Selling your Charlotte NC Home :: 10 Tips to Get it SOLD
1. Keep it comfortable: To show a home to its best advantage during the winter, think warm, cozy, and homey. Keep your thermostat at 70 degrees during home showing hours. If your home is vacant, use a programmable thermostat and set it to have the home at 70 during the day.
2. Scents are appealing: I always have my clients have a pot of apple and cinnamon or vanilla on the stove--some may say, "But, what if the Buyers are allergic?" The chances of that are very slim and the warm scent appeals to the Buyers senses, making them feel 'at home.' Other popular scents: cinnamon rolls, freshly baked bread, apple cider, molasses cookies, chocolate chip cookies and good old American apple pie!
3. Take advantage of natural light: Be sure to allow all showing during the high-daylight hours. Make the most of the light you do have. Have the curtains and blinds cleaned and open them as wide as possible during daytime showings. Clean all the lamps and built-in fixtures, and replace the bulbs with the highest intensity that they will safely accommodate. Before you show the house, turn on all the lights.
4. Get your windows washed and your front door painted: You have 90 seconds to make a first impression! Windows and doors are items that many Sellers may not even consider. Many buyers pay particular attention to the quality of your homes windows and doors. In the winter, the strong southern light can reveal window grime and make it look like your home has not been well maintained. And, remember that the front door is the first thing that they see when they walk up to the home.
5. Play soft background music: To create a little atmosphere, tune the radio to the local Classical or Jazz station. Adjust the volume so that the music is playing quietly in the background. You have to appeal to all the buyer's senses.
6. Make the home comfortable and cozy: Set the scene - help the buyers see themselves living comfortably in your (aka 'their new home'). Consider things such as putting a warm throw on the sofa or folding back the thick comforter on the bed. A home staging professional is a worthwhile investment as they are specially trained to help catch the Buyer's eye!
7. Set up lighting timers: You want your home to look warm and welcoming whenever prospective Buyers drive past. Set the mood for a sale.
8. Make your home festive: Even though you're not going to be there for the showing, greet your Buyers as if they were going to be guests at your party. Set the dinner table with the good china and silver. Have a plate of cookies for your guests, some warm cider, or other non-alcoholic beverage helps to make the Buyer more comfortable in 'their new home'. Remember, first impressions are extremely powerful. Make your home look like you're expecting and greeting your Buyers as welcomed company. You could even decorate the For Sale sign in your yard.
9. Make your home look LARGER than it is! CLEAN OUT THE CLUTTER! One of the main criteria that Buyers use when shopping for a home is the total heated square footage. If they're looking to buy a 3,000 square foot home and yours is FULL of furniture and clutter, it will appear that the home is 2,000 square feet instead! Accomplish this by using your attic space and/or renting a temporary storage building. (NOTE: Closet space is a high priority for Buyers as well--make certain that your closets are clean and organized).
10. Pricing: Setting the stage is important but, THE most important factor in selling a home in this market IS PRICING! Have your home in show condition at all times and make CERTAIN that your home is priced to SELL!
(THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)
Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310
Great post Debe! These are all superb tips. It's truly amazing how many sellers overlook the temperature requirement.
Debe - This is an excellent list for sellers. I showed a beautiful, soundfront home on Thursday...it was so cold inside that the potential buyer left before seeing everything. He said he will revisit the house if he didn't find anything else. Hopefully, their agent will let them know.
All wonderful and practical recommendations and ALL FREE.
Those cold homes are not very inviting. Folks may be saving utility costs, but losing net proceeds as the house sits and sits and sits.
Since I preview before showing, when there is a particularly cold unwelcoming home, I often warn the buyers about it.
Funny thing about a cold house. Since there is no sun in the house, it's going to feel about 10 F. colder than it really is.
Debe, your blog is so warm and inviting! I love the orange background and the way you've organized this post. - Excellent information as well.
