Here is a quick listing of some selling turn-offs that I have noticed throughout the years. If you are prepping to sell your home try and update/fix these problem areas as much as possible, I promise the monetary return will be worth it!
1. Update kitchen and bathrooms: This can be as easy as a fresh coat of paint, or new shower curtain! Depending on the age and wear of the room more may be required.
2. Dull lighting: Your home will feel brighter and bigger with ample lighting. Remove heavy curtains and draperies, allow for clear passage way to windows, ensure all your lights have no burnt out bulbs, and clean lighting fixtures.
3. Odours: Sometimes we do not notice the odours in our own homes. When prepping to sell odours like pets, cigarettes and strong smelling foods can be troublesome to new owners when they walk through the door. Air out your home, clean the litter more often, empty kitchen trash more frequently, try not to cook smelly foods in the home, smoke outdoors, are all great examples of ways to keep the home smelly fresh. Spot clean any urine residue with a vinegar solution to help remove any lingering smells.
4. Damp patches, stained walls and ceilings: This can cause a red flag to potential buyers. Providing the issue is fixed (I am not suggesting covering up problems in your home) cleaning up stains will help give a fresh look to the home.
5. Cluttered rooms: This seems like an obvious one but is a very important one. You want people to be able to picture themselves in the home and not distract them with YOUR things. I always tell my clients to pack away everything they are not using regularly. You have to pack it to move anyway so may as well start now. Donate, have a garage sale, and take a trip to the dump to purge things you no longer needs or love… “if it doesn’t spark joy!” Also try and keep passageways to windows, closets and doors clear so potential buyers can get a feel for the space without stepping over or on your things.
6. Over the top decor: Just like clutter you do not want to distract potential buyers from the beauty of your home with your personal items. Try and make the home as attractive as possible to any and all tastes.
Fun colours are for living (red, yellow, greens), neutral colours (beige, cream, warm white, light grey) are for selling!
