 | | MY HSR DRESS YOUR HOUSE FOR SUCCESS | | Before you sell, dress up your house and it will sell faster and at a higher price.
REMEMBER: There’s no second chance for a good first impression.
There will always be areas that you can improve upon. Be meticulous in looking for ways to enhance sales value.
The golden rule is highly recommended, treat the potential client the way you want to be treated and you will be on the right track.
Here are 47 considerations when dressing up your house. | | |
| | | • The front gate greets the potential client. It should be cleaned, well painted, and attractive.
• The doorbell should be in working condition.
• The mailbox should be properly anchored and appealing.
• The address of the house must be prominent so that buyer can locate your house.
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| | | • The garden will do a lot to attract potential client. Ensure that it is presentable.
• The lawn should be well trimmed and edged. Weed should be removed.
• Water the plants sufficiently. Cultivate them to bloom during this period.
• Invest in potted flower plants. Remove withered parts of the plant and any other rubbish.
• Remove overgrown trees. Make the garden look more spacious.
• Items such as pipes and plastic parts should not be inappropriately exposed.
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| | | • Missing potions of the fence should be replaced. Repair, paint, and treat them such that it will present a homely image.
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| | | • Cleanliness is important. Remove soil, oil, grease, stains, and any other foreign substances. Floors should be dried.
• The garage door and automatic door opener should be in good working condition.
• If possible, do not park cars in the house and have too many unnecessary items during viewings in front of the house.
• Equipment, boats, bicycles, and recreational vehicles should be parked in a neat and tidy manner.
• Remove as many items as possible from the garage to make it look spacious, neat, and tidy.
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| | | • The drains should be cleaned and cleared of any debris. It should not contain dirty water or any items that will have offensive smell.
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| | | • Remove all contaminants, Keep the equipment, chemicals, and tools tidily in a proper place. Adjust the chemical contents until the pool sparkles.
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| | | • The painted surface should be clean and fresh. Otherwise, it is definitely worth the while to add a new coat of paint to increase the saleability of the house.
• Before painting, scrape, or water blast the old coat of paint. Repair the gutters and the downspout.
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| | | • Remove any foreign materials. Straighten the TV antenna and arrange the electrical wiring neatly.
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| | | • Have an attractive set of furniture to enhance the appearance. Borrow from a friend if need be.
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| | | • The main door is an important part of the viewing. Make sure it presents a good image for the house. Flaws should be repaired. Clean the door thoroughly. Polish the metal parts. Lacquer the wood work to give it a good finish. Have a clean and attractive doormat.
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| | | • Keep shoes neatly in a shoe rack.
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| | | • Clean and paint the air conditioner. Replace the improper drainage system if necessary.
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| | | • Redecorate your home to show how it should look rather than talk about it.
• The overall image of the interior should be pleasing, warm, and appealing. Your effort will result in a better offer.
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| | | • Music can create positive feelings. Have soft and soothing music in the background. Do not have loud music.
• Switch off the television. Let the potential client enjoy the viewing.
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| | | • Dim rooms do not appeal. Let the sunshine in. It will show a cheerful home. Brighten up the dark and dull places with a coat of paint.
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| | | • Maintain a cool temperature during the viewing.
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| | | • Ensure that the house is well ventilated. Make sure that the fans are not unduly noisy.
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| | | • The house should be well aired and free from any negative odour. Remove all sources of bad odour, especially food related items.
• Check the sink, garbage bins, and the kitchen for any remnants of garbage. Repair and clean sewers and rubbish chutes if they are emitting foul gases.
• Float the air with pleasant smell by having flowers and artificial fragrance. Do not cook smoky or strong smelling food during the viewing period.
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| | | • You may not be able to change the size of your house but you can prevent it from appearing cluttered and smaller than what it should be. Spaciousness will help to invoke positive feelings. There are simple ways to enhance appeal of your house.
- Open up as much space as possible in your rooms, store, utility rooms, closets, and surrounding area.
- Discard old and unusable items. Start packing them early to prepare for removal.
- Have a garage sale for unnecessary items. You may also wish to donate them to a charitable organisation.
- Remove non-essential materials to a location outside your house.
- Install mirrors in appropriate places. It will create an impression of spaciousness.
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| | | • Ensure that damaged ceilings are repaired. Buyers are concern about leakage problems.
• Remove dead insects and cobwebs. Clean and paint it if necessary.
