Showing Your Home
Showing Your Home: First Impressions Sell Homes
Let’s cut to it. How your home shows is how it sells. And buyers make up their minds fast. Your home needs to feel clean, inviting, and ready to be theirs from the moment they pull up.
Outside: Set the Tone Before They Walk In
- Tidy up the front yard. Cut the grass, pull weeds, and trim anything overgrown.
- Add fresh mulch and a few bold flowers or planters.
- Repaint or power wash your front door and entry if it looks tired.
- Hide the trash bins and scrap materials. Clean the gutters. Touch up peeling trim.
If it looks like it’s been taken care of on the outside, buyers will expect the same inside.
Inside: Make It Feel Open, Bright, and Intentional
“How you live in a home and how you sell a home are two different things.”
- Open every curtain or blind. Natural light sells.
- That door knob that sticks? Get it working.
- Touch up scuffed walls or repaint in a neutral tone.
- Steam clean the carpets. If they’re beyond saving, consider replacing them.
- Coordinate your towels, hide the toothbrushes, and keep toilet lids shut.
Fix What You’ve Been Avoiding
- Loose cabinet handles? Fix them.
- That door knob that sticks? Get it working.
- Touch up scuffed walls or repaint in a neutral tone.
- Steam clean the carpets. If they’re beyond saving, consider replacing them.
- Coordinate your towels, hide the toothbrushes, and keep toilet lids shut.
Furniture: Less Is More
- If a room feels tight, remove a piece or two.
- Rearrange to highlight natural walkways and open space.
- If something feels off, it probably is. Trust your gut. Or let me walk through with fresh eyes.
Before Every Showing: The Nine-Minute Drill
- Sound: Soft music on. TV off.
- Lights: Every light on. Even in the daytime.
- Scent: Drop some vanilla on the stove or heat a pastry in the oven.
- Kitchen: Wipe down counters. Put dishes in the dishwasher.
- Bathrooms: Counters wiped. Toilets flushed and closed.
- Bedrooms: Beds made. Clutter hidden (not shoved into closets).
- Living areas: Clean and minimal. Hide remote controls and toys.
- Yard: Toys put away. Porch swept.
- Leave: This one’s big. Buyers need to imagine themselves living there. Not watch you live in it.
The Golden Rule
Always look at your home like a buyer would. You don’t have to spend a fortune. Just be intentional. Small touches lead to better impressions, more offers, and a faster sale.
If you’re not sure what needs attention, I’ll walk through with you and show you exactly where to focus. We do this the right way. From first impression to closing.