6 essential tips- Especially if your home is on the market this fall
Crisp fall days are a gentle nudge to our psyche, telling us winter is just around the corner. If you are continuing to sell your home through fall and into winter, there are plenty of ways you can keep your property attractive to buyers, and more pleasant to live in.
- Clean Your Light Fixtures and Bulbs
Light bulbs may not be on your cleaning list, but by cleaning them, your home will appear 30% brighter — without turning on more lights.
- Incorporate Great-Smelling Plants to Keep Your Home Fresh All Winter Long
As the chill sets in, indoor air can become stale. Air-purifying house plants absorb odors while putting out their own sweet smell.
- Jasmine has a sweet aroma to calm you each evening
- Lavender puts off an herbal smell (until you pinch the buds for the classic lavender aroma).
- Rosemary is a piney, woodsy scent, balancing any florals. The herb is said to boost brain power.
- Mums clean air of toxins in cigarette smoke.
- Peace lilies help get rid of new carpet and upholstery odors.
- Find Feel-good Fireplace Designs
Nothing says cozy winter home more than an attractive fireplace. Whether you design a birch log arrangement for visiting home-buyers, or light an ambient candlescape, a tasteful fireplace is core to hearth and home. Fireplace not looking so great? Buy an attractive screen that that matches your decor.
- Touch up Wood Floors and Cabinets
Grab that 64 pack of Crayolas from the kids! You can miraculously hide minor scratches in wood floors and furniture by rubbing on stain-matching crayons and Sharpie pens. Wax sticks, such as Minwax Stain Markers, are great scratch busters because they include stain and urethane, which protects the floor’s finish.
Try an inconspicuous area first. Get creative by mixing a couple of colors together to get a good match. It is not a big deal if the color is a little off- real wood mixes several hues and tones by nature. A little color imperfection is better than unsightly “white” scratches.
- Clean the Air
Run your furnace fan to help suck up dust while you vacuum. Also, change your furnace filter to prevent excess dust and allergens from circulating. Clean air is healthier to breathe and you may not need to dust quite as often.
- Let the Sunshine In
The last days of summer are behind us, so it’s time to take down window screens, clean them and stow them in a closet. Screens trap dirt and make your home appear darker. Windows will have a nicer appearance inside and out without them. Then, clean your windows. Sparkling glass lets more natural light into your home. Open drapes to capture all the winter daylight you can. Sunlight is a great mood booster and will make your home appear brighter.
We would be happy to walk through your home before you put it on the market, and give you other easy tips for over-winter selling. Drop us a line at info@homesandlakeshore.com.
