How to Showcase Your Real Estate to Potential Buyers

Most buyers select their home based on emotions. Once their decision is made to buy, they then justify their purchase with logical reasons of facts and features. It's most important to make your home appeal to all senses. Your property is NOT the only home the buyers will see. You are competing with other homes in the market, and some of them have been professionally decorated.

First impressions set the tone for a buyer visit, and they're LASTING! Approach your home in your car like any buyer would. Examine the outside as you're approaching. How does it look? Are shrubs away from the home? Oil in the driveway? How does the grass and landscaping look? Cluttered looks detract from the architecture of the home. A clean, polished landscape says your home is valuable and well maintained!

Take a look at your actual home. Is the paint fading or chipping? Is the color outdated or impersonal? How does the roof look? As you drive up to or away from your home, what do you see first?

Now go inside just like a buyer would. You want to be aware of 4 senses: smell, touch, sight, and hearing. Go through room by room and test all 4 senses. Check flooring and carpet for stains and odors.

Most importantly: Pack away all appliances, get rid of excess furniture, put away useless dishes - and make your home neat and orderly. If you've ever visited a model home, you'll notice it's clean and uncluttered. You have to move anyway, so you might as well pack early, and make your home more saleable. Go to the garage and make sure it's neat.

Hire someone to professionally clean your home. Top to bottom! Cleaning and cosmetic fix-ups, especially in the Kitchen, bathrooms, and master bedroom can many times yield you up to $10 in extra sales price for every $1 you invest.

Pets should be out of sight (and smell!). Get rid of pet odors for showings. Remember the 4 senses. Also, some people are uneasy around pets, and they may distract attention from the features of your home.

Pay particular attention to lighting. During the day, open all your blinds and curtains. If it's cloudy out, turn on all lights for showings. At dusk, leave your front drapes open and turn on all the lamps and lights. At night, do the same, but close your blinds and curtains