The Patz McMillan Team

Obviously, your home should look its best when potential buyers arrive. However, time is not always on your side. There
may be times when you have only a few minutes to get things ready.What you do with those minutes can mean the difference between an interested buyer … and one who crosses your home off the list.

Here are some things you can do to help your home look its best in just five minutes or less:

• Put away coats, hats, and shoes. Clean up, especially around the foyer. You don't want clutter to be the first thing a buyer sees.

• Turn on all lights and lamps. A home that is bright looks larger.

• Put on some soft music. Easy listening is the best choice. Don't play rock or jazz music because some people might
dislike it. Think elevator music.

• Make sure the toilet lids are down. Even when a washroom is sparkling clean, a raised toilet seat gives the impression – however incorrectly – that things are less than hygienic.

• Relocate the pets. Put pets in the backyard or basement, or at least segregate them in a separate room. Better still, take them away from your home entirely.

• Close the garage doors. Most garages don't look great onthe inside.

• Hide the waste bins. Keep them out of site.

• Wash the dishes. If possible, don't leave them on a drying rack. Put them away.

• Put away personal items. Put family pictures, bills, and other personally identifying information away.You want the buyers to visualize themselves living in your home, not you.

• Open all curtains and blinds. This makes rooms look bigger and brighter, even at night.

Don't forget the red carpet treatment!

You don't have to roll an actual red carpet down your walkway every time you show your home. (But it wouldn't hurt!) The most important thing is to make sure the journey to your front door is a pleasant one. That's when buyers form their first impressions. Make sure the walkway is swept clean and is clear. The last thing you want is for a buyer to trip on a broken paving stone, or get matted clumps of freshly-cut grass stuck to their pant legs!