I have a guilty pleasure: I can spend hours browsing the online multiple-listing service looking for the perfect house to flip. Not that I have any money, of course; I'm tilting at windmills.
At least I can count on the odd chuckle when I come across a photo someone took of a space, intending to impress potential buyers with it but achieving the opposite.
It allows my evil twin to emerge and exercise her sarcasm muscle, another guilty pleasure.
The good twin, on the other hand, is struck by the number of poor souls trying to sell their homes during the dreariest, dirtiest season. It's like standing on the corner in your freezing galoshes only to get slushed head to toe by a passing bus. If you're in this sort of pickle, you may welcome some kindly advice, and I have just the thing.
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Courtesy of Lisa LaPorta, designer and co-host of HGTV's Designed to Sell, here are nine inexpensive and simple ways to get your home noticed during the worst of seasonal and market conditions:
1. Up your curb appeal to captivate potential buyers who will be assessing your house in the time it takes to drive by. If necessary, paint around windows, shutters, moulding and doors to ensure they are in perfect condition. Tidy the driveway by removing garbage cans and other clutter. Update light fixtures, door hardware and your address plate to add polish.
2. Be careful with exterior colours. Most will work but be aware of intensity. Instead of Kelly green, for example, opt for a subdued sage. Drive around your neighbourhood to identify appealing colour combinations on homes of similar architectural style.
3. Avoid wintertime blues. Just because the weather is cold and grey doesn't mean your home's exterior has to be. Winter weather equals dirty siding and bricks, which can change the colour of your home, making it look dingy. A power-wash on a relatively warm weekend will remove built-up dirt and debris. Clear walkways and the driveway and, during showings, keep lights on throughout the home to convey warmth and coziness.
4. Statistically, buyers make their decisions between the first 30 seconds and three minutes they spend in a home, so fluff up the entryway with beautiful flooring, art as key focal pieces, and warm, bright lighting. Remove scattered footwear, umbrellas and coats, and set out a simple vase of flowers on an entry table. The colour of the walls should complement the rest of your home and give visitors a preview of what's to come. Avoid excessively bright colours, opting instead for soft neutrals that will tie all of your rooms together.
5. Keep kitchens simple. Though curb appeal and a fabulous entryway will strike a chord, the condition of your kitchen can make or break the sale. Investments here are worthwhile and will give you the highest return of any room.
Install new appliances, if you can, to signify that the home is ready to be lived in. Refresh cabinets with a coat of paint and update the hardware. Bake cookies or bread or boil cinnamon the day of a showing to appeal to the buyers' senses.
Store 90 per cent of what you have on your countertops inside cabinets. Clutter will signal that the space isn't big enough for you.
6. Freshen up bathrooms. Nothing is more disconcerting than a dingy bathroom, especially when buyers imagine laying their toothbrush on your countertop. A fresh coat of paint is an easy and inexpensive facelift. The space should feel fresh, sparkling clean, and almost sparse, so avoid scatter rugs or toilet seat covers. And put those toilet seats down!
7. Stage living areas to emphasize selling points. Sofas should face a value-adding feature such as a fireplace or window with a view. This will have more impact than focusing the room on an entertainment centre. Don't push furnishings against walls because that can make the room feel like it's merely a pathway to the next room instead of its own space. Keep furniture and personal collections (framed family photos, your collection of Pez dispensers) to a minimum to help buyers see past your personal items and concentrate on the house.
8. Bedrooms should have one identity — a place to sleep — and shouldn't appear to be doing double duty as an office or exercise room. That would send the message that your home isn't big enough for you. Move out computers, desks and exercise equipment or consider offsite storage. If your bed lacks a headboard, paint the wall behind it a bold colour to add drama. Beyond this, keep colour in accent pieces, and the walls crisp and bright.
9. Declutter but resist the impulse to hide your kitchen clutter, personal collections and spare furniture in attics or basements. Buyers will want to assess those spaces for their structural soundness and their own storage needs. If those areas are chaotic or dirty, buyers may think you've neglected their maintenance. Rent an offsite storage locker or invest in a large storage container that can be taken elsewhere.
Removing your clutter will pay dividends in the future, and if you pack correctly, you'll have a jump start on your move to a new home.
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