Home Enhancement Guide - Interior

It is proven that people react more favorably to homes that are shown under bright light rather than dark. The following steps should help you keep your room as bright as possible.

• Keep windows clean.
• Use adequate wattage in light bulbs.
• Consider replacing old fluorescent lamps, which darken with use.
• Make sure there are no burned out bulbs in the house.
• Use mirros to magnify the feeling of light and space.
• Use lighter wall colors.
• Open drapes and blinds and turn on lights prior to showing.

A fundamental rule when selling your house is to keep colors neutral and light. The following are specific suggestions:

• White, beige and gray are the most popular exterior colors.
• Shades of white, off-white and very light pastels are the safest choices for the interior.
• Avoid highly patterned wallpaper whenever possible.
• Try to limit bright colors to accents like fresh flowers, towels, area rugs, and shower curtains.

The sounds of a peace and quiet are some of the best sounds to have when your home is being shown to a prospective buyer. But there are other sound considerations of which you should be aware.

• Avoid barking dogs and noisy children, if possible.
• Also avoid sounds of work like vacuums, dishwashers and lawn mowers.
• Make sure there are no sounds of mechanical problems like banging pipes or faulty appliances.
• Music can be effective in creating a pleasing atmosphere.

Smell has more impact than you might expect. It can work for or against you.

• The smell of newness is positive. This scent can be avhieved by applying a fresh coat of polyurethane to natural wood or latex paint to walls.
• The smell of cleanliness is important to the selling environment of your house. Beyond actually cleaning, lemon oil or lemon wax can create a lasting scent of freshness. Fresh flowers can be super effective.
• For a real heart-warming touch, place a dish of vanilla in a warm oven to create the aroma of fresh baked cookies or bread.
• Sweeten the regregerator with a box of baking soda.
• Smells to avoid include strong pet odors, tobacco, cooking and oil or gas.

When considering a home to purchase, the buyer often visualizes what it would be like living there. If the home is dominated by strong personal statemtns, buyers are less likely to feel comfortable, and therefore less able to visualize the home as their own.

Personal statements are reflected in many areas:

• All of those great snapshots of the family vacation, the little messages of love on the refrigerator, even your collections of religious or political items they all need to be packed up. 
• Unusual wall colors or heavily patterned wallpaper should be changed to something more neutral.
• Unusual art or furnishings should be removed.

If you're selling your home, you're going to be packaging and moving all your stuff out anyways. Try not to be resitent in decluttering all of your rooms. Again, it will greatly improve a buyer's ability to view the home as their own.

Pay special attention to decluttering rooms that people typically congregate to and spend the most time in (i.e. Living rooms, Dining area & Kitchens):

• If you have an office with every square foot packed with filing cabinets, office furniture, boxes, etc...this will make the room look smaller than it may actually be. 
• If you're an avid hunter and have all your taxadermy hanging throughout the house, it is strongly suggested that you remove them.
• Remove personal trinkets, family photos, and hobby items (like sports memorabilia or your porcelain doll collection).
• Get rid of any furniture that isn't in good condition (especially stained, cat shredded, or smelly).
• Make sure counter spaces are clean and cleared. Acknowledge if you have too much stuff on your kitchen counters that might prohibit a buyer from seeing the counter space.