Why these 5 Decorating Mistakes Turn Buyers Away

There was a television special about the 25 biggest decorating mistakes people make in their homes.  Everyone has made a few of these and some are more obvious to home Buyers than others.  Of the 25 here are 5 of my favourites when it comes to selling / show casing your home: 

  1. Toilet rugs – for the family who want to keep their feet warm – good on you BUT for the Buyer this is just a trap for bodily bits and fluids.  This one has a high yuk factor.
  2. Packed Foyer – for the family this is the first catch all station of book bags, boots, shoes, garbage going out, groceries coming in and dropped outerwear.  For the Buyer – this is about getting inside the house and part of the first impression of the house.  Let the Buyers have room to navigate getting their own shoes off and stepping into the living space.
  3. Lack of traffic pattern for furniture placement – for the family where the furniture sits becomes known and members can navigate in the dark around all the pieces.  For the Buyer – clear room to walk in and around the space is needed.  Keep big things away from doorways.  Less is more when you remove furniture to make room for Buyer traffic.
  4. The room purchased in a box (where everything matches).  For the family this is a simple way to decorate – get the bedding, wallpaper, border, pillows, lamps and rug all in the same pattern (the same would go in bathrooms with towels, shower curtain, paper, border, vanity accessories).  For the Buyer this is a nightmare.  
  5. Floating area rugs – For the family, the small rug under the coffee table is perfect.  For the Buyer, the eye sees this as making the room smaller and chopped up.  The solution is to get a bigger rug and anchor it with the legs of the couch, armoirs, etc.  

These are five of my favourites.   There will be others in later blogs.  Remember, if you are not selling, who cares how you live.  When you are selling, you are selling a product – an image – a lifestyle.  Stage your home to show off its best.

Photo credit:“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” Albert Einstein @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/katerha/4526272937/

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

 

Did you ever light a wood fire and have black soot billowing everywhere?  Do you have black greasy soot building up on the fireplace bricks?  Not all soot stains are permanent.  Clean off as much as you can before selling your house.  Do you want the Buyer to think the fireplace is a hazard?

Don’t let soot put a damper on your sale.

Zinger 101

Blackburn Hamlet Housing Market Today – MLS® Listings

As of this morning,  12 residential units are for sale in Blackburn Hamlet (MLS® areas 2301 – 2303).  The prices range from $259,900 to $539,900.   

In the past 90 days, 25 homes sold at an average sold price of $372,926 with an average DOM of 12 days.  

These statistics do not include condos and private sales.

Selling and Decluttering – The Deck and Patio

Even if you never go outside, declutter and stage your deck and patio. Think simple.  Think clean.  

 

If you are thinking of selling sometime in the future and it is summer, get your camera out and take as many pictures of the decluttered deck and patio as you can.  You may have to sell in winter and these pictures will be invaluable to have on your listing or to leave for Buyers to see when they are looking at your house. 

 

You are selling a package – the house and the yard.

 

Photo credit:  Patio @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/dailyinvention/33941672/

Celebrating 100 Zingers

Last Wednesday was a turning point when Zingers #100 was posted.  In recognition of this,  I have put together a publication of the 100 Zingers.  This document is available under “My Publications”.  I hope you find it fun and informative.

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