Once Canadian homeowners have decided to put their houses on the market, they should be made aware that there are certain definite turn offs for purchasers who are shopping for homes.
Here are some of the things that seem to bother potential purchasers the most. If you’re intent on selling, fixing these things can help.
Junk-filled rooms. Buyers like to see order and cleanliness, not chaos and junk everywhere in rooms. It’s as simple as putting things away. Get kids to pick up their toys, hang coats and put shoes in the closet. Clutter may actually inhibit a buyer from making an offer on your place.
Textured ceilings. These are so passé! Popcorn ceilings and other textures may have been in vogue at one time, but those days are long gone. They’re also hard to keep clean. If you have these ceilings in your home, you might consider smoothing them out and painting them a crisp, clean white.
Wonky wall effects. Again, this is something from which buyers shy away. They don’t like to see wood panelling, loud wallpaper or funky paint effects. The first thing that might go through a buyer’s mind is how to get rid of all that, so you’d best do it before selling.
An out-of-control garden. Some Canadians like the natural look and let plants grow wild in their gardens. On the other hand, if everything is also overgrown with weeds, it could put a buyer off. Buyers look at the work they’ll have to do to get things to how they want them, and that includes the yard. Make sure to mow the lawn, do some weeding and trim the shrubs before a showing.
Carpet. Wall-to-wall carpeting really belongs back in the 70s. Purchasers look for more modern materials on floors like hardwood, laminate, tile and even cork. The sky is the limit today. Carpets, however, are frowned upon. If there’s hardwood under the carpets, it would be better to lift them even if the hardwood isn’t in the greatest shape. You could give the floors a couple coats of paint and seal. It would be better than what’s there already.
Small and cramped. There’s not a lot you can do about the size of rooms in your home, but you can make them appear bigger by controlling what’s in them. Open up the space as much as you can. Create a light and airy feeling. Axe the big furniture.
Unpleasant smells. If a buyer walks into a home and is met by cigarette smoke, pet odours or any other smell they consider offensive, you’ve probably lost an offer. There’s something to be said for that apple pie smell in a home that’s on the market. People associate pleasant smells with pleasant memories.
