Tip #21: Create an experience

Try writing a letter telling about some of the features of your home. Talk about the schools, good neighbors, malls and shopping centers in the area, perhaps even a little history about the home. Write it in a very personal fashion, as if you were writing to a close friend. Try to create images in the potential buyer’s mind of how great it is to live there. Finally, type this letter and make copies, but sign each one by hand. Put the letter in a nice stationery envelope and leave it out where anyone viewing the house couldn’t miss it.

Tip #22: Buy some new furnishings

Now is the best time for replacing old, worn out items with something new! Use your better judgment as to which items will actually make your current house look better to a prospective buyer.

Tip #23: Scope out new developments

When you’re selling your home, one of the biggest competitors is the new home development in the area. Visit these developments to size up your competition and get ideas on how to beat them at their own game! Help your home to have the same appeal as the new homes by accenting similar attributes, while pointing out benefits your home may have that the new homes do not. You’ll also get a good idea of what the
price of your home should be, based on what the new homes are selling for.

Tip #24: Take the dog for a walk

If you own a dog that may be intimidating to the potential buyer, take your furry friend for a walk whenever the home is being shown. Your dog’s bark may be worse than its bite, but if its presence alone could potentially cause tension for the buyer, it takes away from the overall emotional experience of looking at the home.

Tip #25: Water the lawn

Use your sprinklers as much as possible to ensure everything in your yard is green. Turn on your sprinkler’s manual start button whenever
a Realtor is bringing a potential buyer to view the home. Newly watered landscaping has a fresh, clean scent and a shimmer that makes it look much better than when it’s dry. By leaving them on, you can also discourage any backyard exploring in the event you have unsightly areas there.

Tip #26: Check the price

Price may be a sensitive issue, but it is the one thing that will sell your house faster than anything else. If you price your house right in line with the market, it’s not likely to sell quickly. That’s because only the 10% or 20% of houses with the best prices are selling each month.

Tip #27: Tame wild jungles

An empty yard sells better than an overgrown yard, probably because an empty yard looks larger! When trimming back your shrubbery and trees as you’re getting ready to sell your house, don’t be timid. Trees and shrubbery should not hide the house itself. Less is more!

Tip #28: Buy potted flowers

Flowers always brighten the appearance of a home, and they add a pleasant odor. Most people do not want to buy fresh−cut flowers or spend money on something they will leave behind. A helpful alternative is to use clay or decorative pots as planters. After they have helped to sell your current home, you can use them to brighten up your new home as well!

Tip #29: Don’t leave a mess

Inspect your house on the way out the door every day to see if there are any messes you have not had time to clean up. Kick clothes under the bed or get a couple of large, plastic tubs for emergencies. In short, don’t leave your home a mess if there’s any possibility that a potential buyer may see it. As a final note, be careful not to hide your mess where it will be easily discovered, such as in a closet or cupboard.

Tip #30: Brighten things up

Add a dramatic appearance to your house with new 100−watt light bulbs! A bright house looks larger, cleaner and more appealing to a potential buyer. This will create an open feeling, similar to the many new homes that are built today with lots of windows and skylights!

Tip #31: Dollars and scents

If you’re not already popping something in the oven to fill the house with a pleasant aroma, spray a little vanilla air freshener. This particular scent has a great impact. Potpourri around the house is a good idea, too. Remember, we’re trying to appeal to as many senses as possible!