Home Selling Tips: What NOT to Do

A few weeks ago, I gave some tips about how to sell your Inland Empire home during the fall. I talked about the importance of pricing your property appropriately, curb appeal, and adding natural elements to your home’s decor. Well, I figured I should probably also provide you with some home-selling tips highlighting what not to do. These can prove just as important.

Home Selling Tips: What NOT to Do

Poor Decor Choices

I spoke of great decor choices in my blog post about selling your home in the fall. On the flip side, overly glitzy or kitschy decorations for the holidays really turn buyers off. Likewise, crowded counters, walls, and shelves make even large spaces feel cramped. Also, “loud” or really dark paint colors make rooms feel less than inviting. That’s not exactly the vibe you want to give to buyers. Pare down your decorations and keep them neutral to make it easier for buyers to picture themselves living in the space. Speaking of poor choices…

Leave the Bathroom Carpet Intact

Honestly, I’m not even sure why this became a trend in the 1960s or 1970s. The mere thought of what lies within that once-plush, shaggy carpeting fills me with dread. And I’m not the only one. You may think it’s not a big deal. But buyers look at that and think “It’s going to cost money to change that”. In turn, they automatically start totaling up how much lower their offer may be to compensate. A quick update with tile gives you a chance to give your bathroom a facelift…and attract more buyers. Here are a few ideas for what tile to consider when remodeling your bathroom.

Avoiding the “Deep Clean”

Buyers look at everything. They open every door, cabinet, and drawer. Nothing escapes their gaze. Photographs pick up on just about every speck of dirt and dust as well. Therefore, you need to make sure you scrub your countertops, appliances, windows, window sills, carpets, tile or wood flooring, baseboards, and even the walls.

Ignore Stains and Smells

Imagine stepping into a home and being smacked in the face with the intense smell of smoke or pets. We tend to become “nose blind” to these smells when we live amongst them on a day-to-day basis. But someone stepping into your house for the first time will not be so lucky. The same goes for stains on the floors, walls, or cabinets. Tackle those issues before you list.

Muna Dionne, your Inland Empire specialist with Coldwell Banker Realty