7 home seller mistakes to avoid and how to fix them
Repurposing your garage may have seemed like a good pandemic project but if you are thinking of selling, realtor Marnie Bennett, says it’s not the best move.
“Changing a garage to a ‘man cave’, gym, home office, or playroom isn’t a good idea. You need to show it as a real garage.”
That’s just one of what Bennett calls “home seller mistakes” that can affect the sale of your home and decrease its value.
If you have a big personality and it’s all over your house, it may need to be toned down to attract a buyer.
Bennett reflects on a client who loved Mardi Gras.
”They had their exterior painted lavender purple and green. Wow! They agreed to repaint it neutral.”
Sometimes the colour isn’t the only aspect that needs to be toned down a little.
“We have had a couple of homeowners with personal boudoir photos in their bedroom. This was very awkward with our agents and we had to delicately say TMI or too much sharing,” says Bennett.
Even the family friendly aspects of showing a home sometimes need to be addressed.
“Don’t have too many family photos spread around. People don’t want to feel they are invading (your space). You have to have buyers’ eyes.”
While you are decluttering the family memories, Bennett suggests to pack away the personal collections too.
“If you have a collection of perfume bottles or bobble heads or sports memorabilia you should probably put that away until your next move.”
Before you call the realtor or stager, you may need hire a few other talented people as well, perhaps a painter and a handyperson.
Bennett says she once visited a home up for sale and her foot went through the front step.
“A first impression is a lasting impression.”
Fix the leaky faucets, tighten railings or loose door handles, says Bennett. These things are simple to fix but if they aren’t, it can decrease the value of your home.
Sometimes a first impression isn’t visual buy an affront to the olfactory “scents-ibilities.”
“Cigarettes, barbecue grill smoke, pet odours, the scented things you plug in, strong food smells, a musty smell. These odours must be addressed. People may be allergic, or may find the home dirty,” says Bennett.
Bennett says remediate the smell, especially that of cigarettes.
“Any smoke lowers value by 30 per cent,” emphasized Bennett.
MARNIE BENNETT’S 7 HOME SELLER MISTAKES TO AVOID & HOW TO FIX THEM!
#1. SMELLS THAT MAY DRIVE BUYERS AWAY & LOSE YOU A SALE:
- Cigarettes
- BBQ grill smoke
- Pet odours
- Musty smells
- Food odours
#2. DEFERRED MAINTENANCE ISSUES
- Loose hand railings, steps, or door handles
- Rusty mailboxes & numbers
- Dented garage doors, brass lights & doorknobs
#3. EXTERIOR PAINTING
- Peeling
- Fading
- Off-beat colours—don’t be Rainbow Bright! House buyers prefer neutrals, grey, beige, cream, black, white
#4 TOO MUCH PERSONALIZATION / TOO MUCH CLUTTER
- Quirky wallpaper
- Loud wall colors
- Extreme wall art
- Boudoir pictures
- Family photos
- Personal collections
#5 GARAGE CONVERSION
- Changing a garage to a ‘man cave’, gym, home office, or playroom—you need to show it as a real garage, a place to park your car. That adds value.
#6 CURB UNAPPEAL/MESSY YARDS—85 PER CENT OF BUYERS ARE TURNED OFF BY UNKEPT EXTERIORS
- Remove debris, toys, bikes, and sand
- Dress up the entry
#7 DIY JOBS GONE BAD
- Leaky taps
- Ripped carpets
- Holes in wall
- Broken tiles
Hire a ‘handyman’ to fix the obvious problems.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
Residents of northern Alberta First Nation told to shelter in place
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
LIVE SOON Honda expected to announce Ontario EV battery plant, part of a $15B investment
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Honda executives are expected to announce today that the Japanese automaker is building an electric vehicle battery plant in Alliston, Ont., part of a $15-billion investment.
Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'