In a saturated housing market, real estate agents need an edge to ensure their listings stand out. In this blog, we will look at eight cleaning mistakes to avoid when preparing a house for sale and what you should do instead.
Mistake #1 when preparing a house for sale: Decluttering too much
Decluttering is a basic home staging trick that helps depersonalize a space. Decluttering creates a neutral space that allows buyers to envision themselves living in the home. However, you can go overboard when decluttering, resulting in a space that feels lifeless and completely devoid of personality.
Although you want to stage the home to create a neutral palette that doesn’t feel too specific to the homeowner’s unique sense of style, you still need to create a warm and welcoming space. Instead of going too far, try these decluttering tips:
- Depersonalize: Remove obvious personal touches such as family photos, but don’t leave every surface and wall completely empty. Instead, use intentional design touches to make the home feel lived in and comfortable rather than stark and empty.
- Edit excess: Instead of removing every pillow from the bed or couch, reduce the number of pillows to make the space less cluttered. You don’t want to go too far and make the bed or couch feel uninviting.
- Create counter space: Clear counters in kitchens and bathrooms to avoid the rooms looking like they lack ample storage. When space allows, add some “eye candy,” such as a high-end espresso machine on the kitchen counter or a stack of luxe hand towels in the bathroom. These touches are inspiring, creating a certain lifestyle that appeals to the average buyer.
Mistake #2 when preparing a house for sale: Overt home staging
Home staging is an art that considers specific details when designing any room in the home. Thus, you need to keep the basics of design in mind. For example, you want to avoid obvious staging “props” like fake plants, overly stylish wall art, or an obligatory bowl of Granny Smith apples on the kitchen counter.
Instead, use real plants, carefully placed neutral accessories, and something homier, like a plate of fresh-baked cookies or muffins in the kitchen that buyers can snack on.
Mistake #3 when preparing a house for sale: Focusing too much on cleaning the kitchen and bathroom
Of course, you 100% want to ensure the kitchen and bathroom are sparkling clean and fully sanitized. However, if you focus too much on sanitizing those two rooms and only complete a basic cleaning in the rest of the home, you can create disparity between the spaces.
You want a consistent, high level of deep cleaning throughout the home for a spotless presentation that feels hygienic and move-in ready.
Mistake #4 when preparing a house for sale: Not hiring a cleaning service
Settling for a DIY cleaning by yourself or the homeowner simply won’t do when selling your home. Agents have spent too much time in the home, while owners lack objectivity.
Professional cleaners are the best people to make the call on whether the home is clean enough. Hiring professional cleaning services is a must when selling a home. Pro cleaning ensures every surface in every room and in every corner of the home is completely and thoroughly cleaned, including:
- Sanitizing the floors, countertops, and surfaces in not only the bathroom and kitchen, but also throughout the home.
- Polishing the mirrors and windows and providing shiny finishes and surfaces.
- Cleaning all appliances, including the microwave, air fryers, etc., inside and out.
- Vacuuming and sweeping all floors, including in the pantry, walk-in storage areas, and closets.
- Dusting, starting from the ceiling on down, including ceiling fans and light fixtures.
- Tackling stains on all surfaces.
- Using a fresh, neutral, and non-toxic cleaner to eliminate odours.
Mistake #5 when preparing a house for sale: Masking, not eliminating, odours
That trusty air freshener and essential oil diffuser trick doesn’t cut it anymore. Buyers are hypersensitive to smells, both pleasant and off-putting, and can become suspicious of overly scented homes.
Instead, focus on a clean smell using non-toxic cleaning products that are not too scented with artificial fragrances. Clean sells, including clean smells!
Mistake #6 when preparing a house for sale: Ignoring air quality
Odours are the first sign of poor indoor air quality, but not the only sign. Tiny dust particles can contribute to a stale feeling in a home. Ensuring the entire home is properly dusted using HEPA filter vacuums and microfiber cloths will reduce dust particles that create that stale feeling. Common home odours can cling to dust particles, which can make it difficult to produce a fresh, clean scent in the home.
Mistake #7 when preparing a house for sale: Forgetting home fixtures
Homes include a mind-boggling number of fixtures that can make or break the appearance of the most important rooms, namely the kitchen and bathroom. Unfortunately, forgetting to polish and clean fixtures makes a home appear poorly maintained.
Some examples of fixtures that are often missed in the cleaning process include the following:
- Ceiling fans, including every blade, the pulls, and the light cover
- Light fixtures, including removing dead bugs from inside the cover (don’t forget the porch light!)
- Door handles/knobs
- Cabinet knobs, pulls, and handles
- Faucets and showerheads
- Toilet handles
- Curtain rods and affixed window treatments, such as blinds and shutters
- Chandelier pieces
- Towel racks
- Exposed plumbing, such as the shut-off valve for the toilet
- Kitchen range hoods
Mistake #8 when preparing a house for sale: Not cleaning inside closets, cabinets, and drawers
Buyers will check storage space, including opening kitchen cabinet doors and drawers, looking inside medicine cabinets and bathroom vanities, and inspecting closet space.
Failing to clean those storage areas is a big mistake, as buyers will be turned off by the presence of crumbs, food drips, dust bunnies, makeup stains, etc., that can occur with everyday living. Vacuuming the cabinet and closet shelves, as well as built-in drawers, creates an end-to-end clean that sells houses.
Contact the Professional Real Estate Cleaning Services at Maid4Condos
To learn more about Maid4Condos’real estate cleaning services to help sell your homes fast, call us at 647-822-0601 or contact us online.
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