Merchandising.
Now that you have decided to put your home on the market you need to begin looking at your home through the eyes of a prospective buyer. Effective “merchandising” builds value in the eyes of a buyer. By preparing your home in advance, you maximize the perceived value by showing your property in its best light. Remember, people buy with their eyes...and their nose.
The Home Merchandising Analysis is designed to assist you in evaluating and “merchandising” your home room-by-room. It will help you identify what needs to be done and why. This analysis provides you with a handy Showing Checklist to make sure you are ready whenever a prospective buyer has a scheduled appointment to see your home.
Carpenter’s Home Merchandising Analysis is not a substitute for a professional Home Inspection. We do recommend you have your home inspected by a licensed home inspector to identify any structural or system defects before the home reaches the market. This gives you more control over needed repairs and a smoother transaction. Your Carpenter Realtors® Associate can help you select and schedule a qualified Home Inspector.
For homes six years old or older, Carpenter Realtors® recommends you consider placing an HSA Home Warranty on your property. For a modest fee paid at closing (if your property does not sell and close, there is no cost to you for the warranty coverage. Even if a claim has been paid, you can warranty the structural and mechanical systems within you home.
While there are limits and restrictions to this coverage as outlined in the policy, an HSA Home Warranty does provide prospective home-buyers “peace of mind” when purchasing your property.
The Seven Key Steps to Merchandising Your Home
1. Declutter – Your home will be neater and will appear larger. You want to convey a spacious feeling to prospective buyers. Chances are they’re moving because they need more space.
2. Clean – This creates the impression your home has been well cared for. Fresh paint and a good scrubbing give surfaces a fresh look inside and out.
3. Repair – Fix it before the buyer sees it. The need for repairs, even minor repairs can make or break a sale.
4. Neutralize – Get rid of distracting colors, textures and personal accessories. Neutral colors and simple décor helps prospective buyers visualize their belongings in your home.
5. Freshen – From the moment a prospect walks in, your home needs to look fresh and smell fresh. Fresh flowers on the table or in the bathroom, a bowl of fresh fruit on the kitchen counter, or the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven, all make your home more inviting to the buyer’s senses.
6. Trim – The yard is the first impression any buyer has of your home. Shrubs and lawn need to be kept trimmed and tidy.
7. Ready – You need to be prepared for a showing with a minimum of notice. Stay ahead of the game. Use the Carpenter Showing Checklist on the back of this brochure to help you be ready. Remember, each showing is critical because we don’t know which one will be your buyer.
Let’s Analyze Your Home
Step-By-Step Starting With…
THE CURB – It’s the view of your property prospective buyers see first. If potential buyers are greeted by a blanket of fallen leaves, overgrown flowerbeds, peeling paint on the windows or discarded children’s toys strewn along the sidewalk, they may never even make it to your front door. Here’s what to check for:
Pick it up and put it away toys, bikes, balls, lawn ornaments.
Paint and straighten the mail box.
Sweep and hose off the sidewalks and driveway.
Trim trees, prune the shrubs and make sure the lawn is mowed, trimmed and watered regularly. Don’t forget to trim around the Yard Sign and Information Take-One Box.
Weed flower beds and plant brightly colored flowers in season.
Clean out the gutters and reposition the downspouts to be certain water moves away from the foundation properly.
In winter, shovel the snow from the walkways and porch for easy access and safety.
THE FRONT ENTRANCE – The buyer’s first encounter with your home.
Wash and repaint the front door and trim.
Polish the front door hardware.
Check for door sticking and adjust for ease of opening and closinga little WD-40 oil on the hinges works well.
Check to make sure the porch light works and add a brighter bulb.
Buy a new doormat that says “Welcome.”
ENTRYWAY AND HALL CLOSETS
– The first impression buyers have once inside your home.
Clean out the entry coat closet. Remove everything you don’t plan to wear over the next 60 days, even the coat hangers. Go ahead and pack it for the move now! Make that closer say to the buyer, “This house has lots of closet space!”
Make sure the closet light works.
