Don’t Spook Buyers with a House That Looks Haunted

www.Faithfindshomes.com

In the fall market, home selling is right up there with pumpkin carving, hay rides and trick-or-treating. The change of season ushers in a number of well-intentioned buyers (and fewer Looky-Lous) seeking the services of a real estate professional. Sellers, Halloween is your holiday!

With the most terrifying time of year fast approaching, the last thing you want to do is spook buyers with a home that looks like the House on Haunted Hill or something out of a ghost town. Before putting your home on the market, rid your digs of these horrifying features.

Neglected yard. Ever see someone mowing the lawn of a haunted house? Didn’t think so. Overgrown greenery (or brown-ery) is a sure sign of an abandoned abode. Maintain your landscaping and clear your yard of leaves before a showing.

Smashed windows. Unlike haunted houses, you probably don’t have razor-like shards of glass protruding from the windows of your home. But are they drafty? Use weatherstripping or caulk to seal cracks, or consider replacing them altogether.

Foul odors. Your house (hopefully!) isn’t home to anything decomposing, but you may be unaware of the distinct smells emanating from your garbage can. Remove trash and eliminate musty, stale air by opening the windows.

Peeling paint. Dated wallpaper and worn-out paint are staples in haunted houses. If your wall treatment is chipped, cracked or peeling, it’s time for an update. Scrub your walls, patch any holes and roll on a fresh coat of paint in a ghostly neutral shade.

Creaky floors. Ghouls creep through haunted homes, making the floors creak and sending panicked visitors running out the door. Ensure the walkthrough is painless by repairing unwelcome sounds with the help of a licensed handyman.

Cobwebs. Nothing screams haunted more than dust, grime and filth. Creepy-crawlers seem to love dirt, too, and pests are a serious turn-off for anyone, buyer or not. If you suspect a problem, call up the Orkin man to have it rectified immediately.

Junk piles. Is it just me, or are the spirits possessing haunted homes hoarders, too? Add a sense of spaciousness to your home by de-cluttering every nook and cranny, minimizing collections on shelves, and keeping counter and tabletops clear.

Gloomy rooms. Haunted houses are cloaked in darkness because, well, no one paid the electric bill. Avoid triggering childhood fears of the Boogeyman by lighting up dark walkways, dim rooms and shadowy corners.

If your thinking about selling your home this Fall call Faith today, for your free house evaluation . http://homeexpertfaith.realtor/ 

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5 Thing to Prepare Your Open House

When it’s time for an open house of course you need to clean your house, but there’s a few not so obvious things you need to take care of before the crowds come. Hiding these few things from view will make your home more inviting and desirable to potential buyers so someone fall in love with the property when they come to visit.

Even if you don’t stage your home, be sure to hide these 5 things before potential buyers start showing up.

1. Your Pet

Dogs and other pets can be rowdy, messy distracting at an open house. Even if you have a friendly family pet, take them to a friend’s house or out with you during the open house. Some buyers might be allergic to pet hair or even scared of animals.

And most importantly hide their SMELL from your home. When you clean, don’t forget to deodorize. The best way to ensure there are no unpleasant lingering smells is with scented candles or plugins. Don’t choose something too overpowering, just something light and pleasant.

2. Family photos

Buyers want to see their family living in the house, not yours. Taking down family photos depersonalizes the home, creating a neutral space. Don’t worry, this is just temporary. You can bring out the full timeline of school photos later.

Some people suggest leaving just one or two family photos up as a way of staging your home. This is like the stock photos of families in new picture frames – just a touch of personality but not too intrusive.

3. Clutter

It’s important to not only clean your home but de-clutter it. Get rid of clunky design pieces, papers and magnets on your refrigerator, kids toys, and even unnecessary furniture. Keeping furniture and décor to a minimum will make your home look bigger which prospective buyers will love. Putting away area rugs as well, buyers want to see your floors and rugs break up the flow of your space making it look smaller.

The emptier you make your house, the more buyers will be able to imagine themselves filling the space.

4. Religious or political paraphernalia

–It’s not uncommon to have religious statues, wall hangings or pictures in the home and most sellers won’t think twice about leaving them up once it’s time to sell. However you could be unintentionally driving away potential buyers if they don’t share the same religious beliefs. Same goes for political posters or campaign pieces.

Sounds silly right? It is, yet we all know these are controversial topics of converstaion. The key is to neutralize your home, creating a canvas for the potential buyer to imagine themselves making their own.

5. Yourself!

Don’t hover, just put your real estate agent in charge and let them run the show. Although you want stay involved in your home sale, it’s important not to get too involved. Your presence can make potential buyers uncomfortable, making them feel like you’re looking over their shoulder. Buyers want to explore your home on your own, no pressure. When it comes time to for your open house, take the afternoon to run some errands or visit friends.

There’s plenty of tricks of the trade when it comes to selling a house, work with a real estate so you can learn them all.

If your thinking about selling your home Contact Faith today!