First Impressions Are a Key Factor in Selling Your Home

There's an old expression that applies to job interviews, dating, and selling your house. "You don't get a second chance to make a (great) first impression!"

Whether someone's in the market for an executive assistant, a soul mate, or their family's next home, indelible opinions and preferences are often formed within the first few seconds.

If you're preparing to sell your home, that may put a lot of pressure on you to make a good first impression! However, there are a lot of things you can do to improve your chances of success.

If the outside of your property looks shabby, poorly maintained, and worse for the wear, then you're going to have to "hit the ball out of the park," when it comes to showing your home's interior to its best advantage. Getting people to like the outside of your home is often the first hurdle, though.

Whether there's overgrown shrubbery in your yard or your home's exterior hasn't been painted in ten to 15 years, prospective buyers are going to notice the flaws as well as the selling points.

What some homeowners don't realize is that there is a relatively small window of opportunity during which your home will generate the most interest and the highest potential price. Once a real estate listing is considered "stale," however, house hunters will start wondering why it's been lingering on the market for more than a few weeks. When people begin speculating about what could possibly be wrong with it, its marketability begins to weaken.

Although a lot depends on the strength of the real estate market when you put your house up for sale, it's always advisable to hit the ground running from day one! You never know whether it's going to be the first or tenth prospect who will fall in love with your house and be ready to make an offer.

Curb appeal is often an overriding factor in winning over potential buyers. While first impressions can be revised, those second chances are few and far between! That's especially true when prospects drive by your house to get a quick preview of the neighborhood and the appearance of your property from the street. If they notice weeds, cracked walkways, or peeling paint, they may decide to continue their search elsewhere. On the other hand, a home that looks updated, well maintained, and visually appealing will tend to attract more inquiries, showings, and offers.

Even though you may want to put your house on the market as soon as possible, it's generally a good idea to wait until you've had a chance to spruce up the front of your house and make your lawn look as "manicured" as possible. An experienced real estate agent can help you make some cost-effective decisions about home staging and improving your home's curb appeal. Sometimes it's the simplest improvements, like a fresh coat of paint or some colorful flower arrangements, that can make a big difference in your home's marketability and how fast you can sell it.