Chances are, when you're selling your home, numerous buyers will be visiting during open houses and buyer showings, spanning several days or even weeks. The condition of your home plays a crucial role in attracting potential buyers. The better it looks, the more likely you are to sell it quickly.
While exposing your home to as many buyers as possible is essential, it's equally important to use some common sense during these showings. Typically, a buyer, accompanied by a Real Estate Professional, spends several days touring homes. With a multitude of properties to view, the details of each home can become blurred. Buyers often rely on impressions, feelings, and comfort level when considering a home.
Enhancing the comfort level of potential purchasers involves paying attention to the five senses: smell, sight, hearing, taste, and touch. By addressing these aspects, you can make your home more appealing and create an irresistible impression.
Sense of Smell:
Utilize pleasant scents to evoke feelings of warmth and comfort. While you don't have to bake every time a buyer arrives, you can introduce pleasant smells in various ways:
- Place bread sprinkled with cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, or cloves into the oven on low for a few minutes.
- Bake cookies prior to a showing
- Use an air fresher to eliminate unpleasant odours
A word of caution. Too much fragrance can be unpleasant and distracting. People may wonder what you are trying to hide with an overpowering effect. Buyers will also remember the lingering garlic, onions and curry long after they have forgotten the colour of the bedroom walls.
Sense of Taste:
Leave the fresh baked cookies on the counter with a note!
Sense of Sight:
Visual enhancements, such as colourful pillows, vases with flowers, plants, and attractive afghans, add colour, warmth, texture, and atmosphere to your home. However, avoid excessive decorating items to prevent a cluttered feeling.
Open curtains to bring in light and show off the amazing views from your windows.
Sense of Hearing:
Background music can create a relaxing atmosphere for viewers. Opt for non-offensive "elevator music" that is easy on the ears.
Sense of Touch:
Ensure high-traffic surfaces are clean and clutter-free. Potential buyers may touch surfaces like bathroom sinks or kitchen counters, so cleanliness imparts a cared-for feeling.
It's crucial to strike a balance and avoid overpowering scents or excessive decorations. Neutral decorating tends to work best, creating a welcoming environment for potential buyers. By paying attention to smell, sight, hearing, and touch, you enhance the overall appeal of your home, potentially yielding significant dividends with buyers.