Two Preparatory Steps You Should Take Before Trying to Sell Your Home
If you wish to sell your home, here are two preparatory steps you should take before you start arranging viewings.
Get the carpets cleaned by a professional
Even carpets which are hoovered regularly will become quite dirty over the course of a few years. Residue from drink and food spillages, dirt and grime from feet and shoes and things like pet dander and deeply embedded dust can, over time, make even the most beautiful of carpets look tattered, discoloured and dirty.
Whilst you may have become used to the sight of your less-than-perfect carpets and are no longer fazed by them, the prospective buyers who will be viewing your home will almost certainly notice the condition of the floors and may be deterred from putting in an offer if the carpets are extremely dirty. Malodorous, stained carpets may give buyers the impression that you have neglected your home and that there are other parts of the property which are in equally bad condition.
Given this, if you don't want to put off potential buyers, you should contact a local carpet cleaning business in your area and arrange for one of their employees to spruce up your carpets. They will use a combination of equipment and cleaning chemicals to remove stains, eliminate odours and restore the softness of your carpets.
Remove most of your personal belongings
If you want to attract as many potential buyers as possible, it's important to remove most of your personal belongings from your home (and either put them into a storage facility or leave them at a relative's house) before you allow people to view the property. The reason for this is as follows; potential buyers may find it hard to imagine what it would be like to live in a particular property if the property in question is covered from floor to ceiling with the belongings of a stranger.
The things that make your house feel like a home (such as the family photos on the walls and windowsills, your children's artwork stuck to the fridge door and your collection of ceramic figurines on the mantle) could distract potential buyers and make it that much more difficult for them to see themselves living in the house.
As such, you should try to turn your home into a 'blank canvas' of sorts, as this will help to make your home appealing to a large number of prospective buyers.