Posted by Kim Adamof on Tue, Jan 13, 2009 @ 08:00 AM
I enjoy showing houses to buyers. I see alot of sellers make the same mistakes which end up costing them a sale from my buyer. Here are 5 excellent tips to help you get an offer from a buyer.
1. Help buyers feel at ease while touring your home by not being home. Try to remove children and pets as well. Its very uncomforable for buyers when sellers are home, even when the seller sits out front or in the back yard.
2. Turn on ALL the lights, or let the buyers agent turn them on, for the entire showing.
3. Open drapes and blinds in the daytime, close them at night. Sunshine is important during showings.
4. Strong cooking or smoking odors can ruin a sale. Make sure your home is fresh for showings. Read my blog article on odors.
5. Small signs highlighting the special features of your home will make sure buyers see all the benefits.
Posted by Kim Adamof on Tue, Jan 06, 2009 @ 10:05 PM
Is your house on the market not selling? Are you getting feedback about odors or smells?
Buyers react very strongly to smells. It doesn't matter if it is trash, pet smells, or simply the smell of mildew. Odors can wreck havoc on one's nose and they are simply nerve/nose wracking.
Although air fresheners can help mask some smells, they don't always do the job of completely removing odors. You have to be VERY cautious with trying to cover up or mask bad odors with air fresheners. There are many buyers with allergies and asthma.
So, before you get frustrated or hire an expensive odor removal professional, you can take control of those odors before they take control of you. Here are 5 tips for removing odors from your home.
Sniff, remove and clean. First of all, you should use your nose to do the "sniff test" to detect general odors. This means that you should concentrate on sniffing out the odor by utilizing your sense of smell. Simply, sniff around the area and determine where the pungent smell is coming from. After removing the offensive culprit, you should wash the odorous area with warm water and use an antibacterial agent, like Dawn antibacterial soap. Once it is completely clean, you can then air out the area. Follow up with an odor-neutralizing spray like Fresh Wave or put 1/2 cup of vinegar in a bowl and leave it in the affected area for an even fresher and cleaner scent.
Remove Pet Odor. You should get down low and truly sniff out and smell the area to find the urine stain. Once you find the stain, you should blot out the area with a white paper towel and then use an enzymatic cleaner to completely remove the area which will partially get rid of the odor. Once it is completely dry, you can vacuum with baking soda or some other type of carpet powder, specifically for pet stains. For those older odors that you can't find with your nose, you should use a pet stain backlight that allows the stain to be seen in fluorescent light. Once you see it, you should attack and then clean it thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner.
Get Rid of Cooking Odors. To remove pungent cooking odors that come from cooking cabbage, cauliflower, etc, you should add a tablespoon of lemon juice to the cooking water. You can also add lemon juice to your dishwasher cup so that it smells lemony clean. For smelly cutting board, you should clean it with an antibacterial soap and then rinse it with baking soda and water. If you want to avoid having stinky hands while cleaning, rub vinegar on them before you get started.
Remove Carpet Odor. To remove odors from carpet, you should take a box of baking soda and spread it all over the floor. Leave it there overnight and then vacuum the floor the next day. You'll then have a fresh smelling and aromatic floor. For really tough odors, you may have to steam the floor first and then use the above mentioned baking soda treatment.
Remove Sink Odors. For really terrible sink smells, you should take some detergent and mix with some hot water and then pour it in the sink. For stubborn smells, you should take some bleach and hot water and then pour it down the sink. If you notice a sewer smell emanating from the sink itself, you should pour some commercial cleaner down the sink's small hole. If this doesn't work, you may have to call in a professional plumber.
For more tips, go to Mrs. Clean House Cleaning Specialist website.