Smells Don't $ell

Odors in a home can be a big turn off for buyers.

Several things can cause odors in your home. Cooking, pets and smoking.

The cooking of certain foods should be to avoided while selling your home because the smell lingers in the air much longer than you think.

Here are a few foods that make my short list:
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Chili Powder
Cumin
Curry
Fish
Garlic

Weather permitting, grill your meats outside so the smell is not a "leftover" of last nights dinner for showings.

Empty all the trash cans daily to ensure that smells don't emit from these.

Dog beds and cat boxes and diaper pails are other areas that need attention. Wash dog bedding frequently and clean the cat box daily (even several times a day if possible!) And diapers should go to the outside garbage can ASAP!

Smokers must move their smoking area to the outside or at the very least to the garage. Even then the ashes should not be left in ashtrays, but wiped out daily.

Realtors have long-used the trick of baking cookies or yeast bread to make the house smell inviting.

Use this quick, calorie-free recipe for giving that fresh-baked aroma.
Place a cinnamon stick and a 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract on a piece of foil that you have turned the edges up to create a small tray and place in a warm oven.
Um, Um. Smells like homemade goodness!

Clean the Scene and the Unseen

When selling a home you must remember cleanliness is at the top of every buyers list.

The kitchen and the bathrooms are the two areas that must be beyond clean -they must sparkle!

In the kitchen don't forget to clean inside the cabinets.
This is a good place to edit the contents. If the cupboards are filled to the brim you are sending the message that the house lacks storage.
All appliances should be so clean you could eat off of them, wait.... you know what I mean. Buy new pans for the stove burners. The ones you wrapped in foil just won't do.
Remember to edit the contents of the refrigerator, too. Toss the out-of-date items and keep the leftovers tidy in containers with lids.
Conceal the kitchen trash can. How many model-homes have you seen with a trash can?

I tell clients the bathroom is a room everyone has and uses, but no one wants to think about it!
Make sure the bathroom is model home perfect. Dry out the sinks also make sure the fixtures and glass are spotless. Hide used bath towels in the washer or dryer. Rugs in the bathroom just seem germy to buyers, especially those contour toilet rugs, remove them all for showings. Please, please, pleasssssssssssssse close all toilet seats and lids for showings.

If housekeeping is so not your thing, now may be the time to invest in a housekeeper at least for these two rooms for the duration of the sale of your home.

Don't let cleanliness be the deal breaker with your home, clean the scene and the unseen...

ENTRE'E VOUS

The entry of your home is key when making a first impression.

Is the paint on your front door a bit faded? Freshen it for a low-cost update.

The front porch is no place to store outdoor toys or empty flowers pots. Clutter just eats at your valuable curb appeal.

Clear out any cobwebs in the corners, the light fixtures and sweep the steps often.

Speaking of lighting, update old fixtures for a quick and cost effective update.

Buy a new "Welcome" mat, subtle but effect! Keep all decorative items to a minimum.

Attention to these few details will go a long way when welcoming the buyer into "their" new home!

New Home...

This is the first post of my new blog, STGE-IT!

Real Estate Staging is my passion.

My goal is to get listings sold in half the time and for more money.

One mistake sellers make is thinking they need to do nothing at all!

We live in a visual world. Buyers want to be shown how to live in a home.

Essentially you are selling a lifestyle! Ask yourself this, 'Do buyers want my lifestyle'.
If the answer is no, create it for them.

Stage-it!