Fix or replace broken or worn-out items. A cracked tile or a dripping faucet will send a wrong impression to prospective buyers — that the home has been neglected. Replacing or getting these small items fixed before putting your house on the market is critical to your sale. Get rid of clutter. Make use of the “50%Rule.” Get rid of clutter in your house by at least half — at least! Since we tend to love our stuff, this might be the most difficult rule of all. Our stuff reflects our hobbies, memories, and values. Unfortunately, clutter doesn’t sell a home; in fact, it hinders the sale. Clutter also makes a home seem disorganized and smaller. No hobby or enthusiast evidence. One prospective buyer I represented opened the garage to a house she was considering making her own home to find a partially dismembered deer in process of the homeowner’s hunting and taxidermy hobby. She moved on — quickly. She didn’t consider the home any further, although it was equal in most ways to others she liked and had an attractive price. She just couldn’t get past that dead deer in “her” garage. Use neutral colors. It’s well established that using neutral colors sells. While you might have enjoyed a unique paint scheme, buyers won’t be engaged enough to envision their own lifestyle in that hue. Painting your home with odd or “loud” colors can turn buyers off. They might not be able to imagine living in your home with those colors if they don’t suit their personal tastes and style. Depersonalize. Get rid of objects that reflect your own life. For instance, religious and political items may turn off groups of potential buyers, especially if they have different religious and political backgrounds. You want potential buyers to see themselves as the owners.
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