When selling your home, there’s more to it than just posting it for sale online and snapping a few photos. If you want to have the best chance possible to impress potential home buyers, there are certain things you’ll need to avoid.
Check out our list of the top 5 ways to ruin a home sale:
1. Suspicious Smells
Some of our strongest memories and emotions are linked to smells, so it’s no surprise that this can be a major turning point when it comes to selling your home. If a buyer walks in to an array of cigarette smoke, pet smells, or a spicy food aroma, they could immediately reject your listing without another thought. Don’t overcompensate, either—a home that reeks of candles or fragrances will make the buyer wonder what scent you’re trying to cover up. Instead, focus on keeping everything clean and let the house smell natural.
2. Pets in the Home
Although you may think Fido is adorable, potential home buyers are not interested in your pets. Some people have a fear of dogs, are allergic to cats, or simply don’t like the idea of an animal in their soon-to-be space. Keep your pets with a friend when you have a showing, but don’t stop there—you’ll also need to de-pet your house by cleaning. Pick up Fido’s toys, hide the litter box, and vacuum that dander out of the carpets.
3. Wacky Design
We’ve all seen that episode of House Hunters where a couple walks into a house only to see hot pink carpeting, orange wallpaper, or a kitchen stuck in the 70s. Don’t let this be your house! Although you don’t need to completely remodel, you will want to make sure you have neutral colors and weed out all the bold decorating choices. Remember, the potential buyer wants to imagine themselves in your home—and their tastes may be drastically different from yours.
4. Bad Landscaping
Many potential buyers will check out your listing online and then do a drive-by to see how they feel about the neighborhood and make an initial opinion. Despite the beautiful remodeled bathroom you may have inside, if your house doesn’t pass the curb appeal test, you won’t get a second chance with buyers. Be sure to trim your plants, invest in gardening, and replace any broken exterior lights. Take a look at your home from across the street and think to yourself: “Would someone want to live here?”
5. Cluttered Rooms
You’ve neutralized your design choices, spruced up your landscaping, and taken your dog to a kennel—but are your bathrooms and kitchen looking up to par? We assume you wouldn’t leave a toilet dirty or have old dishes in the sink, but beyond that, have you cleaned up? Put out freshly laundered hand towels, scrub the counters 'til they shine, and have all your dishes put away neatly in the cupboards. A clean house is one that will appeal to home buyers!
