Your job isn’t over after enlisting an ace agent; if you really want to make an impression at opens and in turn, pique the interest of more buyers, these expert tips will guide you through the styling process.
Open house inspections are a key part of the buying journey. When potential buyers view your for-sale property, the open home is their first chance to picture themselves walking through the door of their new home.
Nailing it on the first try is key, and from what we know about first impressions, how you prepare your home for this moment can make or break a buyer’s opinion.
1. Fix the front exterior
First impressions are formed before a buyer even makes it through the front door. As such, you’ll want to ensure you’ve presented the exterior of your home in the best light possible.
Have the driveway pressure cleaned, clear out your gutters, tidy up the front porch and pathways to the home, and consider planting an in-season bloom to make the home stand out.
2. Make minor touch-ups inside
Kitchen tapware looking a little worse for wear? Chips in the paint from that time you unsuccessfully hammered in a nail? Make those small adjustments you’ve been putting off before you open your home to potential buyers.
3. Banish any lingering smells
You may have heard about masking any smells with scented candles, baking cookies or fresh flowers, but if there are any smells wafting through your home, you’d be wise to try and seek them out and banish them at the source
4. If in doubt, hire a stylist
It is recommend getting a qualified stylist in to get some input and some feedback.
Glass tables work wonders in smaller areas to make the room look larger, and if you’ve got the wall space “hang artwork. Go ‘wow’ as much as you possibly can.
5. Make like Marie Kondo and declutter
If your goal is to sell and you know you’ll inevitably be packing up your home soon, get a start on the process and begin to declutter before the open homes begin.
While your personal trinkets and memories are special to you, they mean very little to anyone else. You’ll want to remove personal traces to better help potential buyers picture themselves in their new house, not your old house.
