showing agent, if you are not there. Moreover, agents will know what information will be most useful in representing your interests when speaking with prospective buyers.