Making a Great First Impression

Making a Great First Impression - Page 4

Page 4 of 7

The Entryway
When the front door swings open you want to make sure that the buyer's attention is drawn immediately to the entry's most outstanding features.

Clean and polish hardwood flooring
Professionally clean carpeting
Thoroughly clean out the entryway closet. Leave only the coats you are currently wearing. To give the illusion of space, hang longer coats to each end and shorter jackets in the center
Entryway is unobstructed
Entryway is brightly lit
Add a tri-light lamp to change the mood
If entryway is dark, consider painting walls a pale cream color to bounce some light
Consider hanging a mirror along one wall to open up the space and give either a sense of depth or width
Be sure mirror is reflecting something interesting
Consider a small table
If you have a table, make sure it is uncluttered
Hang a favorite painting or framed print in the entryway, where it will be easily viewed
If you have a wall with a collection of interesting objects, consider setting it off with track lighting
Repair any loose carpeting or slippery areas on the staircase. Consider removing carpeting and painting the steps
Handrail on staircase is secure
Staircase is free of clutter
Upstairs landing is well lit and free of clutter
Clean and polish hardwood flooring on upstairs landing and hallway
Professionally clean carpeting on upstairs landing and hallway, or remove if badly stained
Paint woodwork and doors with semi-gloss white enamel. This will give a fresh clean look, and will pick up color tones in your wall paint
Clean all dirt and scuff marks from walls and doors
Repair any chipped plaster

The Entryway - Lasting Impressions

A colorful mat at the front door
Space in the closet to hang the buyers' coats
A polished table with a bouquet of silk flowers
A little wicker basket on the table to hold the mail
The overhead light on a dimmer switch
Mirrors giving the illusion of more space
A hanging piece of stained glass in a sunny window
A tall vase of ornamental grasses
An unusual art object or collection of furniture (e.g. Teapots, a child's doll house, old maps, an interesting piece of sculpture, colorful glasses, or bright ceramic flower pots)
A little round or oval rug on the floor of the stairs landing

The Living Room
As with the every aspect of the house, you want the buyers to see the comfort, beauty and livability of the living room.

Refinish or polish hardwood floors
Professionally clean the carpeting or area rugs
Repair any worn spots on carpeting, or replace with area rugs
Professionally clean windows treatments
Clean any window blinds
Be consistent with window treatments on all the windows in the room
Clean ceiling fans and make sure they are operational
Remove any "extra" furniture that crowds the room
Pull furniture away from the walls and group pieces together in a more intimate settings (i.e. Around a coffee table, an area rug, or in front of a fireplace)
Recover throw pillows to complement the material in curtains, or the colors in the window shades and blinds
Keep the television hidden behind closed doors of the TV unit
If television is open in the room, keep it dusted and secure any loose wires with Velcro strips
Clear away into boxes and tapes, videos or CDs that cannot be stored out of sight
Remove newspapers at the end of the day, and only keep the most current magazines
Keep magazines in a magazine rack
Immediately clear away any food or beverages as soon as they have been consumed
Remove any and all plants that are not in the optimum of good health
Lower hanging planters so that buyers are looking into them and not up at the bottom of dirty pots
Clean all the light fixtures
Use tri-light bulbs in table lamps, to control the degree of lighting you wish to display
Clean the fireplace. Remove any build-up of ashes or charred bits of wood from the grate
Polish fireplace tools
Dust the furniture, windows and lights
Vacuum the carpet/rugs and sweep the floor

The Living Room - Lasting Impressions

In a sparse room, furniture that is all covered with one fabric for a really dynamic look
Patterned curtains and clusters of pillows around the room in complementary & contrasting colors
(Winter) A fire crackling in the hearth but only if someone will be present in the house!
(Summer) A fire laid with pretty logs, or a basket of dried flowers, or ferns, in front of the fire screen
A grouping of small ornaments, or a large painting (with picture light) over the mantle
A comfortable chair by the window, with soft pillows.
Next to the chair, a little table with a bright reading lamp, a candy dish, a mystery novel and a footstool.
Two chairs grouped together around a small table with a jigsaw puzzle underway - and a colorful dish filled with pretzels
A coffee table with a bouquet of flowers and a sumptuous "coffee-table book"
Potted palm trees and hanging ferns drawing your eye away from bare corners