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Show Page 6 THE DAILY HERALD, Home Magazine, Friday, November 12, 1999 Shall we 'show' your home, or shall we sell it? removed that don't ADD to the appeal of the home, and EVERY LIGHT IN THE even HOUSE TURNED ON in the daytime. Next is SOUND. Make every effort to eliminate bothersome sounds like barking dogs, the neighbor's offensive stereo ("Could you be so kind as to turn this off for the next half-hour-? For a price?"), chain saws (kidding, I hope), etc. Replace these sounds with appealing ones, such as soft music playing on the stereo as a background, for instance. Third, we have the sense of SMELL. For this you may need an unbiased opinion. Why? It takes a very short time for a nose to assimilate itself to familiar odors. Have you ever wondered how some people can live with a strong odor in their home? It's because after a relatively short time, they don't even notice it. The part about CLEAN will be an important factor here. Be sure to have the carpets, furniture and draperies cleaned. These surfaces absorb odors the most. In addition to "clean," there are always potpourri, scented candles and air Showing a home that is for sale is something we all must do at one time or another. Showing a home that will SELL is an art. Soon I will be featuring articles to help in preparing your home for selling, one on and one with simple decorating ideas. (When you want copies, let me know.) But if the house is all prepared, what do we do for the actual showing appointment? Here are some ideas. THINK OF the five senses. We're going to use our senses to sell the home. First is SIGHT. Now this will be covered quite a bit in the aforementioned articles. However, the broadest rule of thumb is CLEAN and BRIGHT. This is accomplished with the following: a fresh coat of paint throughout, eliminating all the clutter (start packing early), neutral tones where at all possible, freshly cut grass or shoveled snow, neat flowerbeds and shrubbery, clean windows, clean floors and surfaces, curtains, all posters and accessories just-duste- d Marie Sharon fresheners. This is the time to ' bake those cookies or that loaf of bread. Ask someone you trust about the "odor score" on your home, then work on it. The fourth sense we will discuss here is the sense of TOUCH. Immediately I think of the "white glove" test for dust, but this sense is rather tricky. People don't generally go through your home touching everything, but door handles, cabinets and light switches will definitely get the touch test. What's really great is when you have a surface that begs to be touched, like a plush carpet or gleaming wood. Be adequately prepared for this. The worst is when a surface is recognized that no one would WANT to touch! to the home. The buyers may have different needs than you or your family, and they feel THE FINAL sense is that of TASTE. Of course, we all strive for GOOD taste, but there is more. Remember the idea of the cookies or bread to make the house smell good? Well, then, let's just serve them up! I still remember all the homes I've been in where some homemade goodr ies were served. One seller had a plate of cookies on the counter with a "Please take one" sign on it. She was walking the dog. This brings me to my final point. For best results, and if at all possible, be absent when the potential buyers and their agent come to your home. There are several reasons for this. can discuss these things without the owners being present. If you can't leave, then go to another part of the house or stay in the yard while the house p nwr " Zt,, ' ll.-J?-- - v - J"" WiHnilnril'Hi Buildingf rl Lot nTm" I PROVO- W4 4 - XXXa or Mike 4bn 4 bds AJC dOM to BYU 4 $117,500 Nancy Century 21 Buahnall 224- - Only 6 ' h 1 '" " '""' '' "I 1 I I I WYSON- - Beiiiy 9 ' 7 bdrms over 2900 tft Vtetorian Ortyfl 50,000 Nan or Mike 362- BalSSfft ,n . HILLS-- Beat described as cozy counavSbd. 4ba. ouaat anL curiam ucwriB 1 ac. 360 degree view S385K. Bob 376- 96077. iBi century zi Busnrai " - " lT I 1M I I WOODLAND SKmtAjxi C21nwFtningi8aa.com Century i......in mi iiiiwwiwiinii - 11 I Marie Sharon is an Associate Broker with CENTURY 21 All Pros Realty. As an Accredited Buyer Representative and marketing specialist, she currently has openings for complete buyer and seller representation. Vf it ... i mil jkt&m m m - $127,900. Country Woods condo. Warni & Com pas log (iraplaoe, 2 bd, 2.5 bth, To see, call Miriam Elegant Century 21 Buehnell QREM- .f is being shown. Be out of sight and earshot Take the card of the showing agent and have your Realtor contact the agent later. This will give you honest feedback when the buyers would be cautious to tell you how they feel about your home. Selling a home and being prepared to show it all the time can be very stressful. You can't live all the time in a "model home'', but you can strive to keep it within a half-hou- r of being ready for your potential buyers. Have a good show! The buyers need to be able to picture themselves living in the home rather than feel like they are visiting you. They need to feel free to discuss the pros and cons with their agent. This gives the agent an opportunity to make suggestions about changes or give ideas that would help them adapt better iawwauwapaiaawaii ? more comfortable when they F1 fc - Upstairs S Piwo condo. Ideal tor yiTO uiw.iure.touniy nduded. move in. Gordoneverymino 3 Ftedy Century 21 Busnnell PROVO- 0 One of a 3 m4Mriik bdnj. Idrunri Buahnall Century Is 1 Gordon 21 Woodland l ! O it lnratinn rinvestmant! PfWVO-- 4 pint $224,921 4wlp A erti. - rf 4 iv PROVO- J 5r - BYU men'sduDlex well kept income $191,000 Call Lori 379019 4 21 Bushnell Nancy Century 4 11267. MM WDLND rotstones up and take a tour of tot i beautiful mtn like Century 21 Bushnal e In I cns of tan oak and mapteor WpLNO HLS-- ft the rddle trees - hide vour home iubdlvid. Animal iriaht. Century 21 Bushnell . |
