Do you have an upcoming showing? You know to clear the counters, scrub the floors and put on the diffuser. But don’t forget to take care of these four outdoor situations that are often overlooked. Why? Because they just might scare away your buyers!
Creepy Crawlers
Look around the corners of your front porch or backyard deck. You may find that some eight-legged friends have set up camp. Even though it’s not a very big deal, it may freak out a buyer.
If it’s an old spider web, take an outdoor broom and clear out the web. If it’s still home to a spider, take an empty paper towel roll and gently swat down the web. There’s no need to hurt the spider, he likely snacks on annoying mosquitoes and flies!
Also, look out for any big ant hills. You don’t want buyers to assume the property is prone to ant issues. Take an outdoor broom and gently sweep down any big hills.
A Pet Cemetery
It’s normal for a family to bury pets who have passed in the backyard. Although your family knows that Herman was your beloved hamster, the visiting buyers do not. Remove any “In Loving Memory” stones that have made their way to your flower garden over the years. Even though this is a part of life, it may make some buyers feel weird.
Unfinished Projects
A buyer doesn’t want to peer into the backyard and see a big pile of pavers. They also don’t want to see any projects that may look incomplete or potential work that’s going to be passed on to them.
If you are making a summer upgrade to your patio or lawn, then make the effort to pass the message along to the buyer. Put a sign outside that says, “Project in Progress – Will Be Completed By Closing Time!” This will ease their mind rather than turn off their interest!
Holiday Lights
We are all guilty of leaving up the strings of holiday lights for a little too long. Life gets busy and January gets cold. If you happen to have lights lingering on the trees, take a half hour out of your weekend to get them down. A buyer might think you didn’t give love and care to the rest of your property… which we know surely isn’t the case!