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| | | • Replace or repair any missing portions of the floor. Clean the grout. Polish the floor. Ensure that it is dry.
• Creaking floor is a major concern to potential buyers. Therefore it should be patched or repaired.
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| | | • Doors should be appealing. They should be working properly and be well surfaced and cleaned. Squeaky parts should be oiled and loosen parts should be tightened. (Oil and tighten the other items around the house.)
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| | | • Holes on the walls should be patched, plastered, and cleaned. A good coat of paint will increase the appeal to potential clients. All wallpapers should adhere smoothly to the wall and should be cleaned.
• Handrails, ornaments, and any attachments should be firmly secured to the wall.
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| | | • Clean windows are very important because they will be inspected. It should be painted or polished. Broken or cracked panes or parts should be replaced.
• Put on clean and attractive curtains. The drapery rods should be properly secured to the wall and working smoothly.
• Have nice foliage near the window. Ensure that they are not blocking the sunlight.
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| | | • The kitchen is an important part of the house, especially to the lady clients. It will be closely inspected and therefore, extra care should be taken to ensure that it is presentable.
• The kitchen exhaust hoods should be thoroughly cleaned. Most clients will check this part as a clue to general house keeping.
• The oven and stoves should be thoroughly cleaned. Replace corroded and badly stained elements of kitchen appliances.
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| | | • The bathroom is easily dirtied and yet, it is another closely inspected part of the house.
The following problems, particularly, should be eliminated:
- mouldy shower curtains
- soap residue in shower
- soiled or missing grout
- accumulated dirt in the track of a sliding door
- dirty, run down bathmats
- leaking or stained bowls and bathtubs
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| | | • Ensure that the carpet are secured to the floor.
• Steam clean soiled carpets and shampoo the carpet to remove all odour.
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| | | • The furnishings should be clean, tidy, and neatly arranged. Remove excess furniture. Use attractive upholsteries and freshly laundered materials.
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| | | • Have indoor plants to spruce up the decor of the home. Arrange them neatly.
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| | | • Ashtrays can be an ugly sight and a source for bad odours. Have attractive ashtrays and keep them clean.
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| | | • Remove any signs or posters that might be considered controversial or offensive.
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| | | • Remove all garbage from the house.
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| | | • Remove all dirty laundry. These are potential sources of bad odour.
• Replace towels and rags with fresh ones. Unnecessary laundry accessories should be properly stored.
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| | | • Keep pets from the house. They can be a nuisance to some people. Remove all litters and clean the place where you keep the pet.
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| | | • If there are any problems with the house, it is wiser to inform the consultant about it.
• Clients are more sophisticated and will check the house thoroughly. They will be more concerned if they discover these problems on their own. Clients will appreciate your honesty.
• Do not oversell. The house and it’s potential will sell itself.
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| | | • Lighting can do wonders to attract potential clients.
• Ensure that electrical lightings in and around the house are of sufficient wattage. Adequate lighting will make the house look bright and cheerful. Add incan descent lightings to give the house a warm atmosphere.
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| | | • Get a licensed electrician to repair or replace all electrical fixtures. Conceal all loose and ugly wirings.
• Demonstrate that power points are in working condition by having a portable electrical appliance.
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| | | • Appliances that are sold within the house should be in good working condition. Otherwise, the client should be notified.
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| | | • Sinks and tubs should be replaced, patched, resurfaced, and thoroughly scrubbed.
• Plumbing facilities should be in good condition. Noisy and leaking pipes should be repaired.
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| | | • Ensure that the house is free from pests especially termites.
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| | | • Do not have too many people in the house during the viewing. The potential client may feel uneasy and hurry through the house.
• Most clients will also not relax when the owners are present.
• If you are in the house, refrain from engaging the clients in a conversation unless a question is directed at you.
• Leave the viewing to HSR consultant. They are trained to promote your house and get the best offer for it.
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| | | • Files copies of the property tax, utilities, and maintenance receipts for easy reference.
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| | | • List the items which are not included in the sale of the house. Ensure that the consultant has a copy of the list.
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| | | • Gather all the keys of the house, including keys for the cupboards, garage doors, padlocks and deadbolts. These keys should be handed over to the new owner.
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| | | • Gather all the necessary instruction manuals for the equipments that will be sold with the house.
• File relevant warranties and explain about them to the new owner.
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| | | • Keep all valuables under lock and key.
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| | | • Prepare renovation plans if you have renovated your home. Clients may wish to inspect them.
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