Once a showing has been scheduled, the seller must show a buyer why they should make an offer! In the chart to the right, you can see that once inside the home, the majority of the items that make up a buyer’s first impressions are in the seller’s control. Buyer’s First ImpressionS Getting a home ready to sell can seem like a daunting exercise, but 72% of a home’s first impressions are in the seller’s control! Sellers cannot control the floor plan or the rooms, but they only make up 27% of what appeals to buyers. Things such as cleanliness, clutter, and odors make up 36% of buyer’s first impressions, followed by Décor (21%) and Condition & Lighting (15%). All of these items are things that a seller has full control over, and most are not expensive. But where do you start? Getting a home ready to sell can seem like a daunting exercise, but although Juliana, Dawn and Heather have experience in different aspects of home staging, they all agree that the number one recommendation, is a clean house! Cleanliness Counts Sometimes sellers think that having a clean home simply tells the world that they are “clean people”, when in reality, having a clean home says a lot about the house itself, too. When buyers enter a home that is spic and span, they often feel like the home has been well cared for. A well cared for home will bring more value than one that has been left to show its wear and tear. When a buyer sees dust free ceiling fans and window blinds, they aren’t left wondering when the last time the A/C filter was changed. When buyers evaluate a home, they see things that will cost them time, work and money. If the home is well cared for, the buyer will get the impression tht the home was well maintained. They will believe that they have less to spend going into the transaction, so they can offer top dollar. Sellers need to do a thorough cleaning of the whole house, and sometimes having a professional do the cleaning can really help. As homeowners, we often get used to seeing smudges on walls, or a mildew caulk line in the bathroom. We become “nose blind” to our pet odors. Having a professional house cleaner do a deep clean will ensure that items we don’t even notice get addressed. 36% Biggest Impression Cleanliness, Clutter, & Odors 21% 15% 15% Rooms in the house have less impact than overall presentation 13% Floor plan is the least controllable, but also the least important when properly staged and presented. 15 Next biggest? Décor Finally: Condition & Lighting Impact of uncontrollable features when selling
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