How to Close a Deal Quickly

If you want to sell your home as quickly as possible while getting the maximum selling price, it's worth thinking through all the details beforehand.

It is considered elementary that you need to determine the right market price for your property and then create a striking advertisement so that it stands out among other similar listings in real estate portals. Well-written and informative advertising text and quality photos will bring interested parties to view your home.

Here are our recommendations on how to present your home so that you can close the deal quickly:

1. Get a decent doormat

First impressions are everything! A clean and charming doormat is just a small detail, but it can feel very homey and add value. Check that the door and the front entrance are also clean.

2. Cleanliness

Nothing looks more off-putting than a messy home. Wash the dishes and place cups, pots and pans in the kitchen cabinets. Both the kitchen and bathroom sink should be clean. Clean the mirrors, dust, and make sure no socks are peeking out from under the cabinet. Check if the shower curtain is clean. Buying a new shower curtain is not expensive, but an old and dirty one can look very unpleasant. Don't forget to put down the toilet seat lid. If someone wants to see the condition of the toilet, they will peek under the lid, but there's no point exposing it unnecessarily.

3. Personal items

When a potential buyer arrives, they want to imagine themselves as the master of the new home in their mind's eye. The current owner's personal items such as hygiene products, clothes and shoes can be an obstacle. I recommend putting away excess clothing and hygiene products that have been left hanging. Family photos, magnets from trips, mugs with personal messages and favorite magazines should be temporarily stored away in drawers.

4. Order and clean surfaces

In the entrance of my good friends' home hangs a humorous sign that reads "Sorry for the mess – we live here!". It is completely natural and normal that a property for sale is still someone's home and not all items can be hidden. You don't need to go to extremes, but you should still look critically at all the rooms.

Neatly arranged books on shelves, throws and pillows on the living room sofa, jars of cream and other cosmetics in the bathroom, etc. will certainly make a good impression and compensate for the fact that the interested visitors are in someone else's home.

5. Fresh air

Air out the rooms before the potential buyer arrives. If you're not sure whether the apartment has a pleasant smell, you can buy a scented candle with a neutral aroma. Candles are often also very nice decorative elements. However, if scented candles are not quite your thing or don't match your decor, simply peel a mandarin a few minutes before the potential buyer arrives. Its natural and fresh aroma will definitely work well.

6. Interior design

The key phrase is "less is more"! If you over-decorate the property, the potential buyer's attention will be scattered. Your home may have a very pleasant and unique character, but you should keep in mind that this style may not appeal to the interested visitor. Put away excess vases, candles, trinkets and other home decoration items before the visitor arrives.

If at all possible, get bedding in lighter tones for the bed, and a few decorative pillows in neutral colors won't hurt either. Make sure that both kitchen and bathroom towels look presentable. The need for a tablecloth depends on the condition of the dining table. Again, lighter tones work better.

Remove excess furniture. The less unnecessary furniture, the more spacious the property for sale will appear.

7. Home staging

While an interior designer creates home design for a specific taste and approaches it personally, the role of a home stager is to depersonalize the property, capture taste preferences that could appeal to the masses, and thereby help a potential buyer imagine the property as their own home. Home staging undoubtedly works well for real estate sales, but is everyone willing to pay for such a service?

8. Minor repairs

Ideally, you could do a refresh. Replace wallpaper and repaint walls. If that's too time-consuming, do what's necessary.

Replace old light bulbs and make sure all outlets and switches are in working order. If you don't like the color tones of a room and changing them would be too expensive, try using a tinting light bulb. This can give a positive result.

If there's a crack in the wall or plaster has partially come off, a small financial investment is worth it. The less additional investment the property requires from the potential buyer, the better the result.

9. Pets

People's experiences with pets vary. Some are afraid of dogs, some have cat allergies. I myself am a big animal lover, but for the sales period I recommend offering your pet an alternative home and also putting away food and water bowls and the litter box. If possible, provide your pet with a temporary home in the countryside or with a friend. However, if you don't want to traumatize your furry family member, simply make sure there are no hairs on the floor or furniture and that the food bowl and its surroundings are clean.

10. Houseplants

Fresh flowers and well-maintained houseplants create a homey feel. Even very high-quality artificial flowers give good results. If they are real flowers, make sure there is enough water in the vase. Wilted ones should be replaced with new ones. Houseplants that have lost their vitality should be removed from sight.

11. Light

Clean the windows and remove dried insects from the windowsill. Push the curtains aside so the apartment is as bright as possible. If the view from the apartment is not the most beautiful, then if available, hang a sheer curtain that allows light to pass through well.

When the potential buyer arrives, turn on all the lights, including, for example, the under-cabinet lights in the kitchen. The presence of sufficient light plays a very important role in selling property. It also demonstrates that the lights are in working order.

Spring is coming and potential buyers are waking up from their winter sleep. Real estate portals are full of offers. Make sure you did your best to achieve your goal. If you feel you cannot objectively evaluate your home, don't waste your time and turn to a real estate consultant.

Article source: Domus Real Estate Office