Great tips for selling real estate Debe. I will be sure to forward the link on to some of my real estate friends as these will work in any market. Have a great weekend...
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Good morning Debe,
Very good points for the home seller as we move into the selling season.
Debe, These are ALL wonderful ideas but so often not followed. The homes I've seen are dark and they are often not heated. I think people want to conserve on heat and electric but while showing it's not the time to do that!
Hi Debe:
Exactly!
GREAT tips for all homeowners across the country.
I'll re-blog this and keep it going!!!
These are wonderful tips for you sellers and as Lenn said, free!
Great tips. I believe number four is most critical..good first impressions!
Good morning Debe,
Your presentation of 10 tips in selling is so easy and free that should ALWAYS be incorrporated for a seller when putting their home on the market. Great showcasing the tips as always Debe!
Great tips Debe, I wish more sellers would listen to this advice.
Debe...I'm with Gabe, especially with Sellers who refuse to consider home staging. These tips are laid out in an orderly fashion and are very practical...Cherise
Heating the home isn't something that I have heard been mentioned a lot, but does make a lot of sense. I also think #10, pricing, is the most important of all of these, without nobody is going to show up to experience the warm home, clean doors and windows or welcoming scents.
Hi, I love your number 10...if the price isn't right, it doesn't matter how much you spend on the other items! Great job!
Debe this would make a nice piece for new listing agents to put in their listing packets for their potential sellers. If they are uncomfortable telling them.
Vickie: That's true and like Lenn said, that really does make a difference--the potential buyers walking through wind up running through and not appreciating the property at all.
Amy: You're exactly right--in this market, there IS a 'WOW' house out there for someone and if it it cold when you walk in, it NEVER has that WOW potential from the minute you step in the door. The seller has lost the opportunity without the buyer even walking through the property--or should I say RUN!
Lenn: You're right--FREE tips and the sellers net IS effected! I too, am a previewer and do the exact same thing--"You're going to want to bundle up, the sellers have the temperature WAY down in this one!" They still tend to 'run' through, don't they?!
Maria: Thank you so much! You too, can do the same thing--your ActiveRain settings allow you to do the same background! Let me know if I can help you accomplish this and I'm happy to help.
Michael: I'm glad to have been a resource for you--you're continuously a resource for me! :-)
Don: Thank you!
Carole: As Lenn said, it's not a smart move at all--it effects your NET when you do try to save a dime, it's costing you thousands of dollars!
Toula: Thank you--and thanks for the re-blog; that is such an honor!
Barb: Thanks and you're right--FREE is good too!
Gary: Same here--that and pricing! If it's priced right, they will come, if the first impression is good, they will stay!
Dorie: Well, thank you! Hopefully it will help sellers who are having a difficult time selling!
Gabe: Thank you and ME TOO! I had to 'fire' one this week--nothing I recommended would get done and I don't have the time or $$ to keep working diligently to get it sold for them if they won't help themselves!
Cherise: If they're your sellers, let 'em go! Thanks, as always, for stopping by!
Morgan & Kristin: As I said to Gary, pricing gets them TO the door, first impressions get them IN the door and the rest keep them there!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Larry: I'm working on a listing presentation for Monday--perhaps I need to print this new list for them?! Thanks and I hope you have a wonderful weekend...
Debe, Sounds like your listings would be a pleasure to show at anytime!
This is a beautifully laid out post. I can just imagine that home and with those pictures, I'm moving in.
Good reminder about welcoming scents and temperature. Both of those are easy to overlook.
Hi Debe:
Thank you for allowing me to re-blog this, I just did so...
Wanted to wait a while to re-circulate it.
Certainly applies to all homeowners who want to sell anywhere in the country.
Debe - a great post and lots of good tips. Buyer's want to visualize themselves in the home. I would only caution on the scents... I think the chances of allergies are a little more than slim... I would stick with natural scents.. like baking some cookies.. If they are with me, and there are scents, I will be sneezing the entire time. LOL