My Blog

Below is an article I wrote that appeared June 1st 2007 in all the Western Suburban newspapers.  This advice was true back then and even more important now that we are in this type of market.

One Chance to Make a Good 1^st Impression

Buyers walk into your home and smell a strange odor, see clutter, exotic wall colors and determine that this house is not for them before they even get halfway through the house! You just lost a potential buyer for all the wrong reasons and you would be surprise how many times buyers leave a house because of this. I had clients leave a house because there were dirty dishes in the sink! We are in a challenging real estate market where buyers have an overwhelming supply of houses to choose from. Pricing your home right is very important, but a fair or even below market price does not guarantee you that your house will sell. You need to make sure your house stands out from all the rest and makes a good first and lasting impression. Sure it would be great if you could upgrade your kitchen to a state of the art chef’s kitchen and add a home theater room, but there are other things you can do (at the fraction of the price of a new kitchen) and incentives you can offer to help your house standout and show well.

Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. What would your first thoughts be when you see your house for the first time? If you feel you can be honest and objective, then make a list of items that you would like or need to change (for now leave off high end items like update bathroom, kitchen, etc). It may be best to have a fresh set of eyes do this step with you. You should also consider doing a house inspection ($300 to $400) by a certified house inspector now. Doing the inspection now will give you the opportunity to correct any problems that you may not know about (and there are usually items that you are unaware of). The inspection process is a great selling feature that really gains the buyers trust in you. It shows the buyer that you have nothing to hide and stand behind your home. If you wish, you can show all prospective buyers the inspection report along with any of the items that you repaired. There should also be less surprises and renegotiations during the inspection contingency period of the contract if the buyer decides to do an inspection.

Create a list combining the items you would like to change with any items from the home inspection. Develop a budget and determine how many items you can tackle within the budget. Look for items that will get you the biggest bang for the buck. Here is a sample list of items that need to be done in most homes:

1. Paint interior home in neutral colors
2. Paint doors and trim bright white
3. Polish wood floors/Steam clean carpets
4. Replace small throw rugs with new ones and buy a new welcome mat
5. Put up inexpensive, but nice window treatments where needed
6. De-clutter – move out unneeded furniture, toys, etc. Rent a pod, storage room or move to garage (last resort)
7. Landscape – Add bushes and flowers where needed, edge lawn, trim bushes etc.
8. Wash windows inside and out
9. Keep your home clean at all times (especially the bath rooms and kitchen)
10. Buy time release air fresheners (the ones that go in the electric outlet work great)
11. Eliminate rooms that have multiple personalities – Is it a play room for the kids or an office? Please pick one.
12. If your house is vinyl or aluminum, consider power washing it.

You probably will not spend over $2,000 if you do the above list (if you do most of the work yourself) and it is money well spent.

If you happen to be in the unfortunate position of trying to sell a home that is vacant, consider putting furniture in it now. Buyers never get that warm home feeling walking into an empty house. At a minimum you should have furniture in the family room, living room, dining room and kitchen. It does not have to be top of the line furniture. Bring some furniture from home, borrow some from family/friends, or go to a place like Rooms To Go to get what you need. Be creative. I made single beds by using plastic milk crates and covering them a bed spread. I’m sure it was not great to sleep on, but they looked great!

Also consider offering a home warranty with your home. This is an inexpensive ($350 to $450) way to standout and it gives the buyer’s peace of mind and one less thing they need to worry about.

Your goals for doing all this work are:

1. To have buyers come in your home and say “I can see my family living here”

2. Head off any buyer’s concern or objections before they happen

3. Have the buyer leave with a good lasting impression of your home

4. And last but not least, to have someone buy your house!

Dan Chiappetta is a Broker/Owner of Chiappetta Realty Group servicing the Chicago Western suburbs. He is an Accredit Buyers Representative (ABR); e-Pro certified and has received the Chicago Association of Realtors Top Producer Award for 2005 and 2006. He can be reached at 847-542-2076 or visit his website at www.ChiappettaRealtyGroup.com.