Preparing a House to Sell
Top Turn-Offs to Avoid

Preparing a House to Sell...

Want to sell your house fast?

Learn what to avoid in your home when preparing a house to sell...

Get prospective buyers in and impress them once they're there - find out how...

Struggling to Sell?

Are you struggling to find out how to sell your house fast?

Has your home been languishing on the market for months?

Or do you just want to find out the best sell your house tips for preparing and staging a house to sell?

With the current economic climate and difficult downturn in the housing market, you really have to keep on your toes to attract the buyers...

Top turn-offs that could be preventing your sale

preparing a house for sale - top turn offs to avoid to get that sale!

Staging your house to sell is particularly important in these circumstances.

Market your house in its best possible light, so that buyers can really appreciate all the features you love about it.

And so that they can imagine what a good home it would make for themselves.

You certainly shouldn't consider putting your house on the market without:

a thorough clean

a full declutter

But, if you are having trouble knowing how to sell your house fast, you can go a little further in staging your home to make it more attractive to buyers...

Top Turn-Offs to Avoid When Preparing a House to Sell

preparing a house to sell - avoid clutter wherever possible!

Avoid too much clutter
It makes your home look too small for your/their needs

Avoid paring down too much

Or an unlived-in look - this makes your home look cold, unfriendly and unwelcoming

Don't hide, cover up or disguise attractive original features
...such as nice, old fireplaces.

Avoid outdated and tired features

...such as old fitted kitchens, bathrooms, cupboards etc.
These can give your whole home a tired, outdated feel, and give the buyer the idea there's too much work to do.
Renovate or replace!

Avoid dirty, old or worn
- carpets
- carpet tiles
- flooring
These give the impression your home is dirty and unloved.
Sand original floorboards, steam clean carpets, or invest in new.

preparing a house to sell - steam clean old carpets for a fresh look and smell

Avoid carpets in
- bathrooms
- kitchens
Even if brand new, these will apper unhygienic, which is not the impression you want to be giving about your home!

Avoid:
- bright colors
- garish colors
- dark colors
These may be ugly, or may just convey too much of your own personality to the buyer.
Pale, neutral colors:
- show your home off in its best light
- make it appear as large, bright and airy as possible
- appeal to most buyers

Avoid:
- over-large furniture
- too much furniture
Keep it simple and minimal to make your home appear more spacious.

Avoid smells

Stale or stinky homes can be an immediate turn off to your buyer.
And you may not even realize your home smells - living there you'll be used to it!
Ask a trusted friend to be honest with you, if you aren't sure.
To make your home smell fresh and clean investigate:
- pet smells:
  - bedding
  - 'accidents'
  - litter tray areas
  - does your dog need a bath?
- old carpets
- old shoes
A thorough cleaning can help - open windows and light subtly scented candles.

preparing a house to sell - do all those little repairs you never quite got round to!

Avoid leaving repairs unattended to
- shabby paintwork
- knocks, scrapes
- unfinished DIY and repairs
...all give the impression that your home is shabby, unloved and uncared for.

Avoid confusion
Is your home confused?
When preparing a house to sell make sure each room has a specific purpose - especially dining rooms, spare rooms etc...
And that you make this clear to buyers through your choice of furniture and accessories in each room.

Avoid dirt:
- mold on tiles/window frames
- bits on carpets
- washing up
- clothes waiting to wash or dry
- stains on furniture
- cobwebs

preparing a house to sell - get your front entrance looking nice

Avoid a bad first impression

First impressions do count!
So make sure you pay particular attention to:
- the front entrance to your home - inside and out
- make sure:
  - pathways are clean, tidy, safe
  - doors are clean or newly painted
  - hallways appear spacious and welcoming

It can be difficult to look objectively at your own home.

So if you aren't sure how your house shapes up and looks to visitors, ask a trusted friend to look at your home as a potential buyer, and not be afraid to be perfectly honest with what they see...

Now you know just what to avoid when preparing a house to sell...

But you can also go further, actually staging a house to sell quickly, and to be more attractive to buyers...