First Impression May Be Your Last When Selling Portland Real Estate

I was touring homes with a buyer yesterday and we were so excited to see a particular home, because it hit all of the check marks of the buyer’s needs and wants.   The pictures on the internet looked promising that this may be the “ONE”.  After a couple of months of seeing Portland real estate these buyers know what they want and also what to expect.  Homes priced right in good condition are sold faster than they can think on it.  So we wondered why this home had been on for a month and hadn’t gotten snatched up.  But as we walked into the home it was clearly evident.  You never get a second chance to make that first impression when you’re selling your Portland real estate.  You need to present your home at its very best all the time.

Here are 3 things you can do to make a great first impression:

1. Clean up the yard: A messy yard is a distraction.  It can be time consuming to keep up with general yard work, but it’s worth the effort.  Overgrown shrubs, limp lawns, and general disarray can turn off a potential buyer. If you have to hire someone to come in and give your yard a quick pick me up, it’s worth the money.
2. Get Rid of Items You Don’t Need: Be very strict about this and get rid of all but the bare necessities. You don’t have to throw or give everything away. Find a storage unit and put the things in there you will be taking with you to your new home but do not need immediate access to for now.  Think of a retail store, they don’t have all of the merchandise out on the floor. That would make things cluttered.  Only whats necessary to peak the buyers interest in carefully thought out displays.
3. Fix Up the Little Things: Little things count more than you know. If you have a leaky faucet, a broken tile in the floor or a crack on the wall, fix it before you list your home for sale.  Little flaws like this make potential buyers worry that there are bigger problems waiting to be found.  Have your floors refinished or cleaned and paint, paint, paint.  A fresh and inviting impression will mean dollars in your pocket in the end.

Selling Portland real estate is a lot of work.  You can get it sold faster, easier and for the most money when you take the time to make a great first impression.

If you have any questions about what you can do to make your home sell faster give us a call.  And don’t forget to subscribe to the Portland Real Estate Blog.