What People Look at in Your Home When it’s on the Market

Inability to sell a house has not been a problem for most sellers recently. On the contrary, the housing market has been quite busy. But did you know that by taking a few little extra steps when staging your house, you can maximize your profit? Since many houses have similar features, your goal is to make your house stand out among the others so that potential buyers feel like your house is the one where they could imagine themselves living, and as a result they might make a higher offer to outbid others.

The term “staging” may sound intimidating to some sellers, but it does not have to be. You also do not need to hire professionals to accomplish this task. Where do I even begin? you may be wondering… There is no secret order of tasks you need to follow but keep one thing in mind—make the house feel inviting and showcase its best features. Of course, each seller may have a different vision of what they are looking for, but there are many things that are universally appealing to buyers during the house hunting process.

#1) CLEAN HOUSE THAT’S GOOD TO GO

Nobody will feel like your house is worth more money if it is dirty. Buyers also do not like clutter, busy countertops, and things that need to be fixed. Therefore, take care of all major and minor repairs prior to showcasing the house. Portray the mindset that taking care of this house has been important to you and that you have always been attentive to the needs of the house. Go the extra mile by putting a fresh coat of paint on the walls. Remember, first impressions are everything. This goes for the outside of the house as well. Cut grass and clean the patio go a long way. People love to contemplate what they could do in the garden if this was their house.

#2) FEATURES THAT ARE HOT COMMODITY

Let’s some up some features that don’t seem to go out of style:

o hardwood floors

o spacious walk-in closet

o kitchen island

o double sink vanity

o built in storage

o multiple-car garage

If you do have some of these features, make sure they are ready to be showcased, for instance, if you have a garage, ensure that the garage door opener is working, and that the garage is neat and free of hazards. To showcase the kitchen island, put out a charcuterie board and other refreshments for the house hunters to enjoy.

#3) THE LITTLE THINGS

There are several little things that you can do to sway buyers in the direction you want, and they are pretty easy to accomplish. Firstly, make sure the house smells good because a house that doesn’t smell good is one of the biggest turnoffs. Air it out ahead of the appointment, and scatter candles or diffusers around the house. If there is a specific source of bad smell, don’t just cover it up—fix it (wash trash bins, clean drains). The next thing you would want to do is to check that all light switches in the house work and turn them on, even in the closets and bathrooms. Open all curtains and utilize natural light so that the house will feel bright and spacious.

Kitchen is a room that can often be the deciding point if buyers are hesitating. The right strategy here is to make sure all your appliances are spotless, especially an oven. Another thing that buyers can appreciate is an inviting living room and bedroom. To achieve the appropriate level of coziness both bed and couch should look comfortable and clean. You can decorate both with some blankets and throw pillows.

Andrea Marks is an Army spouse and a mom of two. Her educational background is professional journalism. Apart from writing articles for MilHousing Network blog, she is also an Encyclopedic Article Author for EBSCOhost Research Platform and a Child and Youth Program Assistant at a NATO military base in the Netherlands. At her previous location in South Korea, Andrea was a Volunteer Editor for a PCS reference guidebook.