3 Quick Tips to Make Buyers Fall in Love With Your Home

Do you like visiting model homes? Most people do. Did you ever think about why visiting model homes is enjoyable? (It’s more than just liking the décor.)

Model homes are designed and set up to evoke an emotional connection. Visitors feel immediately welcomed. And leave thinking: “gosh, I’d love to live there!”

Let’s talk about 3 quick things you can do to make your home feel like a “model home” to prospective buyers.

1. Declutter & Clean.

   Picture a model home. One thing that will always be missing is clutter. No toys on the floor. No laundry piled high on the sofa or bed. Everything is put away, where it belongs. Also rooms are laid out to feel “big.” Typically rooms have less furniture than might be in a home where someone actually lives. To properly ready a home for sale, you also may need to remove extra or larger pieces of further, to make the space feel bigger.

2. Let the Light In.

   Another thing you’ll find in a model home is light, and lots of it! If there are curtains, they’re pulled back. If there are blinds, they’re open and pulled up. Why? Because light sells. As you prepare your home for sale, you should think about removing heavy drapery or shades that darken a room. (Remember: the focus in readying your home for sale is not about your comfort living there but, rather, how to prepare your home to evoke a welcoming, I-wanna-live-there feel.

3. Give Each Room Purpose.

   Another thing designers do when deciding on a room’s layout is define a purpose for each room (or, for a larger room, a purpose for each part of the room). For example, if a room is a bedroom, it should have a bed and dresser in it. If a room is a home office, it should have a desk, chair and bookshelf in it. If the room is large enough, it may also have a chair in it (for cozy reading next to a lamp). Create conversation areas in a living room or family room. Make it easy for a visitor to understand how each room would be used. That will help the visitor easily picture herself/himself “doing life” there.

One more tip: in design, less is more. You would do well to remove your knick knacks and pack them up for the move. And always depersonalize your home prior to listing it on the market by removing all personal pictures, awards and other wall art. (Remember: we’re trying to give visitors the “you’re home” feeling. Having your family’s pictures and personal momentos will only work against that goal.)