Visual Perception - The First 5 Seconds
The first impression of your home happens in five seconds after a buyer walks through the door. After years of taking buyers to find their dream homes, I consistently listen to them make their first comment, positive or negative, within the first five seconds.
I’ve found that attention to the areas listed below prior to listing a home will almost always result in a quicker sale without significant pricing adjustments. So how do you make that first impression a good one? Here’s what I can tell you:
1. KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS Pay close attention to your kitchen and your bathrooms. Countertop, cabinet, and fixture upgrades can go a long way to modernizing these rooms in the eyes of buyers.
2. LIGHTING MATTERS Poorly lit rooms or rooms with dated or unattractive lamps and fixtures can easily detract from many great qualities in a home.
3. WALL SURFACES ARE IMPORTANT Old wallpaper or dirty paint can make an otherwise clean and attractive home darker, dingier, and outdated. Fresh paint helps, and I’ve seldom seen a wallpaper worth keeping! Don't forget the baseboards!
4. A CLEAN HOME It seems obvious, I know, but I can’t tell you how many times sellers simply can’t honestly see their own home’s grime. A professional cleaning service hired for a “deep clean” can make a world of difference, and it’s perhaps the most affordable upgrade you can make.
5. FRONT ENTRY Outside and inside, this is the first place potential buyers will see when they come to your home. A fresh coat of paint on the trim and door will set a completely different tone for the buyer. Don’t crowd the door with an overly large wreath or seasonal item, clean and crisp is best.
If you’d like to get clued in on the trendiest design elements, get in touch with me and I’ll give you a profile of what’s super hot these days. But in terms of the big basics, you can’t go wrong with these five core areas.
Brenda K (Kielbratowski)
902-471-8497
brendak@brendak.ca