Unclutter the entry or foyer.
Clean and polish the floors in the living and family rooms, usually the largest of the rooms and the central core of the house.
Hire a professional service to clean the carpets, especially in the high traffic areas.
Clean the windows until they sparkle, inside and out.
Rearrange the furniture to create openness and remove extra pieces and store them off-site if possible - less furniture means more room.
Neutralize the colors…paint if needed.
Open the drapes and shades to let the light in.
Depersonalize the home by removing photos and mementos - pack them for the move now.
Clean out the fireplace and reset it with logs, ready for a warming fire.
Use large houseplants to fill in empty spaces if needed.
Move the furniture 4 to 6 inches from the walls…it creates a feeling of space.
Put away large collections and valuables.
An arrangement of fresh flowers is a nice touch.
THE STUDY OR OFFICE AREA – Prospective buyers will be looking at each room.
Clear off your desk.
Put your personal papers, bills and files away to remove clutter and for security.
Create the sense of space by getting things up off the floor.
Clear off shelf space and put small plants around to add life to this area.
THE DINING ROOM
Set the dining room table with your fine linens and china. A dried flower arrangement adds a nice touch.
Open the drapes and shades to let the light in.
THE KITCHEN – The center of family activity and the most important room for many buyers.
Keep dishes and small appliances off the countertops to maximize the space.
Keep dishes out of the sink.
The kitchen floor needs to be spotless.
All appliances thoroughly cleaned…stove, oven, microwave and refrigerator.
Put out a bowl of fresh fruit on the counter.
Set your kitchen table as if you expect guests.
Fresh flowers on the table or counter are a nice touch.
Avoid cooking anything that leaves strong, lingering odors such as fish, garlic, curry or cabbage.
Put a potpourri pot on, or a pot on the stove with cinnamon and water. Whenever a “showing” is scheduled, bring it to a boil 30 minutes before and always remember to turn the stove off before leaving the house. It leaves the aroma of homemade apple pie!
Analysis.
THE BATHROOMS – Often the most challenging area of the house to keep “merchandised” and ready for a showing.
Clear countertops of extra toiletries. Store them out of sight.
Scrub the countertops, floors, sinks, showers, tubs and toilets until they sparkle!
Remove evidence of stains, mildew and mold.
Patch, caulk and grout as needed.
Repair any dripping faucets or running toilets.
Use air fresheners if needed.
Put a cleaner and deodorizer in the toilet bowl.
Put out your best “For-Show-Only” towels and soaps.
Leave the shower curtains open - it makes the bathroom look larger.
Remember to leave the lights on here too.
Do not leave pharmaceuticals out in the open. Always place in a secure location during all showings and Open Houses.
THE BEDROOMS
Organize every closet! Get things off the floor. If you’re not going to be wearing it in the next 60 days, go ahead and pack it for the move. Box and store extra clothes, shoes, linens, toys, etc.
Beds must be made, clothes picked up and toys organized or out of the way.
Remove valuables (jewelry and watches) and place in a secure location.
Open the drapes and blinds for all “showings”.
Remove attention-getting posters from the children’s rooms.
A fresh coat of neutral paint goes a long way in a bedroom.
Remember to leave the lights and lamps on for showings.
THE BASEMENT – Every interested buyer will venture down into your basement to check out the inner workings of the house.
Correct and repair any moisture sources and damage.
Run a dehumidifier to help control dampness and musty smells.
Organize storage areas away from the walls so the buyer does not think you are hiding anything. If you are packing and storing in the basement, simply put a sign on the stack of boxes that says “We’re Moving Soon!”
Wipe off the appliances (water-softener), the HVAC (furnace), the hot water heater, and the washer and dryer.
Provide adequate lighting here and put in brighter bulbs.
Thoroughly clean and deodorize areas where pets may sleep or spend time.
It may be a great time for a garage sale to clean out everything you don’t plan to move to your new home.
THE GARAGE – An area of your home that often signals to the prospective buyer how the rest of the house has been maintained.
Thoroughly clean the walls, floor surfaces and any shelves, countertops or work areas.
