Make Someone Fall in Love - with your house

You are going out on a first date with someone that you really think may be "the one".  Do you walk out the door without showering and shaving (wihtout makeup for you ladies) in the sweatsuit you've been wearing all day?  No!  You put your best foot forward, because you are out to impress.

In the same way your house is going out on a first date each time a new Buyer walks in the door.  There are only a few moments to make a good first impression.

It starts with the drive up to the curb ("curb appeal" = the buyer's first look at the exterior of the house and the front yard).  An unkempt yard, lack of planned landscaping and peeling paint on the front porch can actually deter the Buyer from getting out of the car.  Next!  Don't let them drive away - you want them to be excited and eager to see the interior.  

Once inside the front door two senses take over.  Vision, of course, will be the prime one, but do not be fooled into thinking that smell is not a huge factor with potential buyers.  Smell lets the Buyer know if the home is dirty (are there other things wrong due to deferred maintenance?), moldy (has there been water damage?) or pet odor (is it permanently impregnated into the wood floors ?).

For the past few years Buyers have been extremely reluctant to make a commitment.  Now that they are ready to date again, Sellers need to be clean, shining and smelling great.