Will Rogers once said, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”  While Mr. Rogers was talking about people, the same is true concerning houses... Especially when they are on the market for sale.

It is important to make certain that the first impression is a favorable one. If you have ever been  in a model home, you know how good it can look. You might even thought that you’d like to have the home and all the furniture, the pictures, the flower arrangements, and even the knick‐knacks on the shelves! 

Some individuals really know how to make a home look its best without spending a lot  of  money.  Many  things  can  be  done  to  give  it  that  “model  home”  look  so  prospective buyers will want it and everything else in the house that you’re willing to  sell.  When  homes  have  this  kind  of  appeal,  they  sell  quickly—usually  for  the  highest price possible. Another interesting characteristic of appealing homes is that the transaction is usually remarkably free of problems. One word of warning, though I donʹt wait to see if the house will sell before implementing these ideas. Once you do decide to do something, don’t do just the easy things or just the bare minimum. You want the prospective buyer  to feel that  this home is quality,  through  and through,  not just on the surface. You’ll never have more activity on the home than you will in the first one to two weeks of the listing. The reason is simple: There are buyers out  there  who  have  seen  everything  available and for one reason or another, haven’t bought. They are just waiting for something new to enter the market. Agents are just as anxious. When that new property hits the market, buyers and agents will scramble to look at it. It is common knowledge that the property will usually sell for the highest price during this time. After the initial surge of interest, the only people to look at it will be those buyers new to the marketplace. 

rise above the competition

Competition can be fierce. You are competing with every other new and pre‐owned home currently for sale in your area and in the surrounding communities, as well as those listed with agents and people trying to sell independently. You are even competing with foreclosures and short sales.

Homes have proven to be one of the best investments for individuals. They have outpaced inflation and, in many cases, had exceptional rates of return. Experienced investors who have rented out a property for long periods of me know that to get the highest price for the property, the property has to look good.

You have to appeal to owner occupants who will pay the highest price for the property because they are going to live there.

Typical buyers put all of their savings into the down payment and closing costs and don't have anything left over to improve the home, such as replacing the carpet. Those buyers will just have to live with that carpet until they can afford to replace it. If buyers have a choice of two comparable properties at similar prices, they’ll choose the one in the best condition—just as on the other hand, if two properties are in similar condition, the buyer will choose the one that costs less.