Clean and treat grease spills and spots on the garage floor.
Organize tools, ladders, toys, bikes and lawn-care equipment.
Clean out and organize any storage closets.
Don’t forget a plug-in air freshener here.
A coat of paint can do wonders for this area of the house too!
THE BACK PORCH OR DECK AREA – Interested buyers will want to venture outside the house to take a look at the property from all angles. The back porch and deck areas are important extensions of your home’s living space.
Leave the drapes and window coverings open so prospective buyers can view the porch or deck areas from inside.
Clean or cover the outdoor grill.
Sweep off or hose off the porch or deck area.
A large planter with colorful flowers goes a long way to brighten up a back porch or deck.
Too much outdoor furniture can crowd a porch or deck making it look smaller.
THE BACKYARD – Certainly not as important as the front yard, but an attractive and well maintained backyard can be an added bonus for many buyers to discover.
Again, trim the trees and shrubs.
Mow and trim the lawn regularly.
Flowers in season are always a nice touch.
Lawn furniture and children’s toys need to be put away or organized neatly so as not to detract.
If you have a dog, police the yard regularly.
SCREEN DOORS, DOOR KNOBS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS
AND LIGHT BULBS – These are maintenance items that catch buyers attention when not taken care of. Repair any damaged screen doors, window screens or shutters.
Thermal windows with broken seals should be replaced now rather than waiting for the buyer’s home inspection to discover the defect.
Tighten any loose doorknobs throughout the house.
Oil any squeaky door hinges, sticking windows or sliding doors.
Check and replace any burned out light-bulbs throughout the house.
PETS – Everybody loves their family pets. It’s the other family’s pets we’re not always crazy for.
Out of site, out of mind. Keep your pets out of sight whenever there is a showing on your home.
Work to reduce the evidence of pets by controlling the odors they may leave. Air fresheners are always a good idea. Litter-boxes should be out-of-sight. Dogs should be restrained during showings.
CHILDREN – It’s important to include children in every phase of your move. We have found children who actively participate in the moving process will be more accepting of the inconveniences of selling and moving to their new home.
Children can be brought into your merchandising efforts by inviting them to help you merchandise their rooms and keep them “show ready”. Work to make them stakeholders in the home selling and buying process.
Whenever there is a showing, have a plan to take the children to a movie, shopping or out for ice cream. Make the experience fun and they will work with you to keep the house merchandised.
Special Attention.
TO DO LIST:
The following areas may need additional special attention before your property is ready for showing:
The Showing Checklist
Whenever a showing is scheduled, we make every effort to provide you and your family with as much advance warning as possible. Sometimes, the buyer and their agent don’t give us much lead-time. While you have the final say regarding the scheduling of a showing, we strongly encourage you to make every effort to allow the appointment, even if it does not provide you adequate advance notice to complete the showing checklist. We would rather have a showing that we are not completely prepared for than to not have the showing at all. And remember, the showing appointment we turn down may have been our right buyer.
Open the drapes and shades…let natural light into every room.
Turn on the lights…even in the daytime.
Turn off the television…take everyone with you. Go for a ride or a long walk around the block while the showing is happening.
Turn on the stereo, soft background music, please.
Remove or restrain dogs and cats.
Remember the fresh flowers, if there’s time.
Turn the potpourri pot (or scented candles) on, but don’t forget to turn it off before you leave.
Make certain the sink is clear of dishes and the dishwasher is clear if time permits.
A quick wipe through the kitchen and bathrooms.
Make the beds.
Pick up and put away.
Run the vacuum
Put out the Carpenter Realtors® Special Feature Cards to highlight your home’s features.
Sweep the front porch and walk. Pick up the newspaper, outdoor toys, bicycles, etc.
Don’t lock the deadbolt on the front door! The Realtor® showing the property cannot access your home if they are locked out. The lockbox key doesn’t unlock a keyless deadbolt.
Fill the Property Information Flyer Take-One Box if needed or make sure a Property Information Flyer is available on the kitchen counter for the buyer to take with them.