Page 100 - Selling secrets 5 18 2023

You want your house hunter informed, interested, and,
most of all, interested in the house. One out of every two
home buyers will spend time visiting open houses, so you
want to throw the best open house party possible.

Your house must be as sterile as an operating room, as
uncluttered as a five-star hotel room, and as homey as
grandma’ kitchen. This is all about creating a fantasy. Your
open house shouldn’t say, “I live here,’ but instead, it should
seem very accessible and whisper to the potential buyers,
“You could live here. Can’t you see yourself in that sunny
kitchen, smiling at your angelic children as they do their
homework quietly and neatly at the kitchen table while you
whip up a gourmet meal for the whole family to enjoy?”

Preparing your home will take some work. It’s important to
create an illusion for the prospective buyers in which they
imagine themselves living there. Remove as many personal
items as possible, especially things that aren’t included in
the sale. Clear off the kitchen counters, remove extra
furniture to create space, and give the house a deep
cleaning. Shampoo the carpets, steam clean the tile, and
scrub the bathrooms. Touch up scuffs on the walls and
sweep out the garage. Prune the bushes, weed-whack the
walkways, and deadhead the flowers. You want your home
to look like a model in the local “Parade of Homes.”

Appeal to the buyer’s sense of smell. An unpleasant odor
coming from a trash can or litter box can kill a sale. Make
sure your home smells good! Open the windows, place fresh
flowers throughout the house, bake some cookies, or light a
scented candle.

Make the beds. Wipe out the sinks. Pick up the towels. Put
the kids and their school backpacks in the car (along with

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