To Show or Not to Show

As a seller, you need to acknowledge that your buyers will not have the same interests like you.
We all have heard of the saying “first impressions last”.

There are definitely some things that you should keep and some that you should simply put
away.

1. Personal photos – this includes having too many family pictures and certificates from your college institution, in your living room. You want the buyer to feel that this will be his own space and he can start imagining what to put on those walls without getting distracted by your personal images.
2. Toys and other kids’ items – not all buyers will have little ones running around. An interested buyer may be a single person looking for his first home investment. Also, toys can take up a lot of space and tend to make the room look smaller.
3. Unnecessary furniture in the living room – items like pool tables, animal heads and religious fixtures may bother the potential buyer. Instead of having these items in the living room, show the buyer that this will be a great conversation area by keeping it clean and simple.
4. Magnets, photos and notes on the fridge – remove anything that you have sticking on your refrigerator. This will give your kitchen a cleaner look.
5. Pots and pans in the kitchen sink – be sure to put away all of your dirty dishes, pots and pans before showing your home. The last thing you want is for the buyer to think of other sections in the house where you left a mess.
6. Items underneath the bed – hiding things under the bed will not fly when you are showing your home to buyers. Be sure to get rid of all the items you have collected under your bed and clean the area.
7. Coordination in the bathroom – a themed bathroom is always nicer to look at. You most likely already have matching towels and shower curtains in the closet. If not, you may purchase inexpensive sets from your home store.
8. Your collection cabinet – believe it or not, your potential buyer may be bothered by your clown or doll collection. Box them up for now and leave that collection cabinet empty and make your buyer think of what they would like to see in there.

We hope that these ideas have given you useful information in preparing your home for sale.
Sometimes, these are the “little” things that we ignore. For more insights, ask your real estate
professional.

All information in this report is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.
© 2009 PropertyMinder, Inc. www.propertyminder.com