Check the HVAC
Make sure your furnace filter has been recently changed and check your HVAC system before turning on the heater. Chances are the prospective buyer will send a home inspector to look at the HVAC anyway, so it’s better for you to find and repair whatever is wrong with the HVAC before they do.
Clean the Yard
The yard is going to be the first thing buyers see when they arrive, so you don’t want it looking like a mess. Cleaning your yard won’t only make it more presentable, but it will make the house look more presentable as well. A few of the things you can do to clean your yard up are:
- Rake fallen leaves
- Trim vines and bushes
- Remove dead flowers
- Cut limbs that block the house’s exterior
Any of these steps can improve the appearance of your property.
Clean Your Windows
You may not notice it right away, but chances are your windows are dusty and streaked from the spring and summer weather. Other factors, like pets and children, can also play a role in dirtying your windows, so be sure to give them a good cleaning, both on the inside and the outside.
Turn on the Lights
When showing the home to potential buyers, you want it to be as well lit as possible to really show off the details of the house. Turn on whatever lights you can, whether they are main lights or something smaller like closet lights. The one thing you should not turn on is the TV. That would just be a distraction.
Make the Most of Autumn Accent Colors
Simple things can lead to your house having a much more heartfelt appearance. Adding pillows or blankets that are fall-colored to your furniture is one way to go about this. Another way could be fall-colored curtains, or bringing in autumn ornaments and placing them around your house. There are plenty of directions you can go to embrace autumn in your house, and the more homelike feeling may improve your chance of landing a sale.
Create Some Outdoor Appeal
After cleaning up your yard, you can add a taste of autumn to the outside by using decorative pumpkins or other kinds of squash along your sidewalk or on your steps. You can also use potted plants to enhance the fall atmosphere of your house, with two popular fall flowers being chrysanthemums, better known by their shorter name, mums, and marigolds.
Clean Your Bathrooms
These days, buyers are more aware of the damage mold and mildew can cause as they have ever been. You will want to make sure all your bathrooms are clean and free of any mold or mildew stains.
Offer Parting Snacks to Potential Buyers
Buyer feedback is crucial to knowing what you can improve on to give your house a better chance of selling. An easy way to get buyer feedback is to have a guestbook by the door that they can leave comments on when they leave. Most people are more likely to leave comments if they are offered something in return, so don’t hesitate to offer small snacks or candy bars to the potential buyers who are willing to leave comments in the guestbook.
