Seven Simple Ways to Make Your Home More Attractive to Potential Buyers

When potential buyers come to your home, you have to constantly sell to them. It is your task to make your home look more attractive than it ever did. Here are six ways to do it.

Fix those floors. With its simplicity and easy class, hardwood floors are a great selling point. If you have them in your home, applying a quick polyurethane varnish can make them look their best. If you have rugs, rent a shampoo and spend a day washing every inch of them.

Make the room bigger. Ideally, you want all the rooms in your home to appear as large as possible, so that may mean removing any of the older furniture that may have lost some of its appeal with age. Larger rooms encourage buyers to imagine what those rooms filled with their own stuff would look like, so give them as many opportunities as you can.

Reduce clutter. Everyone has that room in the house that is used as a storage center. Maybe there is a bicycle there, an old chair with an outdated computer or television on it, and some winter parkas that spend eight months of the year in storage. Clean that room and you increase the chances of your real estate agent making a sale.

Don’t splurge on flowers. Flowers brighten up a home and make it look better to potential buyers. But there is no reason to spend a fortune at the florist every time someone comes to see your home. Dogwood or forsythia branches can add a touch of elegance to any home, and they can be as close as your backyard (or that of a helpful neighbor).

Depersonalize. Most people’s homes are an indication of who they are. Family photos, trophies, posters, and other personal items can turn your home into the museum of a lifetime. But this is not so good when you are trying to sell; You want it to look like someone else’s potential home, not yours. Try to remove as many personal items as you can, to encourage potential buyers to imagine themselves in your home.

Remember the little things. Small touches can make or break the overall look of your home. And the classics always work: a bowl of fruit on a window sill or kitchen table, a stack of hardcover books on a side table, or several magazines fanned out on a coffee table can give your home the right look.

Get an unbiased opinion. Ask a friend or neighbor to visit your home and give you constructive criticism. Better yet, invite a friend who has never been to your house, to have a truly clean eye. The more unbiased opinions you can get, the more prepared you’ll be when it’s time for the open house.